Senior Project Manager- Process Improvement

Description

Department : Project Management

Job Type : Regular Full Time

Education Level : BA / BS

Required Years Experience : 8

Church Pension Group (CPG) is a financial services organization located in Midtown Manhattan. CPG was founded in 1917 to provide pension benefits to eligible clergy of the Episcopal Church.

Since then, its mission has expanded to include life and disability insurance, health benefits, property & casualty insurance, and publishing.

The Church Pension Group's (CPG) business plan includes a Project Management Office (PMO) to lead enterprise-wide programs and projects and support CPG's strategic planning.

The Senior Project Manager (PM) is primarily responsible for directly managing the programs, projects, and business functional / transformational deliverables for the Executive Sponsor.

In this role the PM will utilize business and process improvement experience, along with industry knowledge to effectively lead initiatives and support CPG's strategic goals.

The Senior Project Manager is expected to fulfill their responsibilities with limited oversight from the VP Strategy & Project Management Office or from the Executive Sponsor(s).

This role is also expected to provide expertise and training (as needed) to others in the organization who need project management skills.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Include the following. Other duties may be assigned :

Project Management - Manages the overall program, individual projects, and deliverables that focus on transformational changes, process improvements or enhancements.

Controls planning and execution of the program / project including activities, resources, and vendors to ensure that the established cost, time, and quality goals are met.

Accountable for the success of the program or projects assigned. For programs, coordinate with other PMs on their projects with the program.

Process Improvement - Lead efforts to improve business processes to make them more efficient, effective, and aligned with organizational goals leveraging people, process and technology.

This includes documenting current state business processes (process maps, RACI, SIPOC, etc.) identifying opportunities, integrating appropriate best practices, defining and documenting future state business processes, and implementing the improved business processes through process elimination, simplification and automation.

Also quantifies improvement opportunities to understand impact of change and aid prioritization.

• Change Management - Support projects by developing and executing change management programs including stakeholder analysis, communication planning, drafting and issuing communications and coaching team members and sponsors on managing the overall change impact with their employees and stakeholders.
• Communicates timely and effectively with the Executive Sponsor, Project Sponsor, and other key stakeholders or project team members regarding project status, risks, issues, and resources.
• Communicates with PMO Oversight effectively; develops and delivers clear, concise, and meaningful communications for this team.
• Develops and executes business process redesign and organizational change management strategies and day-to-day activities of all projects assigned.
• Leads the project team in gathering all relevant and required information to support each stage of work within CPG's standard project methodology (J4DC) and in coordination with CPG's Agile Development approach.

This includes, but is not limited to :

• Project vision and charter
• Business case (working with the business units)
• Cost / benefit analysis (working with the business units)
• Estimated future / On-going cost structure
• Identification of project roles and responsibilities (RACI Matrix)
• Resource requirements and work streams
• Business / Functional requirements (in collaboration with the business / technical analyst)
• Process analysis and process mapping
• Story writing (for Agile development) (in collaboration with analyst)
• Test plans and scripts (in collaboration with the business / technical / quality analyst)
• Change Management & Change Control oversight and execution
• Communication plan
• Deployment plan
• Process and procedure documentation to support post deployment
• Closing documentation
• Develops and maintains the project plan and work breakdown structure. This includes all relevant activities, durations and deliverable dates, resource requirements and status of activities.
• Develops and maintains the financial plan (budget) and the actual / forecast schedules. Identifies costs that have been incurred and ensures the costs have been properly recorded.

Analyzes and supports variances between the actual and forecasted budget and plan.

• Leads team meetings for : brainstorming and visioning, gathering requirement information, prioritizing, identifying issues, and providing status updates.
• Meets regularly with the project team to collect issues that are impeding the completion of project tasks or risks that could negatively impact the project, establishes a mitigation strategy, communicates changes to the plan, and escalates as necessary.
• Creates and updates project status reports, communicating current state, upcoming schedules, changes to the plan, risks, budget status, etc.
• Updates and maintains all required and relevant documentation in the PM toolsets.
• Provides guidance and leadership to team members in their areas of project responsibility.
• Understands corporate strategy and cost / benefit analysis and can lead assessments and / or contribute to the prioritization of work towards that strategy.
• Leads programs, including program strategy, rollout, prioritization of projects / work within the program, reporting, and all other administration related to the projects
• Remains current of project management best practices and industry trends, makes proposals that improve standards, and facilitates implementation of appropriate standards and procedures (as required).
• Recommends process improvements aimed at elevating product quality.
• Provides training and guidance to other employees in need of project management skills.
• The Senior PM may be assigned employees / contingent workers at CPG based upon the request of the employees' direct manager, in consultation with the VP Strategy & PMO.

The Senior PM directly guides the employee(s) through a specific deliverable or small "project" within their department and trains on how to use relevant project management tools to improve the expected outcome of the deliverable, providing feedback and guidance.

The Senior PM also coaches the employee through communications and group discussions with the employee's team. The Senior PM may train more than one employee at a time, based upon the PM's workload.

• The Senior PM may also need to educate and coach the project team on project related methodologies (e.g. Agile, Waterfall, RACI Matrix, etc.)
• Effective performance of the essential functions of this position requires regular in-person, on-site interaction with colleagues, both for purposes of relationship building and meaningful collaboration.

QUALIFICATIONS To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily.

The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and / or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

A comprehensive understanding and demonstrated application of project methodology and the mechanics of project management, including the Agile Framework.

This includes a solid understanding of project management techniques, tools, and process technology.

• Experience leading process improvement initiatives, change management efforts and developing business process documentation (process maps / flows), current and future state process designs and transformation planning and execution.
• Proven experience leading business initiatives and developing business deliverables including the ability to define, develop and document requirements, recommendations, project plans and process flows
• Development and execution of business process redesign and organizational change management strategies
• Individual and team leadership, including the ability to work with varying levels and types of resources within the organization.

Can negotiate, influence, and delegate effectively.

• Strong oral, written, communication and facilitation skills.
• Strong ability to develop relationships with internal partners and clients.
• Ability to resolve conflicts.
• A strong ability to coach others.
• Strong multi-tasking capabilities.
• Ability to think as a "generalist" and yet, understands the "big picture".
• Strategic, critical, and systemic thinking; the ability to analyze, assess, and prioritize.
• Decision-making : the ability to make sound decisions.
• Ability to tolerate ambiguity and uncertainty.
• Ability to solve complex problems and can apply analytical concepts to break down problems to identify potential solutions.

EDUCATION

• BA / BS degree required. Masters preferred. Focus in Project Management, Business Administration, Accounting or Finance, Computer Science, Information Systems, or other related fields preferred
• PMP certification preferred

EXPERIENCE

• 8+ years Project Management experience Required
• 3+ years of Process Improvement / Transformation project experience Required
• Waterfall and Agile methodology experience Required
• Practical experience creating and managing project schedules in MS Project Required (or similar PM tool)
• Experience managing improvement projects with technology components or technology implementations / upgrades. Required

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

Commuting to the NY office, on average, three days a week. Extensive use of a computer keyboard is a demand of the position to perform the essential functions of this job successfully.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable someone with a disability to perform the essential functions of this position.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

Hybrid (two days working from home, three days working in a standard office environment). Church Pension Group employees must maintain a professional, compassionate, and trustworthy work environment always.

Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable someone with a disability to perform the essential functions of the job within this environment.

Salary Range : $129,000 - 172,000

Join us and Create A Better Future For Yourself!

Flexible Benefits available to eligible employees :

• Medical (including Vision)
• Dental
• Supplemental Dental

Core Benefits automatically provided to eligible employees :

• Employer funded defined benefit pension plan (five year vesting)
• Employee Life Insurance
• Spouse and Dependent Life Insurance
• Accidental Death and Dismemberment (AD&D) Insurance
• Short-Term Disability (STD) coverage
• Long-Term Disability (LTD) coverage (elected as either pre-tax or after-tax)
• Business Travel Accident Insurance
• Worker's Compensation
• Employee Assistance Program
• Retiree health insurance (eligible after 10 years)
• Retiree life insurance

Elective Benefits available to eligible employees :

• 401(k) with matching contributions (immediate vesting)
• Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs)
• Commuter Benefits
• New York's 529 College Savings Program (NY State residents)

Educational Assistance Program available to eligible employees

Maternity / Paternity Leave available to eligible employees

Time Off available to eligible employees : Vacation, Sick, Personal and Holidays

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

Please understand that, as a general policy, CPG does not sponsor visas.

EOE : Minorities / Female / Disability / Vet / Sexual Orientation

If you are a CPG employee, please use your CPG email address when creating your profile to apply.