Project Manager - PMO

Churchill Downs - Louisville, KY

Full-time - Mid Level

Louisville, KY

Performing Arts, Spectator Sports, and Related Industries

About the position

The Project Manager - PMO at Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) is responsible for leading the implementation of IT infrastructure and vendor application services within the regulated gaming and racing industries. This role requires a blend of project management expertise, leadership, and technical knowledge to ensure compliance with regulatory standards while driving project success. The ideal candidate will manage project timelines, budgets, and resources, while fostering collaboration among cross-functional teams and stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Lead, coach and motivate project team members while influencing the team to take positive action and accountability for their assigned work.
• Foster awareness, understanding and respect for diverse perspectives while managing and resolving any conflict between the cross-functional team members.
• Hold other teams accountable and make solid assessments when escalations are needed.
• Lead end-to-end project management for the implementation of IT infrastructure and vendor application services within the gaming and racing industries and corporate functions.
• Collaborate closely with stakeholders to understand business requirements and translate them into actionable project plans.
• Develop and maintain project timelines, budgets, and resource allocation plans.
• Manage project risks and issues, implementing mitigation strategies to ensure project success.
• Coordinate with vendors to procure necessary hardware, software, and services, ensuring compliance with regulatory standards.
• Oversee the installation, configuration, and testing of IT infrastructure components, including network systems, servers, and security measures.
• Facilitate system testing and training sessions to ensure smooth transition of IT services into production.
• Ensure all project documentation is accurately maintained and accessible for reporting purposes.
• Monitor project progress and provide regular updates to stakeholders, highlighting key milestones and deviations from the project plan.
• Travel to project locations at key points in the project lifecycle.
• Thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment and manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Contribute to ongoing continuous improvement of CDI IT PMO processes, tools and templates.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Industrial Engineering or related field.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification strongly preferred; ability to obtain within first year if not currently PMP certified.
• Proven experience (minimum of three years) in project management, preferably within IT, gaming industry or other regulated environments.
• Understanding of IT infrastructure general concepts, including networking, servers, storage, and security systems.
• Experience working with regulatory bodies and implementing compliance measures within IT projects.
• Proficiency in project management tools and software for project resource planning, task tracking, scheduling, and reporting (e.g. MS Project, KeyedIn).
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels.
• Experience getting work done through others without direct authority.

Nice-to-haves

• Project experience leading ERP implementations is a strong plus.
• Experience leveraging lean/six sigma methodologies a plus.
• Familiarity with vendor application services commonly used in gaming facilities, such as player tracking systems, slot management software, and surveillance solutions is a plus.