Senior Project Manager

Job Title: Senior IT Project Manager

Location: Lansing, MI (Hybrid – 2 days onsite weekly)

Contract Duration: 1 year with possible extension

Rate: 65-85/hr on w-2 (No C2C or 3rd party candidates will be accepted)

Overview:

We are seeking a Senior IT Project Manager to join the our Project Management Office (PMO). This role will support the Department of Insurance and Financial Services (DIFS) on a multi-year legacy modernization project. The position requires expertise in IT project management, exceptional communication skills, and the ability to thrive in a fast-paced, hybrid environment.

Candidates must be local to Michigan at the time of submission.

Key Responsibilities:

• Utilize the State of Project Portfolio Management Tool (Clarity) to manage project schedules, resources, and budgets.
• Prepare and deliver presentations tailored to executives, managers, and project team members.
• Actively manage project progress, including cost, schedule, scope, resources, quality, and risks.
• Communicate project status clearly and effectively to stakeholders, sponsors, and management.
• Foster collaboration between technical and business teams, ensuring consensus and commitment.
• Develop and maintain key project documentation:
• Project Charter
• Project Schedule
• Project Budget
• Communication Plan
• Project Status Reports
• Risk and Issue Management Plans
• Change Requests
• Project Closedown Summary
• Ensure adherence to the SUITE Project Management Methodology (PMM) and System Engineering Methodology (SEM) through all project lifecycle phases.
• Facilitate the Change Management process, ensuring approval for scope, schedule, or budget deviations.
• Create Corrective Action Plans (CAP) for projects in yellow or red status.
• Understand and manage project benefits, ensuring alignment with business cases.
• Actively manage vendor deliverables and adhere to the vendor deliverable approval procedures.
• Coordinate communications and interactions among various stakeholders and agencies.

Qualifications:

Required Skills & Experience:

• 7 years: In-depth knowledge and hands-on experience in IT project management, including best practices.
• 7 years: Proven track record of delivering projects on time and within budget.
• 7 years: Experience managing project budgets, schedules, change requests, risk, and issue logs.
• 7 years: Expertise in preparing and delivering project status reports.
• 5 years: Experience using project portfolio management systems and tools (e.g., Clarity).
• 5 years: Advanced working knowledge of Microsoft Project (MS Project).

Highly Desired Skills:

• 5 years: Experience managing diverse stakeholders and system owners across departments.
• 5 years: Managing multi-vendor environments within government projects.
• 3 years: Possession of a Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification.

Work Environment:

• Hybrid work schedule with 2-3 days onsite in Lansing, MI, and the remainder remote.
• Fast-paced, multi-vendor deployment supporting a hybrid workforce at various organizational levels.