IT Project Manager (MSP Onboarding & Professional Services)

IT Project Manager (MSP Onboarding & Professional Services)

The IT Project Manager (MSP Onboarding & Professional Services) is responsible for the planning, executing, and closing managed IT projects for new and existing clients. This position will work closely with MSP Project Engineers, MSP Project Technicians, and the network operations team to ensure that project deliverables are met within the scope, budget, and timeline. The Onboarding Project Manager will also communicate with clients, stakeholders, and other internal teams throughout the project lifecycle. This role requires strong financial expertise, including budget management, forecasting, and financial reporting, to ensure projects are delivered on time and within budget.

Our MSP Project Team oversees the onboarding of new clients and the implementation of several different types of projects for our client base. Because of this, we have two types of projects: Onboarding and Professional Services. This role may manage both types of projects but will primarily focus on onboarding.

Onboarding Overview:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for onboarding new clients, ensuring a seamless and positive experience.
• Collaborate with clients to explain the scope of services, outline the implementation process, and communicate how to access technical support.
• Fully document client environments by collaborating with the technical team for technical details while capturing processes, milestones, and client-specific requirements.
• Coordinate implementation of MSP services by assigning appropriate technical resources and monitoring progress.

Core Tools Deployed During Onboarding:

• Email security filtering and protection
• Endpoint protection and monitoring
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and basic identity access management (IAM)
• Security awareness and phishing simulation training
• Configuration change detection and auditing
• SaaS cloud security monitoring
• Security information and event management (SIEM)
• Automated configuration processes and workflows
• Threat detection, response, and proactive threat hunting

Professional Services Types of Projects: Networking Installations:

• New installations or replacement of firewalls, switches, and wireless access points, etc.

Server Installations:

• New installation or replacement of on-premises servers with new on-premises or cloud-hosted server infrastructure.
• Includes configuring server roles and features such as Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, File, and Print services.

Azure / Entra and Microsoft 365 Projects:

• Azure/Entra domain joining of devices.
• Migrating email solutions.
• Configuring and migrating file structures to SharePoint.

Key Responsibilities:

Project Planning and Coordination:

• Define the project scope, objectives, and deliverables.
• Develop detailed project plans, including timelines, milestones, resource allocation, and budget management.
• Schedule resources effectively, planning up to a month in advance to ensure optimal use of personnel and equipment.
• Assign tasks to MSP Project Engineers and Technicians and monitor progress to ensure successful completion.
• Monitor and track project progress, identifying potential risks and implementing mitigation strategies.
• Track and manage project financial variances to ensure projects remain within scope and budget.

Financial Management:

• Develop and maintain project budgets, tracking expenditures to identify variances and adjust plans accordingly.
• Forecast project end dates and resource requirements.
• Utilize Microsoft Excel and ConnectWise to track and analyze project financials, including budget variances, resource allocation, and cost-to-completion.
• Prepare and present financial reports on project performance, including cost-to-completion and profitability analysis.
• Ensure accurate forecasting and financial reporting throughout the project lifecycle.

Collaboration and Communication:

• Act as the primary point of contact for clients during project execution.
• Conduct project kick-off meetings with clients to discuss goals and objectives.
• Regularly communicate project status, risks, and issues to project stakeholders.
• Work closely with cross-functional teams to ensure seamless integration of services.
• Participate in team meetings and contribute to process improvement initiatives.

Risk Management:

• Identify potential project risks and develop mitigation strategies.
• Monitor and manage project risks throughout the project life cycle.
• Collaborate with other teams to escalate major risks and issues as necessary.

Quality Assurance:

• Ensure that all projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Ensure adherence to quality standards, project management best practices, and compliance with project specifications.
• Conduct project evaluations in the forms of profitability reports and after-action reviews.

Customer Service:

• Maintain high customer satisfaction through professional and courteous interactions.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for clients, addressing and resolving customer concerns promptly.
• Conduct project close-out meetings and obtain client feedback.
• Coordinate the resolution of technical issues in a timely and effective manner.

Team Leadership:

• Lead and manage project teams, including technicians, engineers, installers, and subcontractors.
• Assign tasks and responsibilities to team members, providing guidance and support as needed.

Safety Management:

• Enforce safety protocols and procedures to maintain a safe work environment.
• Conduct safety training and ensure team members adhere to safety guidelines.
• Investigate and report any accidents or incidents.

Physical Demands:

• Lifting up to 50lbs., twisting, bending, walking upwards of 2-3 hours consistently during surveys.
• Travel to client locations and back to headquarters, distance depending on client, but averaging between 30 – 60 miles one way.
• Must be willing to work outside of regular business hours depending on the needs of the project and client.

Skills, Knowledge & Expertise:

Minimum Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in information technology, Business Administration, or related field.
• 3+ years' experience in IT project management or coordination.
• Proven ability to manage financial aspects of projects, including budgeting, forecasting, and variance analysis.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Excel is a must.
• Proficiency in PowerPoint is a must.
• Proven experience in managing IT projects.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills to interact with clients, team members, and stakeholders effectively.
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.
• Excellent organizational and problem-solving skills with a keen attention to detail.
• Excellent ability to delegate responsibilities.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree in information technology, Business Administration, or equivalent.
• 5+ years' experience in IT project management or coordination.
• Prior experience with ConnectWise PSA and RMM.
• Relevant IT certifications such as: CompTIA Project+, CAPM, PMP, ITIL 4 (Foundation or Specialist), Six Sigma (Yellow or Green Belt).
• Experience managing or implementing:
• Email security filtering and protection.
• Endpoint protection and monitoring solutions.
• Multi-factor authentication (MFA) and identity access management (IAM).
• Networking installations, including firewalls, switches, and wireless access points.
• Server installations, including configuring roles like Active Directory, DHCP, DNS, and File/Print services.
• Azure/Entra domain joining and Microsoft 365 migrations.
• SharePoint configuration and file structure migrations.
• Strong understanding of security awareness training and phishing simulation processes.
• Knowledge of security information and event management (SIEM) and SaaS cloud security monitoring.

Optional Skills & Experience:

• Have previous experience working with an MSP or in an MSP environment.
• Implement or oversee the implementation of networking equipment and/or server environments.
• Implement or oversee the implementation of EDR/MDR,