IT Project Manager

Digital Management - Baltimore, MD

Full-time - Mid Level

Hybrid - Baltimore, MD

1,001-5,000 employees

Professional, Scientific, and Technical Services

About the position

DMI, LLC is seeking an IT Project Manager to oversee the full project management life cycle and software development life cycle for the implementation of highly complex, large-scale, strategic IT initiatives in the Office of Information Technology. The IT Project Manager will be responsible for implementing established policies, system monitors, and controls to ensure the successful management and reporting of all initiatives in the program. This role involves supervising and leading the program to oversee the impacts and interdependencies between programs, ensuring that initiatives meet the Maryland State Department of Education (MSDE) goals and objectives as set by the executive leadership team. The IT Project Manager will provide both verbal and written communications regarding project status, risks, and issues, making recommendations on project decisions to MSDE's Director of Project Management. As a subject matter expert, the Project Manager will provide technical and analytical guidance to the program and project teams, managing all aspects of the project including cost-benefit analysis, work plans, functional and technical designs, construction, testing, and implementation. The role requires ensuring efficient and high-quality installation of new software and/or systems while monitoring all technical aspects of implementing projects. Additionally, the IT Project Manager will support the Director of Project Management in identifying appropriate solutions required by user areas, assisting IT leadership in performing a needs analysis of relevant business areas, and ensuring that new systems are easily and quickly integrated into the client's business environment. The position also involves managing contracts and vendors assigned to delegated initiatives included in the assigned program(s). The Project Manager will manage and direct multiple medium to large-scale projects that may not fit into a defined program, translating generalized customer business goals and objectives into concrete strategy and tactical plans. This role requires working on complex problems where analysis of situations or data requires an in-depth evaluation of various factors to achieve the best results.

Responsibilities

• Implements established policies, system monitors and controls to ensure the successful management and reporting of all initiatives in the Program.
• Supervises and leads the program to oversee the impacts and interdependencies between programs and works to ensure initiatives meet the MSDE Goals and Objectives of the executive leadership team.
• Provides both verbal and written communications regarding project status, risks, and issues, and makes recommendations on project decisions to MSDE's Director of Project Management.
• Serves as subject matter expert, providing technical and analytical guidance to the program and project teams.
• Manages all aspects of the project: cost benefit analysis, work plans, functional and technical designs, construction, testing and implementation.
• Ensures efficient and high quality installation of new software and/or systems, and monitors all technical aspects of implementing projects.
• Provides support to the Director of Project Management in identifying appropriate solutions required by the user areas; assists IT Leadership in performing a needs analysis of the relevant business areas and in matching user needs to system capabilities.
• Works with the Divisions to provide support and coordination to ensure adoption of new systems and business processes in the MSDE environment.
• Manages contracts and vendors assigned to delegated initiatives included in the assigned program(s).
• Translates generalized customer business goals and objectives into concrete strategy and tactical plans.
• Works on complex problems where analysis of situation or data requires an in-depth evaluation of various factors to achieve best results.
• Exercises judgment within broadly defined policies and practices to develop and implement methods and techniques.
• Works effectively with internal and external clients, third party vendors and Senior Management in accomplishing project objectives.
• Evaluates complex situations accurately and identifies viable solutions that create successful outcomes.
• Develops and maintains lessons-learned inputs in the project repository for utilization on future projects.
• Ensures all Defined Processes are used within the Capability Maturity Model Integration Framework to successfully implement projects.
• Resolves political, resource, budgeting, change and legal issues affecting the program.
• Collaborates with the finance department and various functional managers to ensure project budgets are properly estimated and controlled; provides overall financial recommendations and develops controls and measurements to monitor progress.
• Provides OIT and Finance with monthly accruals and forecasts by the due date established by Finance.
• Maintains current statements of work for all contractors; tracks and approves contractor invoices in a timely manner.
• Provides regular updates to the Director of Project Management, project sponsor and stakeholders on the status of projects and the budget. Documents reasons for budget excess or shortfall.
• Develops a comprehensive Risk Management Plan at the Program Level within the Capability Maturity Model Integration (CMMI) Framework as defined.
• Proactively identifies risks and opportunities of both business and technical plans; identifies Risk Mitigation Strategies and Contingency Plans for all identified Risks.
• Maintains the Program Level issue and risk matrix log.
• Provides a detailed plan of how the risk will be managed or eliminated. Provides a weekly Program status report with major risk factors when mitigation approach impacts the project timeline, budget or objectives.
• Coordinates the Risk Management Plan and Risk Mitigation Strategy across all projects within the Program and manages the execution within the individual projects.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Engineering or equivalent work experience required.
• 8+ years of IT and business experience in strategic planning, development, implementation and maintenance of systems, preferably across multiple hardware and software platforms.
• Previous technical project management experience in a dynamic environment.
• Current Project Management Institute (PMI) Certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and current PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) or equivalent.
• At least 5 years in a combination of progressive broad-based information systems Project Management experience, which could include consulting, with state-of-the-art hardware and software systems.
• Knowledge and implementation experience in new computing architectures and networked computing structure.
• Experience in Program Management and execution of multiple related development projects simultaneously, particularly as Project Manager on systems development, with working knowledge of Systems Development Lifecycle and the Project Management Lifecycle.
• Experience in Financial Data Warehouse, Grants Management Systems/Migration.

Nice-to-haves

• Master's degree in a technology-related field.
• Experience working in PMO or leading PMO.
• Prior Education domain industry experience at a State or Federal Government agency.
• Knowledge of State Government policies and practices; specific experience with successful large-scale Program Management within a cross-functional environment.

Benefits

• Generous 401k matches both pre-tax and post-tax (ROTH) contributions.
• Financial wellness education, EAP, Life Insurance and Disability support.
• Annual performance management, continuing education, and tuition assistance.
• Employee referral bonuses and recognition through annual awards ceremony.
• Healthcare benefits, wellness programs, flu shots, biometric screenings, and several other wellness options.