Upcoming sessions
Winter session
| Date(s) | March 26-27, 2026 |
| Time | 8:30am - 4:30pm |
| Format | In-Person |
| Location | James W. Burns Executive Education Centre |
| Cost | $1,735 +GST |
Registration and fees
For this session, program fees cover all materials, breakfast, and lunch. Materials will be provided at the start of the program unless otherwise noted. For any questions, please contact our team or visit our FAQ page.
Overview and impact
Successful projects don’t happen by chance—they’re guided by leaders who know how to create the right conditions for success. Project Oversight for Executives gives senior decision-makers the insight and structure to strengthen governance, improve alignment, and drive better outcomes across every stage of a project’s life cycle.
Project Oversight for Executives equips leaders with the tools and frameworks to drive successful project outcomes through effective governance. This is not a project management course. It is a leadership program designed for senior decision-makers who oversee projects at a strategic level—without involvement in the day-to-day management.
Through real-world examples and insights, this program will clarify the critical distinction between project governance and project management—and how both contribute to success. You will learn to define clear roles and responsibilities, engage stakeholders, and optimize decision-making processes to create a scalable governance framework tailored to any project’s size and risk.
This program covers core governance principles, including accountability, responsibility, and how to structure and manage project boards, steering committees and advisory groups. You will also explore how to choose the right sponsor for each project—and develop the skills to step confidently into the sponsor role yourself.
You will also learn to use the business case to guide decisions, spot early warning signs of project trouble, and when and how to intervene. With these insights, you will be equipped to build a strong delivery culture, make timely, informed decisions, and lead projects to successful outcomes while avoiding common pitfalls.
Professional Development Units (PDUs)
Completion of this program qualifies for 14 Project Management Institute (PMI) Professional Development Units (PDUs). This program is not suitable if you’re seeking Contact Hours prior to writing your PMP exam.
Learning outcomes
Through this program, you will learn:
- The difference between project governance and project management, and how they work together to deliver project value.
- Core principles of project governance, accountability, and responsibility.
- Governance roles, responsibilities, and structure.
- The importance of the project sponsor, how to identify and select a sponsor, and characteristics of a great sponsor.
- How to use the business case to guide the project and allocate decision rights throughout the project organization.
- How to tailor governance and oversight according to project size and risk.
- The keys to effective decision making and stakeholder engagement.
- How to create the delivery culture you want.
- How to recognize the early warning signs of troubled projects.
- When, why, and how to intervene.
- How project governance works with different methodologies like waterfall, predictive, and agile.
- Common pitfalls to avoid.
Participant profile
This program is directly relevant to executives and business managers who:
- Sponsor projects and want those projects to deliver value for money
- Make high-level, strategic decisions about projects and their funding
- Are involved with project boards, steering committees, advisory groups, and working groups
- Are responsible for establishing or improving their organization’s project oversight function
- Want to improve their organization’s success rate for project delivery
This program will also interest project managers who wish to understand the executive and governance perspectives.
Please note that this is not a project management program. Project management is a rich and complex domain, and we offer other programs specifically for project managers.
Return on investment
For you
- Know how to lead projects and provide effective oversight while using your time efficiently.
- Increase your effectiveness as a project sponsor, champion, or executive.
- Increase your ability to deliver value through successful project outcomes.
- Work smoothly with funders, stakeholders, and delivery teams.
For your organization
- A delivery culture that promotes visibility and control of projects.
- A defined governance framework and policy.
- Better integration between the business and its delivery teams.
- Better alignment between projects and business goals.
- Improved project outcomes and success rates.
- No more project disasters.
Instructor
Pierre Doyle, MSc, PMP, P3GP
Biography
Pierre Doyle has spent over three decades managing complex projects and leading teams across diverse industries and global contexts.
His experience has reinforced one clear lesson: project management works best when supported by strong governance. Today, he focuses his training on helping organizations build that foundation for lasting success.
Pierre has a master’s degree in computer science from the University of Manitoba, and holds the Project Management Professional (PMP) designation and the Project, Programme & Portfolio Governance Professional (P3GP) qualification.
Discover more
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James W. Burns Executive Education Centre
2nd floor
177 Lombard Avenue
Winnipeg, Manitoba R3B 0W5