PMO Not Working? How to Identify Pain Points and Solve Them with PMO as a Service

When a Project Management Office (PMO) isn’t delivering value, it’s not always obvious why. On paper, the structure may seem solid, but underneath, inefficiencies can quietly stall progress, overwhelm teams, and dilute delivery outcomes.

So, if you’ve found yourself asking, “Why isn’t our PMO working?”, you’re not alone. The good news? These challenges are fixable. And increasingly, organisations are turning to PMO as a Service (PMOaaS) to bridge gaps and breathe new life into their project environments.

Project team reviewing timelines and deliverables with tension and delay indicators.

Where Things Go Wrong: Common PMO Pain Points

Many internal PMOs start strong but gradually lose momentum due to:

• Under-resourcing: Your team might be skilled but stretched too thin across initiatives.

• Siloed operations: When PMOs don’t integrate with business units, alignment suffers.

• Lack of scalability: Traditional PMOs can struggle to flex with changing project demands.

• Outdated processes: Rigid frameworks often fail to keep up with agile, fast-paced environments.

• Skills gaps: You may need niche expertise (e.g., data analysis, assurance, benefits tracking) that isn’t available in-house.

  
  

These issues can quietly erode the PMO’s effectiveness, making it seem like the PMO isn’t working, when in reality, it's overburdened or under-supported.

A team puzzled while reviewing project plan.

How PMOaaS Provides a Targeted Fix

PMOaaS is designed to solve these pain points, not with one-size-fits-all solutions, but with on-demand, expert support that plugs directly into your project ecosystem.

Here’s how it works:

• Scalable Support: Need help for a high-impact programme? PMOaaS can scale resources up or down.

• Speed to Value: Experienced PMO professionals are deployed quickly, reducing ramp-up time.

• Specialist Expertise: Whether it's project controls, risk management, or governance assurance, you get the skills you need, when you need them.

• Tailored Integration: PMOaaS teams align with your existing processes or help optimise them, without disruption.

Project team joining via virtual call for scalable support

The Strained Internal PMO

A government-funded organisation had a small internal PMO supporting over a dozen active work streams. Despite the team’s best efforts, reporting was inconsistent, senior stakeholders lacked visibility, and project overruns were frequent.

By introducing PMOaaS from Plan Outsource, the organisation gained:

• A dedicated reporting lead to clean up data and streamline dashboards

• Project planners to support overloaded delivery teams

• Assurance specialists to assess delivery confidence

The result? Improved decision-making, a reduction in delivery risk, and restored stakeholder trust.

PMO Support That Grows With You

PMOaaS is not about replacing your PMO, it’s about empowering it. Whether you're building from scratch or seeking to strengthen what already exists, it offers the flexibility, capacity, and capability your teams need to thrive.

Let’s Talk

If your PMO feels stuck or overstretched, it may be time for a fresh perspective. At Plan Outsource, we specialise in strategic PMO support tailored to your environment.

Contact us to explore how PMOaaS can drive better outcomes across your projects.