Technical Project Manager (Information Technology Consultant - Career) - Information Technology Services

Position Summary

Reporting to the Manager of the Project Management Office, this position will work under minimal direction to independently coordinate, plan, support, and execute enterprise-wide and division information technology projects.

The incumbent will manage the Project Management Life Cycle from beginning to end, establish multi-disciplinary stakeholder and project team buy-in, apply his or her knowledge and understanding of industry-accepted methodologies (i.

e., Project Management Body of Knowledge PMBOK ) and lessons learned from past experience to facilitate project success.

The Technical Project Manager will provide imaginative, thorough, and practicable solutions to a wide range of problems.

Using technical experience and training, the incumbent works with all the Information Technology Services departments and functional divisions during the course of managing projects, with an emphasis on projects incorporating technology to support student success, teaching, learning, and research.

The incumbent will also work with the Director, other project managers, and ITS colleagues to develop and implement maturing project management policies and procedures.

This incumbent will develop a thorough understanding of Information Technology services and how they each support projects.

Position Information

Plans Projects Under minimal direction :

• Consults with project sponsors to clarify project scope, deliverables, timelines, and analyze risk.
• Interacts with users and other stakeholders (administration, faculty, staff, students, vendors) to further understand requirements.
• Develops the project plan as needed to identify and organize project resources, assigning and clarifying roles and responsibilities, establish project schedule, plan for communication, risk, budget, and quality assurance
• Uses presentation and communication skills and tools to communicate project vision and plans to team and stakeholders.
• Works with Information Security, Networking, Operations, Identity Management, and other information technology departments to plan for proper system and security design, best practices, and service transition.
• Works with Service Desk and IT Training and Communications Coordinator to plan project communications to the users and campus community.
• Documents project planning in the project and portfolio management tool.

Executes Technical Projects

• Applies certified PM tools and methodologies to achieve project milestones, maintain scope, and execute project plans.
• Observes project team dynamics to ensure effective team member synergies and to resolve team issues.
• Creates progressive milestones to recognize successes, provide feedback, and motivate the project team.
• Gathers and analyzes project metrics to evaluate project performance and to manage issues, risk and changes of scope.
• Coordinates with technical managers and resources from Information Security, Networking, Operations and other information technology departments to execute the plan, utilizing past experience and knowledge to look for gaps or risks.
• Communicates with stakeholders, senior management and project leaders to discuss issues and resolutions and to authorize scope changes.
• Maintains project status and appropriate documents such as requirements, issues, and risk in the project and portfolio management tool.

Monitors and Controls Projects

• Utilizes PM tools to manage project timelines and accuracy, ensure project resource commitments are met, and track activities and variances.
• Performs assessments throughout projects to identify risks and their potential impact and to develop response strategies for managing and mitigating risk factors.
• Using email, Word, Visio, Excel, and the project software as appropriate, interacts with project customers to verify completion dates, review milestone expectations, and to manage Information Technology Services (ITS) personnel resource schedules.
• Interacts with Functional Managers to manage resources and to meet project commitments and avoid delays and conflicts.
• Offers sponsors solutions to problems with imaginative, thorough, and practicable solutions.

Closes Projects

• Evaluates project achievements and facilitates the lessons learned process to provide documented historical information for future projects.
• Obtains formal approvals for closing project plans to ensure deliverables met requirements and expectations.
• Works with the Service Desk and the Applications Manager on formal handover.
• Surveys customers, stakeholders, sponsors, and team members to gather input on project quality, metrics performance and recommendations for improvement.
• Stores documents, creates final status, finalizes project plan, and formally closes the project in the project and portfolio management tool.

Project Governance

• Assist with implementation and improvement of yearly Project Governance process and Project Management processes
• Reviews project requests and works with requestor and team to get estimates.

Minimum Qualifications

To enter this classification, a basic foundation of knowledge and skills in technical information systems and application program packages is a prerequisite.

This foundation would normally be obtained through a bachelor’s degree in computer science, information systems, educational technology, communications, or related fields, or similar certified coursework in applicable fields of study.

Foundation knowledge and skills for the Information Technology Consultant, depending on the nature of the position assignment, may include working knowledge of common software application packages, equipment platforms, reference database systems and sources, and training methods and a basic understanding of networks, data communication, and multimedia systems.

The career level is broad and includes intermediate through senior level positions. Incumbents at this level work relatively independently and possess the experience to be fully proficient in performing most or all of the work assignments defined for their position.

Typically, incumbents have acquired the requisite skills and knowledge through a combination of education, training, and progressive work experience to be able to demonstrate competence in independently applying technical judgment to standard and nonstandard applications and systems, solving a wide range of problems and developing practicable and thorough solutions, and using effective communication and listening skills.

Preferred Qualifications

Education

Bachelor’s degree in related area such as Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Information Technology, Business, or related field from an accredited university.

Work Experience

Minimum 3+ years experience and proven ability to independently plan and manage complex projects with a technical component and with broad division or university impact.

Knowledge, skills and abilities :

• Working knowledge of an ability to apply the Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK)
• Demonstrated ability to work and communicate effectively with users at multiple levels of the organization
• Excellent communication skills including writing, speaking, facilitation, and presentations
• Demonstrated experience successfully working with Information Security, Systems, Networking, Service Desk and other IT departments to plan for proper system and security design and best practices during project planning, execution, and transition
• Demonstrated personal accountability and creative problem solving skills
• Demonstrated experience and commitment to providing excellent service to diverse faculty, staff, and students
• Demonstrated experience with effectively completing assignments, prioritizing based on strategic goals, and meeting deadlines
• Experience using project and portfolio management software (such as Jira / Confluence, etc.) for documentating, storing, and sharing project charter information, plans and schedules, team information, issues, risks, and communications
• Experience leading projects in a matrixed IT environment that involve aspects of IT Governance such as web governance, data governance, etc.
• Experience implementing process improvement and process automation
• Experience working with users, leaders, and decision makers to ensure strategic and effective decision making occurs in process and project work
• Demonstrated understanding and applicable experience of higher education organizational structures and mission
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
• Familiarity with Agile (Scrum) concepts
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office products (e.g. Excel, Word, Visio etc.)
• Ability to effectively present process improvement ideas, alternative solutions, and workflow concepts in applicable written or presentation formats such as Context Diagrams, Use Cases, Workflow and Swim Lane Diagrams
• Ability to use consultative and facilitative skills to gain consensus on specific outcomes and requirements

Environmental / Physical / Special

• The incumbent may be required to sit in an open office environment with other project team members.
• This is an exempt position and is not subject or eligible for overtime or compensatory time off.
• The incumbent may be required to work outside of their regular work schedule for special projects.

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