Expert Programme Governance Consultant India Services
Large programmes rarely fail because of technical problems alone. They fail because governance structures are weak, visibility is poor, and the right decisions aren't being made at the right time. I work with CXOs, PMO leaders, government bodies, and delivery managers to fix exactly that — bringing clarity, control, and confidence back to complex programmes.
Each engagement is tailored to the situation. Below are the four areas I work in most
Programme Recovery Advisory
For when your programme is delayed, over budget, or losing board confidence
A programme in trouble rarely needs more resources — it needs a clear-eyed diagnosis of what is actually wrong, and a structured plan to correct it. I have recovered complex programmes across government, defence, telecom, and enterprise IT sectors, often in situations where previous interventions had already failed.
What this involves:
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Independent programme health diagnostic — assessing schedule, governance, commercial position, and team dynamics
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Root cause analysis: separating symptoms from structural problems
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Recovery roadmap with realistic milestones, clear ownership, and board-ready reporting
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Hands-on support through the stabilisation phase, not just a report and exit
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Who this is for: CXOs, programme sponsors, and board-level stakeholders who need an independent view and a credible path forward.
Typical engagement: 2–12 weeks depending on programme complexity. Begins with a structured diagnostic.
PMO Governance & Setup
For organisations that need a PMO that actually drives delivery — not just tracks it.
Many organisations have a PMO in name but lack the structures that make one effective. Reporting happens but doesn't drive decisions. Risks are logged but not escalated. Milestones are tracked but accountability is unclear. I help build or strengthen PMO governance so that delivery teams and leadership are genuinely aligned.
What this involves:
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PMO design and setup: governance frameworks, escalation paths, RACI structures
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Dashboard and reporting design: executive-level visibility that supports real decision-making
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Risk, issue, and dependency management processes built for the organisation's scale
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PMO maturity assessment and targeted improvement for existing PMO functions
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COE (Centre of Excellence) establishment for organisations building long-term delivery capability
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Who this is for: PMO heads, IT directors, and transformation leaders building or restructuring a programme management function.
Typical engagement: Retainer or fixed-term project basis. Diagnostic assessment available as a standalone.
Executive Reporting & Commercial Control
For leadership teams that need to stay in control of large, commercially complex programmes.
Large IT programmes carry significant financial risk — through vendor contracts, scope creep, change requests, penalty clauses, and margin erosion. I help leadership teams build the oversight structures to stay commercially in control, and the reporting frameworks to present programme status with confidence to boards and sponsors.
What this involves:
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Commercial governance framework: scope control, CR management, margin protection, penalty prevention
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Executive dashboard design: programme status reporting built for board and sponsor audiences
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Vendor governance: performance tracking, contractual compliance, escalation management
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Financial tracking: budget vs actuals, forecast-to-complete, earned value reporting
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Board and steering committee pack preparation and facilitation support
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Who this is for: CXOs, CFOs, commercial directors, and programme sponsors managing high-value IT contracts and vendor relationships.
Typical engagement: Advisory retainer or embedded support during critical delivery phases.
Delivery Transformation
For organisations whose delivery model is no longer working at scale.
As programmes grow in complexity, the processes and structures that worked before begin to break down. Delivery becomes unpredictable, teams work in silos, and leadership loses confidence in what is being promised. I work with organisations to redesign their delivery model — improving execution consistency, cross-team alignment, and leadership visibility across the portfolio.
What this involves:
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Delivery model assessment: identifying structural blockers to consistent execution
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Portfolio governance design: prioritisation frameworks, resource allocation, dependency management
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Process standardisation: delivery lifecycle, stage gates, quality controls
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Leadership capability: coaching senior programme managers and delivery leads
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e-Governance and digital transformation programme support for public sector organisations
Who this is for: IT and transformation leaders in enterprise and government organisations managing a portfolio of concurrent programmes.
Typical engagement: Fixed-term transformation engagement or ongoing advisory retainer.
How We Work Together
Every engagement starts with a conversation — not a proposal. I want to understand your situation before suggesting anything.
From there, most engagements follow one of three models:
Programme Diagnostic — A focused 2–5 day assessment of your programme's health, governance, and commercial position. Delivered as a structured report with findings and recommendations. A fast, low-commitment way to get an independent view.
Fixed-Term Advisory — A defined engagement with clear scope, milestones, and deliverables. Suitable for programme recovery, PMO setup, or delivery transformation work with a specific objective.
Ongoing Retainer — Monthly advisory support for organisations that need a trusted, experienced hand on an ongoing basis — for governance oversight, executive reporting, or commercial control.
Ready to talk about your programme?
Start with a 30-minute discovery call. No obligation — just a conversation about where things stand and whether I can help.
Or explore my background and experience first: → About Arunava Chakravarty