Programme and Project Recovery Specialist: How to Rescue Failing Initiatives
- Richard Keenlyside
- Sep 9
- 3 min read
TLDR
Programme and project recovery specialists are essential when initiatives fall behind schedule, exceed budget, or fail to deliver expected outcomes. By applying structured methodologies and governance frameworks, they provide organisations with a pathway to stabilise, realign, and achieve project success.
Introduction
In today’s fast-paced business environment, project success is critical. Yet, statistics show that a significant proportion of projects either fail or underperform. This is where programme and project recovery specialists step in.
Why Do Projects Fail?
Projects often fail due to multiple interconnected factors:
Poor governance structures
Weak stakeholder engagement
Inadequate planning and resourcing
Scope creep and changing business priorities
Lack of executive sponsorship
These challenges highlight the importance of programme and project recovery specialists, who bring proven strategies and experience to stabilise failing initiatives.
The Recovery Framework
To provide clarity, let’s use the McKinsey 7S Framework as a model to structure recovery efforts:
1. Strategy
Recovery begins by revisiting the business case. Does the project still align with organisational strategy? Specialists reassess scope, objectives, and ROI to ensure the initiative is worth saving.
2. Structure
Ineffective governance often derails projects. Recovery experts implement clear governance structures, with defined roles, responsibilities, and escalation paths.
3. Systems
From project management tools to reporting mechanisms, systems must provide transparency. Specialists introduce agile reporting, milestone tracking, and risk management frameworks.
4. Shared Values
A failing project can damage morale. Recovery specialists rebuild confidence across stakeholders, ensuring shared commitment to achieving project goals.
5. Skills
Often, skills gaps prevent projects from succeeding. Recovery efforts may include bringing in specialist expertise or upskilling existing teams.
6. Style
Leadership style is critical. Project recovery experts often act as interim leaders, instilling discipline, urgency, and collaboration.
7. Staff
Finally, ensuring the right people are in the right roles is key. Recovery may involve reassigning resources or adding targeted expertise.
The Role of Programme and Project Recovery Specialists
Richard Keenlyside, a recovery specialist, provides:
Rapid diagnostics to identify root causes
Stakeholder alignment across executives, teams, and partners
Action plans with measurable milestones
Risk management frameworks to anticipate and mitigate future issues
Their goal is not just to save a project, but to ensure long-term sustainable outcomes.
Benefits of Engaging Recovery Specialists
Engaging programme and project recovery specialists delivers tangible benefits:
Reduced risk of financial loss
Faster turnaround of failing projects
Improved stakeholder confidence
Enhanced governance and accountability
Long-term capability building within the organisation
FAQs
1. When should we bring in programme and project recovery specialists?
When a project is off track on time, budget, or outcomes, early intervention prevents further damage.
2. Can all failing projects be recovered?
Not always. Sometimes recovery means redefining the project scope, or in rare cases, recommending closure to protect investment.
3. How long does project recovery take?
The timeline depends on project size and complexity. However, recovery specialists focus on delivering quick wins within weeks to rebuild confidence.
4. What industries benefit from project recovery services?
Programme and project recovery specialists work across all sectors, including finance, retail, healthcare, and technology.
5. How do recovery specialists measure success?
Success is measured by restored governance, stakeholder satisfaction, delivery of agreed outcomes, and alignment with business objectives.
Conclusion
Programme and project recovery is not just about fixing broken initiatives; it is about instilling the right practices for long-term success. By engaging programme and project recovery specialists, organisations can mitigate risks, restore stakeholder confidence, and ensure their projects deliver measurable outcomes.
For more insights, visit Richard Keenlyside CIO.
Richard Keenlyside is a Global CIO, PE&MA Advisor, Endava TAC and a former IT Director for J Sainsbury’s PLC. Call me on +44(0) 1642 040 268 or email richard@rjk.info.
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