IT Project Manager - Finance Systems

A U.S.-based captive finance company in the construction equipment industry is seeking a full time IT Project Manager. The individual will oversee end-to-end planning and execution of multiple system improvement projects – including a major dealer portal development, upgrade of a new loan/lease management platform (such as Solifi), Microsoft Dynamics CRM enhancements, and AWS-based infrastructure upgrades. This role will report to the CEO and coordinate across internal teams and external partners to ensure projects are delivered on time, on budget, and aligned with business objectives. The ideal candidate is a hands-on leader with a strong background in IT project management and finance systems, excellent communication skills, and the ability to bridge the gap between business users and technical teams. Responsibilities Project Planning & Execution: Lead the full lifecycle of IT projects from initiation to closure, defining project scope, goals, and deliverables that support business objectives. Develop detailed project plans, schedules, and budgets for each initiative, and manage resources to meet project milestones. Systems Improvement Initiatives: Oversee multiple concurrent technology projects aimed at upgrading and modernizing finance platforms. Key initiatives include enhancing the dealer portal for a better dealer/customer experience, upgrading a new loan/lease origination system (Solifi or similar), implementing Microsoft Dynamics CRM feature enhancements, and coordinating AWS cloud infrastructure upgrades to improve scalability and security. Team Leadership & Coordination: Manage cross-functional project teams consisting of managements and internal business department representatives (finance, sales, operations). Provide clear direction, assign responsibilities, and monitor work efforts of team members. Coordinate with third-party vendors and consultants to ensure external deliverables are aligned with project requirements and schedules. Scope & Change Management: Establish project scope and manage any scope changes through a formal change control process. Proactively identify scope creep and implement mitigation strategies to keep projects on track and within agreed parameters. Schedule & Budget Management: Track project timelines and budgets closely, ensuring each project stays on schedule and within financial constraints. Adjust plans as needed to accommodate changes or delays, and negotiate with stakeholders on reprioritization or resource allocation when necessary. Risk Management: Identify, document, and assess project risks and issues. Develop risk mitigation and contingency plans, and take corrective actions to address issues that jeopardize project success. Regularly update risk registers and communicate significant risks to leadership with recommended action plans. Status Reporting: Prepare and deliver structured project status reports on a regular basis (weekly, monthly, as required) to the CEO, executive leadership, and Corporate Planning. Clearly communicate project progress, upcoming milestones, budget status, and key risks or roadblocks. Provide timely escalation of critical issues and actionable recommendations to keep leadership informed and engaged in decision-making. Stakeholder Communication: Facilitate clear communication between business users, technical teams, and external partners throughout the project lifecycle. Conduct project meetings, briefings, and stakeholder updates to ensure everyone has a shared understanding of goals and expectations. Act as the primary liaison to gather business requirements and translate them into technical specifications, ensuring the delivered solutions meet the needs of end-users. Quality Assurance & Completion: Ensure that all project deliverables meet the defined quality standards and business requirements. Oversee testing and user acceptance for new system features, and coordinate smooth deployment and transition to production. Upon project completion, confirm that all success criteria are met and establish support handover or maintenance plans as needed. Best Practices & Compliance: Uphold industry best practices in project management and software implementation. Ensure compliance with relevant finance industry regulations, IT security policies, and data privacy standards during project execution. Foster a culture of continuous improvement by capturing lessons learned and refining project processes for future initiatives. Qualifications Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business, or a related field. (Master’s degree or relevant certifications such as PMP are a plus.) Experience: 5+ years of experience in IT project management, with a proven track record of delivering complex IT system projects on time and within budget. Experience in the financial services sector or with captive finance/ equipment finance projects is highly desirable. Project Management Skills: Strong knowledge of project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile/Scrum or hybrid) and proficiency in using project management tools for planning, tracking, and reporting. Demonstrated ability to manage the entire project lifecycle – from requirements gathering and planning through execution, monitoring, and closure. Financial Platforms Expertise: Hands-on experience implementing or upgrading loan/lease origination and management systems (e.g., Solifi Open Finance Platform or similar leasing/financing software). Familiarity with lease/loan servicing workflows and finance industry best practices in credit decisioning and portfolio management is a plus. CRM and Cloud Experience: Working knowledge of Microsoft Dynamics 365 (CRM), including configuring or enhancing CRM modules to support sales and customer service processes. Experience with AWS cloud infrastructure and services, with ability to coordinate infrastructure changes or upgrades in a cloud environment. Team Leadership: Proven ability to lead and motivate hybrid teams, including on-site and remote team members. Experience in managing cross-functional teams with diverse skill sets (developers, analysts, QA, business users) to achieve common goals. Vendor Management: Prior experience managing third-party vendors, system integrators, or consulting partners. Skill in vendor selection, contract coordination, and ensuring external partners deliver quality work on schedule. Communication & Reporting: Excellent communication skills, both written and verbal. Ability to convey technical information to non-technical stakeholders clearly and to produce high-quality documentation (status reports, presentations, risk logs). Strong stakeholder management and interpersonal skills, with a talent for building trust and facilitating collaboration between business and IT. Analytical & Problem-Solving: Strong analytical thinking and problem-solving aptitude. Ability to quickly grasp complex systems and workflows, and drive solutions to technical and process challenges. Adept at multitasking and managing priorities across multiple projects in a fast-paced setting. Preferred Qualifications: PMP (Project Management Professional) or Prince2 certification preferred, if not already mentioned above. Additional relevant certifications (e.g., ITIL, Scrum Master, or AWS Certified Cloud Practitioner/Architect) would be a plus. Experience in the construction equipment finance industry or with dealer management systems is beneficial. An MBA or Master’s in Information Systems could be an advantage for broader business insight, but not required. Preferred Experience Industry Knowledge: Experience working in a captive finance company or an equipment financing environment, with understanding of dealer financing programs and customer leasing/loan services. Familiarity with the construction equipment industry’s sales and financing processes will help in aligning IT projects with business needs. Specific Platform Experience: Direct involvement in a Solifi (or similar finance platform) implementation project, including data migration and system integration, is highly preferred. Experience customizing or integrating Microsoft Dynamics CRM with other enterprise systems (such as loan servicing platforms or ERP systems) is a strong plus. Project Scale: Demonstrated success managing large-scale, multi-year IT projects or programs with significant business impact. Experience handling project budgets, vendor contracts, and stakeholder groups of comparable complexity to our 3-year investment program. Agile Methodologies: Familiarity with Agile project management and tools (e.g., Jira, Confluence) in addition to traditional Waterfall. Ability to apply the appropriate methodology (or a hybrid approach) to suit project and stakeholder needs. Change Management: Experience in organizational change management related to IT implementations. Ability to develop user training, support transition, and drive user adoption for new systems or processes introduced by the project. #J-18808-Ljbffr