IT Program Manager

business hours; remo

Manages one or more large, highly complex, strategic IT program(s) consisting of multiple projects. Defines project management processes and standards and establishes targets, benchmarks, and performance measures for project delivery. Drives the organization to world-class project delivery by mentoring the IT group in Project Management practices. Adjusts project scope, timing, and budgets as needed. Communicates with senior IT leadership, program/project steering committee and IT Business Consultants to communicate program/project strategy, direction, and changes. Responsible for delivering all projects contained in the IT project portfolio on time, within budget, while meeting strategic and business requirements. Tracks key project milestones and recommends adjustments as needed. Partners with senior leadership to identify and prioritize opportunities for utilizing IT to achieve the goals of the enterprise.

This is a key IT role that partners with IT leaders, Facilitates, HR and Finance to optimize processes including position management, promotions, recruitment, and workforce planning to drive improved standardization across IT.

MAJOR RESPONSIBILITIES

• Manages the delivery of the largest and most complex strategic IT projects ensuring on time, on-budget delivery with the agreed level of functionality.
• Engages extensively with senior IT leaders, key senior business leaders and the program/project steering committee to provide timely reports on progress and attainment of business objectives, together with an analysis of potential issues and risks and corrective actions required.
• Contributes to the definition of an Advocate project management methodology based on current IT best practice recognizing the differences in approach required based on the size and complexity of the project and the need to support traditional (waterfall), rapid application development (RAD) and package implementation approaches.
• Establishes an agreed set of targets, benchmarks and performance measures for IT project delivery aimed at supporting a culture of continuous improvement with respect to project delivery. Develops an initial project plan and baseline, and updates and re-baselines the plan when needed or whenever the project tolerances are exceeded.
• Mentors other project managers in the organization working on non-strategic initiatives, on the IT project management office's defined methodologies and tools. Manages and leads the daily work effort of project teams (10 to 40 staff) in a matrix management environment.
• Ensures projects have an appropriately defined set of business requirements and that they stay within agreed tolerances with respect to scope and budget raising an alert to senior management as soon as these tolerances are exceeded so that corrective action can be taken. Provides both high level and detailed project estimates and refines these as a project proceeds so that they achieve at least a +-15% tolerance at the end of the design phase.
• Ensures effective utilization of all project resources, people, and equipment, through all phases of the project.
• Accountable for completing the project on time, within budget, and meeting the defined business objectives. Assists with establishing the project budget and manages all project expenditures within the defined budget.
• Tracks projects post implementation to ensure that the expected benefits are achieved and reported. Performs project post-implementation analyses to establish lessons learned and ensure that these are incorporated in the overall project management approach.

MINIMUM EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIRED

Level of Education:  Bachelor’s degree in information technology or related field

Years of Experience:  Typically requires 7 years in project management, with at least five of these being responsible for large complex projects (above $1M) with a proven record of successful project delivery using expertise in the use of modern project management methodologies.

MINIMUM KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSA)

• Strong analytical thinker able to break down projects into appropriate sub-components.
• Self-starter comfortable taking the initiative and making decisions on the best available information.
• Detail oriented with ability to handle project complexity and detail. Ability to identify key elements and define detailed project work-break-down structures to incorporate them into project plans.
• Delivery focused and tenacious with ability to work through the challenges associated with large complex projects in order to focus on the key project objectives.
• Expertise in industry standard program management methodologies and tools.
• Ability to lead diverse technical resources that possess expertise in different domains.
• Team oriented with ability to form high performing teams from sets of diverse players. Strong influencing and persuasion skills with ability to influence peers, superiors, and subordinates.
• Strong communication skills and tools with demonstrated ability to concisely communicate with senior leaders. Key to establishing goals, milestones, and priorities, ensuring team members understand work assignments and in communicating project status, risks and issues to senior management.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS AND WORKING CONDITIONS

• Requires extensive amounts of time working at a computer.
• Operates all equipment necessary to perform the job.
• Work can be performed in an office environment or remotely.

This job description indicates the general nature and level of work expected of the incumbent. It is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities required of the incumbent. Incumbent may be required to perform other related duties.