Project Manager (Procurement)

Job Summary

The role of the Project Manager is to help implement the District’s overall strategic management goal : creating an aligned organization capable of supporting a high-performing system of schools.

• The work of the Project Manager will touch on all of the core components of strategic management : determining organizational goals;
• prioritizing and pursuing the highest impact strategies to achieve those goals; tracking progress against targets; strategic problem-solving;
• coordinating across functional areas; evaluating and adjusting strategies based on data; holding the organization and team members accountable for progress toward collective goals;

and identifying and celebrating individual and team contributions to overall efforts.

A successful Project Manager will enjoy working at a fast pace; serving in leader, facilitator, and team member roles; developing innovative, evidence-based strategies and solutions to operational barriers;

resolving policy barriers; and institutionalizing change.

Essential Functions :

• Drives incorporation of performance management approaches and performance culture in key interactions across the organization.
• Establishes routines and facilitates regular project meetings among various District staff involved in implementing and evaluating Action Plan initiatives or project components, or System of Great Schools process for purposes of progress monitoring, program review, and program improvement.
• Provides problem-solving support to initiative managers and helps ensure that input and feedback from colleagues across the organization is solicited and incorporated.
• Supports initiative managers to identify risks, strategize solutions, and develop plans to address identified issues in order to maintain initiative / project momentum.

Additional Functions for the Office of Procurement Services :

• Enforce and manage district contracted vendor compliance / diversity requirements, in accordance with regular local, federal and state law / policies.
• Manage the review and monitoring process of vendor project completion within various vendor contracts and work streams; provides progress updates to project leads.
• Works with selected teams on specific aspects of meeting project goals in a timely manner.
• Manage and audit Certified Payroll Reports maintained by the Certified Payroll Processor for various vendor projects related to Capital Programs and Operations.
• Prepares reports related to project status and projections.
• Directly supervise project managers and compliance-based staff in Procurement.
• Develops and builds strong communications and relationships between Academic Supports Capital Programs, Facilities, General Counsel, Inspector General to enforce Procurement contract compliance procedures.
• Participates in confidential and / or sensitive matters and / or projects at every level of the enterprise.
• Participates in contract planning within Capital Programs, Facilities & Maintenance, Transportation, and other departmental offices.
• Coordinate with Buyers in Procurement on RFP postings and scope of work language.
• Supports all administrative and managerial project work related to the compliance and enforcement federal, state and district policies for contracting and procurement.
• Analyze large contract documents, research and prepare draft contract specifications, policies, and procedures, interpret contract requirements to contractors, and recommend contract changes based on the requirement of the scope.
• Assist in increasing the ability of the district to provide documentation such as certified payroll and MWBE contract compliance when requested by federal, state, local, and internal auditors by maintaining records of contracted projects for review.
• Communicate with external vendors to coordinate site visits and obtain necessary documents for review.
• Coordinates with the Department of General Counsel and Inspector General Office to develop standard contract compliance practices and methods of enforcement.
• Evaluate and recommend standard contract and RFP language to meet the needs of various offices while maintaining compliance with federal, state and district procurement practices and policies
• Establish short and long-range goals for regular contract compliance.
• Assist in development of a compliance-based department within the Office of Procurement Services.
• Assure the effective management of contracts by acting as a team leader in reviewing and revising bid / RFP documents, reviewing contract change orders, and working closely with the Office of Business Diversity and Procurement Services.

Qualifications

Minimum Requirements :

• Master’s degree from an accredited college or university.
• Three years of full-time, paid, professional experience in project management, consulting, policy, operations, or research, which has included working in education or a related field.
• Any equivalent combination of training and experience determined to be acceptable by the Office of Talent.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities :

Demonstrated knowledge of :

oprocess improvement and the methods utilized to implement systemic change.

oprinciples, practices, and procedures underlying strategic planning.

oprinciples, practices, and procedures underlying coordination of large-scale projects and initiatives.

Demonstrated ability to :

olead and implement strategic initiatives under aggressive deadlines.

ofunction as an entrepreneurial self-starter, a team leader, a facilitator, and as a member of a team.

owork on multiple projects simultaneously, as evidenced by an ability to balance and prioritize multiple competing priorities

oidentify and break down complex problems and develop strategies to address the identified issues based on quantitative and / or qualitative evidence.

obuild and maintain strong, effective working relationships across all levels of an organization.

ocoordinate cross-functional teams.

ounderstand, interpret, and analyze a variety of data sources.

odesign and develop systems, tools, and schedules for collecting, maintaining, and reporting on performance data.

oadapt to different situations, particularly when new information is provided.

ocommunicate in a clear and concise manner, both orally and in writing.

ouse Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.