Description
The IT Project Manager is responsible for developing the deliverables and implementing them into an organized project plan. Will be the single point of contact for the project.
Must quickly learn the business objectives and project concepts and take the team and the deliverables through to successful completion. Develops the detailed work packages, schedules, budgets, identifies the necessary resources and provides regular updates and communications to stakeholders/sponsors. Oversees and manages each project deliverable including vendor related deliverables for quality and completion.
Effectively communicates status updates and project milestones to business sponsors and stakeholders. The Project Manager must work with minimum supervision and full accountability, including people leadership, directing work efforts and finding timely solutions to technical problems and people management issues. Will direct the activities of others clarify timelines and quality requirements and will be responsible for effectively engaging team members on the achievement of superior results.
Key Accountabilities:
- Facilitate joint planning with the client in the early stages of project formation
- Determine organizational and financial feasibility of the project,
including the completion of the business case as appropriate
- Create a project plan with clear articulation of business outcomes including: desired business outcomes and service level agreements, the metrics to confirm success of those outcomes and the identification of key underlying assumptions, business and technology risks, necessary prerequisite initiatives, required
supporting actions and intermediary outcomes
- Integrate project plans at program level creating estimating models as required, refines plan and manages performance against it
- Provide consulting and guidance on project initiatives including business case preparation and developing creative/alternative approaches to problem resolution
- Facilitates schedule and cost forecasting and mentors program managers in determining risk based provisions
- Manages project scope/requirements changes, multiple and competing demands and priorities determining and conveying impact on budget, time and risk using appropriate fact-based metrics/assumptions
- Creates metrics and manages with a higher level of information ie at the trends and management indicator level; differentiates between project and program metrics
- Identify and manage overall program costs and budgets
- Recommend best solutions to upper management based on understanding of business issues
- Provide recommendations on project scope by assessing requirements changes, determining and conveying impact on budget, time and risk
- Promote innovative or improved methods to get the work done and implements best practices
- Resolve issues and conflicts, remove barriers, and resolve minor project issues. Act as escalation point for potential conflicts between direction and project constraints
- Supervise project closure initiatives, such as client satisfaction survey and closure analysis
- Selects external vendors and third parties (consultants, off shoring, outsourcing) and manages the relationships at the program level
Knowledge and Experience
- Bachelor degree
- MBA would be an asset
- 7+ years experience in managing large scale, high visibility projects
- PMP Certification - would be an asset
- Previous Financial Services experience - would be an asset
- Proven leadership and experience leading large scale, high visibility projects is mandatory
- Managing teams of 15+ people within a Matrix environment
- Experience managing several significant projects simultaneously
- Solid experience mentoring and guiding teams with project methodology
- Experience following project management best practices and methodologies within the financial or similar industry
Skills and Competencies:
- Strong knowledge of Project Management and PMO methodology
- Superior business acumen
- Strong verbal and written communications skills required to manage communications to all stakeholders
- Advanced knowledge of project metrics, including gathering, reporting, trend analysis, creation, and metrics
- Ability to identify issues and problems, generate solutions and choose appropriate alternatives using basic root cause analysis
- Advanced user proficiency with computer software, such as MS Office, MS Project and/or Visio
- Advanced understanding of IT principals, including life cycle planning, estimating and architecture
- High level of general management skills including, but not limited to, leading, negotiating, communicating and team building
Attributes:
- Highly organized with superior time management skills
- Strong customer service orientation and interpersonal
- Conceptual thinker, creative thinker and analytical thinker
- Creative problem solving skills and attention to detail
- Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, detail oriented environment
- Effective leadership, guides people through issues and change
- Builds collaborative relationships quickly
- Drives for results and high performance for self and team members
Must possess Financial services experience, specifically within Wealth Management and Brokerage.
Strong leadership skills, ability to map a process or project from point A to point B and get the team and stakeholders to that end point. Must have a technical background, passion for technology