Professional Services Project Manager

Professional Services Project Manager

The Project Manager (PM) is responsible for delivering project services to the client base. As the team lead for the Professional Services Team, the PM will be accountable for successful project outcomes and the performance of all professional services team members. This is a player/coach role requiring both hands-on contribution to project delivery and leadership of the Professional Services Team. The PM role includes three essential pillars:

1. Project Execution and Quality Control: Internal and external project stakeholder coordination to achieve business and technical requirements of proposed project solutions based on project schedules and expectations set with the client

2. Project Team Leadership: Management of all members of the Professional Services Team, confirming the use of processes and tools developed to ensure adherence to professional services processes and delivery standards

3. Technical Contribution & Project Delivery: Actively contribute to project delivery alongside engineering staff, serving as a technical resource when needed, supporting solution design, and ensuring successful execution of complex projects

This role is critical to the success of the managed services practice. It requires excellent communication, administrative, documentation, technical, negotiation, and organization skills. The PM will collaborate cross-functionally with MSP team members to deliver project services to clients. Through these efforts, the PM will effectively generate non-recurring revenue (NRR) based on a pro forma utilization plan.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Execution and Quality Control:

· Project Lifecycle Management: Manage all booked IT projects in the project queue

· Project Intake Process: Engage in the project intake and initiation processes, ensuring an organized transition of newly booked projects into the Professional Services Team workflow

· Product Tracking: Track expected delivery dates to ensure timely receipt of products to maintain the project schedule

· Project Coordination: Coordinate and collaborate with project team resources and client stakeholders to accomplish project work in a timely manner

· Project Scheduling and Schedule Maintenance: Set and maintain the project schedule to meet project timeline commitments

· Project Methodology: Ensure the application of company-approved project methodology by Professional Services Team members to achieve consistent service delivery outcomes

· Engineer Sync Up: Conduct regularly scheduled sync up meetings with Engineers to assure adherence to the project schedule and time budget

· Engineer Time Entry: Monitor Engineer time entry timeliness, quality, and accuracy to confirm project status adherence to the project budget and billable hours

· Project Status Monitoring: Review work plans for task completion to ensure that projects are completed on time and on budget

· Project Status Meetings: Schedule, prepare for, and conduct project status meetings with project stakeholders to enable stakeholder alignment on project status

· Project Documentation: Assign and verify completion of required project documentation

· Project Course Correction: Engage in course correction activities with stakeholders when projects go off track

· Business Requirements Confirmation: Ensure that projects meet intended client business outcomes prior to project closure

· Customer Satisfaction: Measure and achieve targeted customer satisfaction targets

· Out-Of-Scope Project Services: Manage, complete, and bill for out-of-scope project services

· Project Billing: Complete project billing according to and in conjunction with Finance Team processes

Project Team Leadership Additional Responsibilities:

· Team Utilization: Accountable for achieving Target Engineer Billable Utilization plan

· KPI Oversight: Manage KPI tracking and reporting, implementing necessary adjustments to align with strategic objectives

· Monthly Billable Utilization Projection Reporting: Prepare a report prior to the beginning of each month that projects billing utilization for the upcoming month

· Project Backlog Reporting: Report backlog of billable and non-billable project hours weekly

· Capacity Planning: Actively engage in capacity planning to ensure optimal team resource allocation and meet departmental demands

· Project Documents Folder Management: Manage and maintain project documentation repositories

· CSAT Reporting: Deliver and collect client satisfaction surveys, then analyze and share data with the team, ensuring that what is learned is incorporated into team process

· Coaching and Mentoring: Provide continuous coaching to PS team members to foster professional growth and enhance service delivery

· Process Development and Optimization: Develop and continuously refine Professional Services Team processes to enhance efficiency and effectiveness

· Onboarding and Training: Lead the orientation and training of new hires to ensure a smooth integration into the team

· Performance Reviews: Conduct regular meetings with Professional Services Team members to review performance, set goals, and address any concerns

· Weekly Department Level Meeting: Prepare for and chair the weekly Professional Services Department Level Meeting to foster collaboration and strategic alignment

· Quarterly Initiatives: Determine and execute on quarterly team initiatives aimed at team process development, enhancing team member skills, and promoting business growth

Additional Technical & Delivery Expectations:

· Participate in hands-on delivery of complex IT projects alongside engineering staff

· Serve as a technical escalation point and provide guidance to engineers

· Contribute to solution design, scoping, and SOW development with pre-sales and engineering teams

· Maintain working knowledge of core MSP technologies including cloud, networking, identity, and virtualization

Meeting Rhythm:

· PS Team Daily Huddle: Run the daily huddle to keep the team in sync on performance levels, in-progress projects, and important events

· New Project Meetings: Attend New Project Meetings with DDEs (Design Desk Engineers), vCIOs, and PEs to learn about new project business and technical requirements

· Client Project Status Meetings: Schedule, prepare for, and conduct project status meetings with project stakeholders to enable alignment on project status

· PE Sync Ups: Conduct regularly scheduled sync up meetings with PEs to assure adherence to the project schedule and time budget

· Weekly Department Level Meeting: Prepare for and conduct the Weekly Department Level Meeting to foster collaboration and strategic alignment

· Weekly 1:1 Meetings: Attend 1:1 meetings with the VP Operations to review PM performance, including successes and challenges in the PM role

· Weekly Team Leads Meeting: Attend the weekly Team Leads Meeting to report and discuss team KPI trends and learn about company events and information to be cascaded to PS Team members

Incident Support and On Call Service:

· Remain cognizant of PE on call schedule

· Work with Helpdesk lead to schedule Engineers for billable MAC and incident support as necessary

Onboarding Projects:

· Manage onboarding projects

· Coordination of all client and MSP stakeholders for the timely completion of onboarding projects for new clients

Communication and Team Collaboration:

· Adhere to established Professional Services Team processes and workflows, ensuring seamless inter-departmental integration, responsiveness, and transparency

· Champion company core values and actively contribute to enhancing organizational culture

Accountability/KPIs:

Maintain a thorough understanding of essential Professional Services Team KPIs and KPI targets including:

o 85% Billing Utilization

o 100% Effective Utilization

o Number of Open Projects

o Number of Projects Closed

o Number of Open Overbudget Projects

o Number of Open Onboarding Projects

o Billable Hours Backlog

o Nonbillable Hours Backlog

o CSAT Score

o CSAT Response Rate

Competencies for PM:

· Technical Proficiency: Demonstrates expertise in relevant technologies with a commitment to ongoing technical skills development

· Process Driven: Adherence to established Professional Services Team processes

· Organizational Skills: Exhibits robust organizational and coordination abilities, ensuring efficient workflow and team synergy

· Task Management: Proficient in prioritizing and managing project task details to meet deadlines and client expectations

· Business Acumen and Communication: Possesses essential business insights along with strong verbal and written communication skills, crucial for effective client and team interactions

Qualifications for PM:

· Educational Background: Holds a bachelor's degree and/or tech school degree and industry certifications in information technology (ie: PMP, ITIL certifications)

· Proven Track Record: Demonstrates a history of achieving organizational goals while maintaining high levels of operational success and client satisfaction

· Technical Passion: Demonstrates a passion for technology with substantial experience in the field, underscoring a commitment to staying at the forefront of industry developments