Project Management Office Build-Out for a Healthcare Platform
A technology SaaS company needed a standardized Project Management Office framework to ensure consistent delivery quality, predictable timelines, and cross-department coordination for enterprise-scale implementations, especially as they brought on their largest client (>500K ARR). The goal was to transform delivery from reactive firefighting to proactive execution with visibility and accountability.
Opportunity
While revenue was strong, the leadership team recognized that their informal approach to managing initiatives was no longer sustainable.
Key challenges included:
- No formal Project Management Office structure governing project delivery or customer communication
- Project plans tracked inconsistently across consultants, leading to scope drift and timeline slippage
- Technical resources lacked coordinated scheduling or accountability
- Leadership lacked visibility into project status, risk, and resource utilization
- Go-live dates often missed due to poor cross-functional alignment
Approach
New Wave Associates took a pragmatic, phased approach to building the Project Management Office capability:
- Designed and operationalized a full Project Management Office structure using a core delivery platform
- Built standardized project templates, milestone definitions, and communication cadences
- Created a resource bench of technical SMEs to support integrations (NetSuite, HubSpot, Avalara, etc)
- Established project governance including kickoff protocols, weekly stand-ups, risk logs, and executive steering cadence
- Defined UAT readiness gates and formal go-live checklists to ensure accountability and predictability
Outcome
Within 3 months, the company had a fully functioning Project Management Office that transformed how they managed strategic initiatives:
- Established scalable delivery framework supporting enterprise client growth
- Enabled predictable, data-driven project execution for all implementations
- Strengthened cross-functional collaboration between PS, Integration, & CS
- Reduced delivery risk and enhanced customer retention & referenceability
- Formed the foundation for future automation and AI-driven delivery insights
About the Author
Jason Lee, Managing Partner at New Wave Associates, specializes in PMO design and delivery excellence for SaaS and technology companies.