GPD-PN 01/26: Appointing senior responsible owners in government (HTML)

This policy note forms part of a wider set of reforms. It summarises and brings together the key policies, requirements and guidance for appointing SROs, many of which are set out in other documents. It should be read together with the following documents, which contain the core requirements for the appointment and management of the role:

• Government Functional Standard GovS 002: Project Delivery
• Managing Public Money
• Departmental evidence and response to select committees: guidance (known as the Osmotherly Rules)
• Treasury approvals process for projects and programmes
• The Teal Book: Project delivery in government
• The role of the senior responsible owner

These arrangements take place from 1 April 2026.

If a programme or project is on the Government Major Projects Portfolio (GMPP), the following arrangements apply to the SRO. This includes Mega Projects, which follow the same framework with a small number of distinctions.

• GMPP SROs shall be personally accountable to Parliament for delivery decisions and actions
• GMPP SROs shall be accountable to their Accounting Officer and relevant Ministers
• GMPP SRO accountability shall be formalised through a published appointment letter using the template GMPP senior responsible owner appointment letter

• GMPP SROs shall be jointly appointed by the:
  • Accounting Officer
  • Government Head of Project Delivery (or as delegated to the Government Head of Profession for Project Delivery)
• The centre of the function and profession may participate in job specification, sifting and interviews
• It is the responsibility of the department to ensure that appointment letters are completed, agreed with the Head of Function or Profession for Project Delivery and for publishing these letters in good time to their GOV.UK SRO appointment letters page

• GMPP SROs shall be a graduate of or be enrolled on the Major Projects Leadership Academy (MPLA)
• GMPP SROs who are members of the Project Delivery Profession should hold senior practitioner or master practitioner accreditation

• Allowances may be agreed between Accounting Officers and the National Infrastructure and Service Transformation Authority (NISTA) for GMPP SROs, subject to eligibility. For more information, email [email protected].

If a programme or project needs approval through HM Treasury’s ‘Treasury approvals process for projects and programmes’ but is not on the Government Major Projects Portfolio, the following arrangements apply to the SRO.

• DMP SROs, as agreed by Ministers, shall be personally accountable to Parliament for delivery decisions and actions. The requirements, advice and guidance set in Departmental evidence and response to select committees: guidance that relate to GMPP SROs should be read as equally applying to DMP SROs until such time as that document or this policy note is updated
• Departmental Major Project SROs should be accountable to the departmental Accounting Officer and relevant Ministers
• Departmental Major Project SRO accountability should be formalised through an appointment letter

• Departmental Major Project SROs should be appointed by the Accounting Officer (department‑only appointment)
• Accounting Officers may wish to seek the advice of their departmental Chief Project Delivery Officer and/or their departmental Head of Profession when making these appointments
• It is the responsibility of the department to ensure that appointment letters are completed and in place as soon as a DMP SRO is identified

• Departmental Major Project SROs are eligible (and expected, subject to prioritisation) to apply for MPLA
• Accreditation for Departmental Major Project SROs is delegated to departments, with Government Project Delivery retaining central oversight for senior and master practitioners

If a programme or project does not need approval from HM Treasury, the following arrangements apply to the SRO.

The template Other Major Project senior responsible owner appointment letter can be tailored as needed for these appointments.

• SROs of other programmes and projects should be accountable within the department, typically at director general or portfolio level
• All requirements for good governance, escalation and oversight still apply

• SROs of other programmes and projects should be appointed by the department, normally by or on behalf of the Accounting Officer
• Accountability for SROs of other programmes and projects may be formalised through an appointment letter

• Accreditation decisions for SROs of other programmes and project are delegated to departments, with Government Project Delivery retaining central oversight for senior and master practitioners