Program Manager

Program Manager

Location: Glendale, AZ (100% remote)

Type: Contract to hire

Duration: 6 months

Job Summary

Receives assignments in the form of objectives and determines how to use resources to meet schedules and goals. Works on issues of diverse scope where analysis of situation or data requires evaluation of a variety of factors, including an understanding of current business trends. Acts as advisor to subordinate(s) to meet schedules and/or resolve technical problems. Manages the coordination of activities of a section or department with responsibility for results, including costs, methods and staffing.

Essential Functions / Principal Responsibilities

Manages programs of multiple projects and cross-functional teams of 10+ resources spread across multiple geographical locations through meetings and progress measurement activity which bring specific projects to completion both on time and within budget

Initiating the Project:

Define and/or reviews the statements of work for all projects.

Identifies cross-project dependencies.

Develops and/or reviews an audience lists, determines how much involvement is necessary from the stakeholders, SMEs and other team members.

Determines and assesses need for additional staff and make the appropriate recruitments during the project cycle.

Provides clarity on roles and responsibilities.

Identifies risks, restrictions and constraints of the project and verbalizes assumptions.

Develops a project strategy to mitigate risks.

Researches on the organization's approach for similar projects.

Conducts and presents a feasibility study/ cost-benefit analysis to the business stakeholders.

Clearly defines project objectives.

Sets goals and determines measures to track progress.

Planning:

Develops project schedules.

Estimates span times for all activities in all projects.

Identifies all dates that must be met.

Develops a schedule for regular project meetings and progress reports.

Creates Gantt charts for all projects.

Identifies skills and knowledge necessary to perform all project activities.

Ensures that resources are available throughout the project.

Develops and reviews project budgets.

Consults with Strategic Sourcing to determine the costs of resources.

Prepares a detailed budget estimate.

Seeks approval for the budget estimate.

Coordinates with Finance to set up charge codes.

Monitors all project activities to determine if budget revisions are necessary.

Identifies risks and assesses the potential effect on the project.

Develops and recommends plans to mitigate risks.

Monitors status of risks throughout the project.

Informs key audiences of these risks.

Creates a well-organized team.

Selects and determines the team's operating practices and procedures.

Develops team assignments for all projects at the same time so Project Managers can identify and resolve conflicts according to correct priorities.

Consults with people on other projects doing similar work to find out if they need the same resources during the same time period.

Prepares written Work-Order Agreements for all team members to clarify the level and timing of commitments and highlight any existing conflicts.

Executing the Project:

Ensures that objectives are accomplished for all projects within time and budget targets.

Regularly reviews schedule performance against plans and handles problems that arise.

Assesses project status by comparing actual activity/event dates to planned dates.

Evaluates the hours budgeted for all projects. Compares the actual hours spent to the budgeted hours.

Encourages Project Managers to record the actual hours worked.

Reviews and evaluates financial expenditures with Project Managers and ensures that they are in accordance with all the project plans.

Implements corrective actions when the performance deviates from the project plan.

Exhausts all possible strategies and approaches to get the projects back on track.

Revisits the project plan and adopts a new baseline if and when necessary.

Ensures that progress reports on all projects are thorough and timely.

Reviews performance highlights, details, problems, risks, changes and next steps.

Conducts efficient meetings.

Prepares an agenda. Keeps clients informed and committed.

Motivates team members by providing constructive feedback and by reiterating the value of achieving the project goal, the attainability of the goals, the progress made by the team and the rewards for reaching the goal.

Controlling the Project:

Resolves priority, work approach or interpersonal conflicts.

Controls project changes by collecting relevant information, evaluating the performance compared to the plan and share the results.

Contributes to team members' performance appraisals.

Closing the Project:

Obtains all required approvals from the client.

Ensures that all outstanding transactions are resolved and reconciled.

Ensures that all project work effort or expenditures posted to incorrect accounts are adjusted and that no future charges can be made to the projects accounts.

Acknowledges and recognizes team members for their efforts.

Creates a plan for the team members' transition.

Conducts post-project evaluations. Assesses project results, activities and processes.

Recognizes projects' achievements and people's contribution. Identifies techniques and approaches that worked and ensures that they will be used in the future.

Identifies techniques and approaches that did not work and ensures that they are not used again in the future.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

Required:

Ability to apply project management best practices and methodology

Ability managing Programs or Projects from 50,000 to 250,000 Hours

Ability to motivate project teams and stakeholders

Knowledge of MS Word, Excel, Power Point, Visio, MS Project, MS Access, Adobe Acrobat and NT.

Proven ability to work on several projects simultaneously and under tight schedules

Effective written and oral communications skills

Proven decision-making abilities

Education, Work Experience, Licenses & Certifications

Required:

Bachelor's degree in related area or an equivalent combination of education and experience

8-10 years project management principles and methodologies obtained by assisting/coordinating mid-scale projects

8-10 years Program/Project delivery experience (50,000 - 250,000 Hours)

Preferred:

Advanced degree in related area

Experience in one of CLIENT IG's business lines a plus or with managing programs related to key marketable business products and services

Experience with working with Agile based product teams

Experience with enterprise level programs with high involvement between IT and Business Units