Project Manager

Position Overview

The primary accountability of the Project Manager (PM) is to deliver solution(s) to the client, meet the approved scope/cost/schedule/quality for the project. The accountability includes detailed project planning leveraging the proposal, execution, control, deployment (including training and hand off to the business), warranty support, and closure.

Client satisfaction with the project process and project team performance is a key expectation and bonus able goal for the PM. In addition, the PM must ensure that all the artifacts of the project are stored in Knowledge Repositories as the project progresses.

The PM develops a thorough understanding of the proposal, the business and IT requirements and the solution, and confirms the commitments, assumptions and constraints. The PM prepares the detailed project plan (and/or work packages) by working with the Subject Matter Experts (SME) and secures the sign offs/approvals from the required stakeholders and the client, before starting the project execution. Under the oversight of the Management Team, the PM secures the resources required for the project, ensures that the project team is jointly committed to the goals and objectives of the project and teamwork and leads them to deliver the solution in scope, in time, within budget and within the previously agreed to quality parameters.

Effective and timely communications to the client, key stakeholders and the project team is a key ingredient for the PM’s success. Status reporting, project change control, continual risk/issue assessment/management, and escalation/resolution, are essential. The PM must devote attention to detail while maintaining the big picture of the project and how it aligns with the business direction.

The PM also has the accountability to work with Development and Technical Infrastructure teams in ensuring success with consistency of project design with the 12 month strategic direction for the application / organization, formulating the Warranty Criteria, scheduling production implementation, ongoing application maintainability (ease of change), ongoing supportability (ease of correction), coordinating the on call roster and process and meeting the established SLA’s.

Use of lessons learned from other projects, sharing of project information and ensuring consultants and contractors transfer skills/knowledge to team members are key Knowledge Management responsibilities of the PM.  The PM builds the knowledge of a client’s business, business application and the IT environment by working on a project related to the business.

Duties & Responsibilities

Planner

• Plan (in detail) project scope, schedule, budget, risk, quality (includes requirements validation/verification and all testing), resourcing, procurement and information/communications

Manager

• Manage the project planning/execution/control/deployment/warranty support/closure, resourcing, procurement, risk management, issue management and change control processes,
• Manage knowledge by applying lessons learned from other projects and adding new ones to Knowledge repositories,
• Manage the acquisition and deployment of resources (including budget),
• Manage the project team,
• Maintain a balance between detail and the “big picture” vision of the project and the business,
• Manage information and document flows by prioritizing and follow-up, and
• Manage the delivery of the approved business and IT requirements and documentation

Leader

• Lead by example (work ethic, time reporting/management, teamwork, enthusiasm and adaptability to change, etc.),
• Lead the client communication process,
• Lead by imparting a shared vision of the project’s value to the business and goals/objectives, and
• Lead the project team effectively to deliver the solution in scope, in time, within budget and within the quality parameters and encourage teamwork
• Diplomat
• Influence others to share information, resources, and time,
• Respond to client needs (spoken and implicit) and put to rest client fear/uncertainty/doubt,
• Build support for project to ensure client understands and supports final delivery, and;
• Definitively answer questions, which challenge final project delivery

Communicator

• Communicate regular project status reports to all stakeholders,
• Communicate frequently with the client to preserve understanding of needs, priorities, and expectations,
• Communicate clear expectations and regular updates to the project team,
• Communicate with and influence multiple audiences (e.g. vendors, peers, management, etc.), and
• Communicate project issues and risks to the appropriate people and secure their timely decisions/support

Skills & Qualifications

• 5-10 years of experience in the retail brokerage marketplace
• Vendor management experience and related negotiations
• Leads and directs the work of others
• Works well under pressure and makes deadlines
• Entrepreneurial mindset
• Can perform effectively with a wide degree of creativity and latitude
• Demonstrated relationship-building skills; solid judgment; critical thinking skills; a sense of teamwork and community; ability to handle multiple tasks; highly organized
• Ability to recruit and retain a team of skilled professionals
• Sound business and communication skills, including Board and executive interactions
• Extensive financial management skills including status reporting and budget formulation/tracking
• Detail Oriented

Education

• Undergraduate degree with preference to those with a Business Administration major
• Graduate degree preferred
• CSC and CPH
• PMP or equivalent preferred