Sr. IT Project Manager

Manage all aspects of project delivery for large and/or complex projects as assigned by the IT PMO which may include working with business and IT stakeholders to define detailed requirements to meet project objectives, resource planning, usability design, sprint planning, risk management, change management, training, and service introduction. Resource planning may include identifying skillsets needed for the duration of the project and recruitment of external resources.

A critical component of this position's purpose is communicating with project stakeholders, informing and escalating, as needed.

Guide the efforts of project team members, including internal resources and/or third-party contractors to deliver the project according to plan. At times, projects will require the acquisition/selection of resources and new technologies. Projects could encompass all IT disciplines including infrastructure, applications, reporting, end user technologies and will be managed using the DFA IT project implementation methodology which allows for waterfall, agile, and hybrid processes, as needed.

This role will be considered a champion for DFA IT governance processes and will coach others across DFA to support ongoing expansion, as needed.

A key measure of success in this role is the ability to plan, execute, and deliver projects that meet the expectations of the stakeholders on time and within budget.

Job Duties and Responsibilities

Direct and manage project delivery from beginning to end, ensuring all critical project milestones are met

Collaborate with business stakeholders to fully understand the business case, value realization plan, and post go live success criteria and metrics

Define project scope, goals, and deliverables; work with IT and business leadership to ensure the project goals support the business goals

Define the implementation approach and utilize the DFA IT project implementation methodology

Develop and/or oversee development of all project artifacts including detailed project plans, status updates and communications, presentations, requirements documentation, architecture diagrams, training bundles, etc. as required by the DFA IT project implementation methodology

Develop project staffing plan and work with business and IT stakeholders to recruit/assign resources; where required, lead the selection and contracting of external resources, technology, and service providers

Develop project budget, when required, and work with IT and business stakeholders to successfully deliver the project within budget

Liaise with project stakeholders on an ongoing basis, across multiple locations and leadership levels

Work with business stakeholders to define the project stakeholder management, change management, and project communications approach. At times, creating and executing a comprehensive change and communications plan might require collaboration with the HR and the Communications organizations

Set and continually manage and communicate project expectations to team members and other stakeholders

Ensure solution is fully tested with documented test results utilizing test plans, scenarios and test scripts

Proactively manage, communicate, and mitigate project issues and risks

Proactively manage changes in project scope and assumptions

Identify and manage project dependencies and critical path

Manage the delivery of work across multiple IT organizations, as needed

Coach, mentor, motivate, and supervise project team members and contractors and influence them to take positive action and accountability for their assigned work

Cultivate business relationships vital to the success of the project

Facilitate escalation, as needed

Develop and execute change management plans to ensure the organization is ready to adopt new systems and processes

Plan and execute service introduction steps to ensure successful support of the new systems and processes

Ensure steady state support goals are achieved as per the agreed schedule prior to the completion of the hyper-care phase

Complete project close and sunset review with project stakeholders

The requirements herein are intended to describe the general nature and level of work to be performed, but is not a complete list of responsibilities, duties, and skills required. Other duties may be assigned as required.

Minimum Requirements

Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree in computer science, information technology, or business administration

8+ years project management experience, preferably in a manufacturing or fluid milk marketing environment, coupled with strong leadership skills and experience implementing large/complex projects

Experience with one or more of the following is preferred: SAP, JDE, Salesforce, Networking, Infrastructure

Certification and/or License Project Management Institute PMP certification preferred; SAP certifications, Six Sigma Black Belt, or other similar certifications preferred

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Knowledge of Agile and Waterfall methodologies

General understanding of IT technical infrastructure including basic networking, phone systems, servers, database, cloud, and disaster recovery

Able to facilitate work sessions for business process re-engineering and optimization

Able to drive IT and business process standardization and best practices

Able to demonstrate solid business judgment and decision-making skills; able to make well-informed and reasoned decisions in a short period of time

Able to elicit cooperation from a wide variety of sources, including upper management, clients, and other departments

Able to work independently and in a team-oriented, collaborative environment

Able to conform to shifting priorities, demands, and timelines through analytical and problem-solving capabilities

Able to communicate clearly and effectively, both verbally and in writing, for a diverse range of internal and external audiences; able to communicate technical information to non-technical individuals

Able to bring project to successful completion through political sensitivity

Able to build a collaborative working environment

Able to effectively prioritize and execute tasks in a high-pressure environment

Able to learn, understand, and apply new technologies

Skill in conducting research into project-related issues and products

Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite, specifically Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Teams, and Share Point

Must be able to read, write and speak English

An Equal Opportunity Employer including Disabled/Veterans