Project Manager

Job Title: Project Manager
Location: Remote
Duration: 6 months

Job Summary

Heitmeyer Consulting is seeking a Project Manager for our client in the financial services industry. The PM will be responsible for planning and managing tactical projects that are typically of medium level complexity, impact multiple business units and include up to 50 project team members.

Job Description

• Identifies project management coordination process gaps or areas for improvement, recommends and implements solutions.
• Manages project initiation activities that include identifying contractual obligations, client needs and goals, existing situation, necessary contacts, and access to existing information as needed.
• Reviews plans to determine costs, timeline, funding, staffing requirements and goals.
• Develops project plans outlining project scope, activities, schedules, deadlines and cost/time estimates.
• Delivers informational and decision-seeking presentations to technical and business groups.
• Assigns project team members to various project activities.
• Manages project risks, issues/problems, and activity progress to ensure project goals (e.g., deadline, scope and quality) are achieved.
• Assists with problem resolution or risk mitigation as needed.
• Coordinates activities and tasks among project team members, other internal departments and client organizations as needed to meet project goals.
• Seeks and develops more productive and effective ways to complete assigned tasks.
• Ensures fit with timeline, architecture and user needs.
• Conducts project closure activities to formalize and communicate the project acceptance, handover ongoing activities to accountable teams and complete a post implementation review to identify areas of improvement or that worked well.
• Pursues project management certification or equivalent experience.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Skills

• Considerable knowledge and experience utilizing various types of IT project methodologies and life cycles (e.g., conversions, client/server, incremental, rapid delivery, classic or traditional waterfall phases of analysis, design, development, testing, implementation) and the correct project application
• Extensive knowledge and skill in project management standards, processes, procedures and guidelines, and recommends improvements to realize efficiencies
• Considerable knowledge and experience using the industry project management best practices (i.e., Project Management Body of Knowledge – PMBOK)
• Considerable knowledge of communications/escalation management
• Considerable knowledge of the risk and issues management process and techniques, including risk identification, quantification, and risk response (e.g., acceptance, mitigation, avoidance, risk response control)
• Considerable knowledge and experience with company’s budgeting and forecasting processes
• Considerable knowledge of standards relevant to the software industry (e.g., ISO, CMM, Six Sigma)
• Knowledge of company’s procurement management processes (e.g., acquiring goods and services, selecting and managing internal and/or external resources)
• Advanced skill in the use of project management software to manage projects (e.g., MS Project and auxiliary tools, such as earned value database, audit tools, project repository, including risk, issues and action items database, SLIM Estimate, Metrics and Control, PlanView, Platinum Process Continuum)
• Skill in interviewing and conducting assessments to partner with clients and project teams to create a n open, comfortable and win-win environment
• Skill in clearly defining client’s business, fiscal, and functional objectives for the project and, then, preparing a scope statement that summarizes the project justification, major deliverables, and project objectives
• Skill in anticipating and proactively resolving exceptions within established tolerance parameters
• Demonstrated skill in managing budgets and timelines of small to large-sized projects
• Skill in the use of negotiation techniques to reach agreement when there are widely-differing viewpoints• Skill in facilitating risk/issue tracking meetings
• Skill in managing change to project scope
• Skill in analysis, problem solving and the implementing effective solutions
• Skill in innovation/creativity
• Ability to consistently generate sound estimates of project resource needs
• Ability to consistently use project management tools/techniques (e.g., PERT charts, critical path method, earned value) to track and manage project costs and schedules
• Ability to use meeting management, conflict management, presentation techniques and listening skills to facilitate effective project communications
• Ability to accurately differentiate issues and determine who needs to be consulted/updated and whether the issue requires escalation, effectively expediting decision-making on project-related issues as appropriate (e.g., effectively navigates the Fidelity matrix, follows project escalation path)
• Ability to understand and comply with the terms and conditions of the contract(s) within own area of responsibility; works with other to resolve contractual issues as they are identified
• Ability to provides timely project or sub-plan deliverables that align with the program plan structure (e.g., schedules, communications, configuration management, quality and staffing plans, interdependencies, metrics, status reports)
• Ability to understand the clients’ needs, establish credibility and build effective relationships with client contacts
• Ability to maintain and coordinate productivity and to effectively manage workloads
• Ability to set clear expectations, manage team performance and build high morale among team members
• Ability to take initiative
• Ability to deal with internal and external clients with tact and diplomacy
• Ability to accept and facilitate change
• Ability to demonstrate teamwork and manage conflict
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with employees, clients and public

Required Experience

• 5-7 years experience in project management in financial services or a related industry;
• OR 5-7 years experience in a client-related field (e.g., business analysis, programming, client server, telecommunications, legal); or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Actively pursuing project management certification or has the equivalent experience.

Education

• Bachelor’s degree from a four year college or university in a related discipline.

Heitmeyer Consulting is an equal opportunity employer and we encourage all qualified candidates to apply.  Qualified applicants will be considered without regard to minority status, gender, disability, veteran status or any other characteristic protected by law.