Senior Project Manager UK at Imagine Learning in United Kingdom

Summary Description

While a Project Manager oversees one or two projects, the Senior Project Manager (SPM) has a broader overview and scope of concurrent projects, leading one or more project teams to steer large, complex projects to completion.

The SPM will manage initiatives that span across business units or lines of business, acquiring insight as to how parts of the organisation impact one another, as such you will support program management and project portfolio management in order to provide a big-picture perspective on projects to ensure they are in line with strategic business objectives.

The SPM’s degree of involvement in any one project may vary. In some, SPMs may be quite involved in a particular project’s day-to-day tasks. In others, SPMs may delegate tasks to individual project managers or project coordinators that report to or work with them.

Essential Job Functions

• Manage a portfolio of complex initiatives.

• Develop detailed project plans and provide leadership for the project team by building and motivating team members to meet project goals, adhering to their responsibilities and project milestones.

• Manage all aspects of multiple related projects to ensure the overall program is aligned to and directly supports the achievement of strategic objectives.

• Work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment, demonstrating teamwork, innovation, and excellence.

• Participate in establishing practices, templates, policies, tools, and partnerships to expand and mature these capabilities for the organisation.

• Manage project and program issues and risks to mitigate impact to baseline.

• Provide status reporting regarding project milestones, deliverable, dependencies, risks and issues, communicating across leadership.

• Understand interdependencies between technology, marketing, and product development.

• Manage project scope and changes.

• Support both formal and informal schedules to manage internal and external engagement.

• Develop and manage all aspects of project and program engagement from planning, external vendor relationships, communications, resources, change, risks and issues.

• Set and continually manage project and program expectations while delegating and managing deliverables with team members and stakeholders.

• Monitor, track and control outcomes to resolve issues, conflicts, dependencies, and critical path deliverables.

• Determine the frequency and content of status reports from the project and program team; analyse results and troubleshoot problem areas.

• Define success criteria and disseminate them to involved parties throughout project and program life cycle.

• Identify and develop trusted adviser relationship with project and program stakeholders, sponsors and university stakeholders.

• Deliver appropriate and effective executive level communication.

• Ensure that projects and programs are proceeding according to scope, schedule, budget and quality standards.

• Continue professional development in order to keep current on emerging technologies, methods and best practices.

• Extensive understanding of project and program management principles, methods and techniques.

• Other duties as assigned.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in appropriate field of study with 5+ years of project management experience, including tracking and planning projects and 5+ years of experience working with business stakeholders within a cross-functional matrix environment; or an acceptable combination of education and experience

• PMP or Agile certification preferred.

Technical Skills

• Intermediate level proficiency with Jira, SmartSheet, MS Project, Excel, Miro, Office 365, Confluence and with experience presenting to stakeholders and/or Senior Leadership

• Proven ability to demonstrate a drive for results and accountability of business needs.

• Proven ability to work in an ambiguous environment and collaborate across multiple areas in order to achieve a common business objective.

• Interpersonal skills to influence and spur change, facilitate and enhance performance within a cross - functional environment.

• Demonstrated decisiveness in resolving business problems, making decisions and identifying priorities.

• Proven success in providing on site leadership for project team by building and motivating team members to meet project goals, adhering to their responsibilities and project milestones.

Competencies

• Communication - The ability to speak clearly and effectively, listening to and involving others. The ability to convey a message, verbally or in writing, to both individuals and groups and actively listen to the responses.

• Influence and Negotiation - The ability to use personal style to gain acceptance or agreement to an idea or plan. The ability to change the opinions or beliefs of others by effective persuasion and negotiation.

• Leading and Developing Others - This is about leading, encouraging, inspiring and supporting others to develop confidence and capability to help them realise their full potential.

• Planning and Organising - The ability to work out what needs to happen and to set in place procedures for making sure the job does get done. Establishing a systematic course of action for self and others to ensure accomplishment of objectives. Setting priorities and goals and managing time and resources to achieve quality outcomes.

• Self-Development - Genuine commitment to self-improvement so that one can extend one’s own contribution to the organisation and develop one’s own career.

• Achievement Drive - A desire to achieve, and to commit oneself to accomplishing challenging objectives, and to compete against a self-defined standard of excellence. Achievement is about having the sustained energy and determination in the face of obstacles to set and meet challenging targets, in compliance with quality, time and diversity standards, and delivering the required business results.

Behaviours

• Being organised and proactive

• Maintaining a positive attitude

• Expressing appreciation for coworkers

• Being open to feedback and criticism

• Taking initiative in problem solving

• Taking responsibility for mistakes

• Upholding high standards of work

• Practising active listening

• Being flexible and adaptable

• Knowing company’s policies and procedures