JOB TITLE: Associate Director of IT Project Management

LOCATION: Hybrid - 50% onsite in Bakersfield, CA

TYPE: 90 Day Contract to Hire ( Direct Hire potentially)

RATE: 62 - 65 Depending on contract benefits package

SALARY: $115,000 – $120,000 conversion

Direct Hire BENEFITS: Subsidized Medical, Dental and Vision, Life Insurance, EAP, Long Term Disability, Access to 403 (b) or 457 (b) plans, and CalPERS, 12 Paid Holidays and 2 week Winter Closure

JOB SUMMARY:

Reporting to the Vice Chancellor IT/CIO or Designee, the Associate Director of IT Project Management is responsible for overseeing how IT projects are managed within the organization. This includes setting project management methodologies, standards, prioritization, and governance to ensure that the benefits of projects are realized and measured effectively. This position will supervise and mentor Enterprise IT Project Managers and have overall accountability for the Project Management Office (PMO) within the IT department. Responsibilities include providing operational oversight for the IT PMO, leading projects to completion within scope, budget, and stakeholder requirements, and fostering effective communication across teams and stakeholders.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide operational oversight for the IT project management office and any assigned processes or systems.
• Provide leadership and operational excellence of the project management office.
• Lead and direct projects to ensure completion on time, within budget, and meeting stakeholder requirements.
• Effectively communicate project information, ensuring accurate and timely information exchange between stakeholders, team members, IT management, and oversight groups.
• Manage the project team, driving motivation, collaboration, and performance.
• Identify, prioritize, and coordinate the mitigation of project risks.
• Ensure the IT PMO uses established processes and standards to ensure consistent experiences, modifying or establishing new processes as needed.
• Provide organization-wide leadership on project prioritization, including the development and administration of a prioritization framework.
• Lead large teams of diverse stakeholders to drive complex projects/programs/campaigns to completion within defined scope, quality, time, and budget requirements.
• Ensure quality control of IT project management processes by structuring and leading project status reviews and cross-team post-completion reviews.
• Plan, direct, and coordinate activities of technology projects to ensure goals are accomplished within prescribed time frames and funding parameters.
• Review project proposals or plans to determine time frames, funding limitations, procedures, staffing requirements, and resource allocation.
• Establish, validate, and adjust project schedules as needed; conduct project audits and walkthroughs; review project deliverables; coordinate and facilitate meetings regarding proposed and current business processes.
• Establish standards and procedures for project and project portfolio reporting; provide project reports for management and stakeholders.
• Develop project documentation (e.g., charter/scope, milestones/schedules, roles & responsibilities) in collaboration with project sponsors and stakeholders.
• Participate in selecting project team members; confer with project staff to outline work plans; supervise and review the work of assigned project and technical staff.
• Establish and maintain strong, cooperative, and effective working relationships with faculty, staff, students, and community partnerships.
• Provide leadership and motivation to project team members throughout the project lifecycle.
• Triage and resolve complex project issues with appropriate team members.
• Develop skills and abilities of assigned project team members by providing or coordinating training; plan, direct, coordinate and review the work plan for staff assigned to the project.
• Develop and help execute comprehensive change management strategies relative to project scope and stakeholders.
• Manage and monitor project budgets.
• Plan for and ensure satisfactory transition of the project’s product upon completion.
• Support the development of organizational project management goals and capabilities, developing a culture of project management through training, mentoring, and by example.
• Participate in the continuous improvement of the organization’s project proposal, charters, plans, review, and prioritization processes.
• Participate as a member of the IT management team in the development, prioritizing, budgeting, and planning of projects and related initiatives.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor’s degree in a related field and five (5) years of experience in IT project management; or an associate degree in a related field and seven (7) years of IT project management.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification, Prince2, or equivalent certifications; or two (2) years of additional IT project management experience.

DESIRED EXPERIENCE:

• Successfully managing IT projects in a higher education environment.
• Successfully managing complex ERP, networking, or security projects.

KNOWLEDGE AND ABILITIES:

• Demonstrated ability to drive successful project planning and execution.
• Solid project management skills with the ability to multitask and manage multiple small to large projects in a cross-functional environment.
• Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; expertise in setting and managing customer expectations.
• Demonstrated resilience, diplomacy, influence, relationship building, and problem-solving skills in a variety of situations.
• Demonstrated record of project management success, both in results achieved and in the use of best practices project management methodology.
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate staff and apply skills and techniques to solve dynamic problems.
• Strong teamwork and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent analytical, planning, and organizational skills.

ABILITY TO:

• Plan, organize, and direct daily operations of assigned areas.
• Provide direction, train, and evaluate assigned staff.
• Communicate effectively both orally and in writing.
• Maintain records and prepare reports.
• Prioritize and schedule work.
• Develop and implement strategies to identify and mitigate risks.
• Build and manage project budgets, plans, and objectives.
• Train, mentor, and coach non-project managers in project management.
• Be self-directed and driven.
• Represent the organization in a professional manner.
• Demonstrate sensitivity to, and understanding of, the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, and ethnic backgrounds of community college students and personnel, including those with physical or learning disabilities.
• Establish and maintain collaborative and effective working relationships with a variety of staff and community partners.
• Develop and implement strategies to identify and facilitate change management.