Joy Boucher, PMO (Portfolio Management Office) Graduate at Three Ireland

What made you decide to apply to Three for a graduate role?

I applied for the grad role at Three because I wanted to work for a company that focuses on growth and personal development. There was the opportunity to do rotations to get a well-rounded experience in one area, while also having exposure to different areas of the business.

Why did you choose this area of the business? What is Portfolio & Change all about?

I chose the Portfolio and Change Office as when I was completing my MSc Management, I really enjoyed project management. The Portfolio and Change Office focuses on coordinating and facilitating the organisation’s portfolio and delivering projects and programmes that enable change. It includes teams who focus on business readiness, continuous improvement, and business planning and portfolio management.

What is a typical day like for you within your Graduate role?

No day is the same at Three! Depending on the day, month and time of year there are different tasks to be done. I am in the office 2/3 days a week. A typical day for me involves using our PPM (Portfolio Planning & Management) tool to run an array of reports and extract insights.

I also have meetings with PMs to discuss the progress of their projects and submit a PMO report. I assist the portfolio managers with portfolio data inputting and organising. I coordinate a report and presentation for the executive leadership team. Day-to-day the role involves working as one team to help the wider department.

What types of projects do you get to work on?

I got to work on the implementation of our PPM tool. This involved configuring the tool, creating an interactive training, creating all profiles and training up the PMs.

Fortunately, I get to see the progress of most projects. Before they go into delivery, they are assessed by the PCO team, we create a portfolio which determines their delivery timings, and we monitor their progress through reporting.

What is the best/most exciting thing about the grad role for you?

The best thing about the grad role is the exposure to some many parts of the business so early on in my career - although I am in the PCO, I work with colleagues from Technology, Commercial, Finance, and more. From day one you are given responsibility with support.

What 3 pieces of advice would you give anyone thinking of applying?

1. Three is so much more than a phone company!
2. Be yourself – that way you will be placed within a team that best suits you.
3. Don't underestimate the culture of a company. Three's culture is incredible.