City : Hamilton

Category : Other

Industry : Education

Employer : McMaster University

Hamilton, ON
 
The Project Manager will be a member of the IT Strategy Implementation Team within the office of the Assistant Vice President and Chief Technology Officer and will be responsible for managing Projects specifically tied to initiatives related to the McMaster IT Strategic Plan. The Project Manager will ensure that a full and robust project management framework and processes are undertaken to ensure the success of all projects. 
 
The IT Strategic Plan, which the McMaster Web Strategy commitment is contained within, will encompass people, processes and technologies and will result in a number of enterprise wide initiatives that will be developed and evaluated through the IT Governance process.  The McMaster IT Governance process is a framework for aligning and prioritizing IT resources with the strategic direction of the University; ensuring that projects are evaluated against a common framework and IT Principles as determined through the IT Strategic Planning process, and is overseen by a broad group of campus stakeholders who are charged with initiative reviews, evaluation and approval processes, and the monitoring and measurement of success of the ensuing projects. 
 
The McMaster Web Strategy is a partnership between the AVP and CTO, the AVP Communications and Public Affairs, and the AVP Equity and Inclusion, all who make up the Steering Committee overseeing the project.
 
Websites are a critical method for providing information, products, and services to McMaster’s constituents, accentuated by the COVID-19 pandemic. The implementation of a web strategy for McMaster University is not intended to provide input or guidance on content, however is intended to provide a framework for coordination to ensure that the institution’s web presence is consistent, secure, accessible, and manageable, improving our reputation and the experience of our internal and external website visitors. As outlined in the initial web strategy proposal, these core objectives need to be met:  Define a governance process for the ownership, delivery and oversight of McMaster websites to ensure alignment, consistency, responsibility, and accountability. (Content strategy and development is not part of the governance process and continues to reside within departments and units)   Adhere to legislated requirements as outlined in AODA (Accessibility for Ontarians with Disabilities Act).  Ensure McMaster websites are hosted on secure platforms and implemented with appropriate IT security best practices.  Continue to maintain a strong brand for McMaster’s online presence in alignment with the University’s branding and the Brighter World campaign. 
 
Job Summary:The Project Manager is responsible for leading and managing multiple concurrent IS Road Map and related projects across multiple lines of business to meet quality, budget and time objectives. The Project Manager, as a member of the IT Strategy Implementation / Information Security Team, will be responsible for ensuring the overall completion and implementation of the IS Road Map and managing all associated projects identified in the IS Road Map in addition to those projects currently underway and as articulated above as well as any incidents and events that may occur. 
 
As a member of the Strategic Implementation Team and working with the Information Security Team the Project Manager will also be responsible for the implementation of related strategic enterprise level projects identified during the IS Road Map planning process and approved through the IT Governance process. The IT Governance process is a framework for aligning IT resources with the strategic direction of the University; ensuring that projects are evaluated against a common framework, a broad group of stakeholders are involved in the proposal and evaluation process and that projects are monitored and measured. 
 
Accountabilities:
 
Project and Program Management Develop and manage all aspects of project and program engagement from planning, external vendor relationships, communications, resources, budget, risks and issues. Lead walkthroughs and reviews of new project plans, stakeholder communication, documented success criteria and risk mitigation strategies. Organize and conduct start-up sessions to communicate requirements and project plans, and to initiate team building. Develop executive level communication regarding all aspects of the project. Develop and maintain project plans, prepare project status reports and keep management, clients and other project stakeholders informed of the status. Develop and manage project budget, time lines and milestones for presentation to senior management. Evaluate work product to ensure adherence to established functional and operational specifications. Conduct in-depth client interviews to determine scope, priority and constraints of business needs. Lead the development of project charters, business case documents and cost justifications.
 
Manage Client and Vendor Relationships Manage work assignments of internal staff and schedule and monitor adherence to procedures, protocols, and standards. Partner with the Technical Team to maintain the information technology issues database, create new issues and tracking the status of open issues. Ensure proper setting of priorities, problem resolution and incorporation of changing events and conditions into the project from business, technical and political perspectives. Plan, coordinate, and schedule meetings for effective user groups, focus groups, and advisory boards. Investigate, evaluate, and recommend improvements that may be required to business practices, their applications systems, and supporting computing technology.
 
Organizational Responsibilities Coach and mentor junior staff in order to ensure a highly motivated and technically competent team. Act as an on-site team lead responsible for planning, coordinating, and scheduling work assignments to ensure the completion of assigned projects. Remain current with relevant development and project methodologies. Remain current with security policies and procedures and work with System Administrators to implement security changes. Remain current with the different levels of testing, and develop simple use cases and test scripts. Promote the use of the Project Management framework, identifying enhancements and process improvements based on lessons learned.  Provide feedback to direct managers on work completed by project team members, this information to be included in performance reviews and objectives
 
Technical Recommendations, Training and Systems Testing  Manage the development of prototypes of interfaces and attributes based on user requirements. Develop and conduct peer reviews of business requirements to ensure that the requirement specifications are correctly interpreted. Gather and compile information on hardware and software products that meet predetermined specifications. Analyze and verify requirements for completeness, consistency, comprehensibility, feasibility, and conformity to standards. Manage all phases of testing including, but not limited to, system, integration, acceptance, regression, and performance. Take ownership of functional issues by identifying underlying problems, analyzing potential solutions and implementing system resolutions, including workarounds. Review test cases created by the testing team members to ensure that the test cases adequately define the business processes. Resolve problems in the test, production implementation, and post-implementation phases in coordination with other technical and business groups. Review systems, processes, and information and provide recommendations to others. Prepare and review a variety of project documentation, training materials and related documents.  Absorb technical information when it is presented systematically and apply it effectively.
 
Qualifications:
 
The successful applicant has a track record of delivering strategic projects, aligned to key business goals. They use best practices in IT project management for higher education for scope management, issue management, change control, stakeholder management, time and cost management, quality management, risk management, procurement, and communication planning and delivery. The ideal candidate will have an optimal blend of the following qualifications.  In depth use of project management framework, including scope management, communication management, risk management and cost management.  Experience with contract negotiation and vendor management. Knowledge of IT program management best practices Demonstrated ability to successfully lead a team on strategic projects Detailed understanding of one or more institutional level applications and /or major business unit operations/requirements in higher education and / or within other organizations Knowledge of commercial information technology standards  Experience with Strategy and Road Map development would be an asset.  Successfully delivered multiple projects using agile and lean methodology.  Knowledge/Skills:        Leadership: Champions and models McMaster’s leadership capabilities (Takes a Strategic Approach, Communicates & Collaborates, Develops People, Drives Results, Champions Change and Innovation, Invests in Relationships) Vision and Direction: Thinks strategically; articulates a clear vision, is future focused and creates alignment with the core objectives of the University Technology Services department and the organization. Service Orientation: Delivers with a dynamic service focus with demonstrated success in delivering innovative solutions to meet needs and achieve service excellence. Communication: Illustrates exceptional communication skills, with the ability to effectively articulate sensitive and complex issues to a diverse community. Strategic Advisor: Provides senior management with honest, forthright and objective advice in a collegial manner. Deliver with Integrity:  Delivers with leadership that inspires confidence and credibility; continually seeks to understand and act upon internal and external requirements, concerns and priorities; possesses a high level of integrity.  Analytical Thinking: Demonstrates well-developed conceptual, analytical and collaboration skills.  Coach: Utilizes an inclusive, collaborative coach approach with team members and colleagues. Team Development: Sets clear performance and development standards; exhibits mature judgment and manages team toward exceeding objectives, while driving engagement levels. Accountability: Is self-directed with a capacity for managing, executing and evaluating complex and competing projects and initiatives in evolving, changing and stressful environments. Results Driven: Sets priorities and deadlines to ensure multiple projects and objectives are achieved in a timely manner, balancing resources and fiscal requirements. Innovative: Anticipates and interprets future trends, using decisive insight and critical thinking skills by drawing on background, experience and university knowledge to effectively decide, problem-solve and align others and resources in challenging and complex situations. Adaptability: Demonstrates flexibility and a tolerance for ambiguity in a constantly evolving organization.