What are the responsibilities and job description for the Senior Project Manager position at Build-A-Bear?
At Build-A-Bear we believe in the power of imagination, creativity, and memorable experiences. Our mission is to add a little more heart to life by creating unique experiences, lasting connections, and beloved memories that create lasting emotional connections. We are a multi-channel, site-based experience and entertainment company, with diversified categories and consumer segments. We are seeking a highly experienced and strategic Senior Project Manager to join our dynamic team.
The Senior IT Project Manager exceeds traditional PM expectations by mentoring project teams, optimizing PMO methodologies, and managing broader administrative and strategic initiatives. This role is essential for driving process improvements, strategic execution, and ensuring business alignment.
Responsibilities:
- Lead complex programs and projects across the IT portfolio ensuring alignment with strategic priorities
- Collaborate with cross-functional teams to deliver integrated, high-impact solutions
- Manage large-scare budgets, ensuring financial accountability and value delivery
- Serve as strategic bridge builder between IT and business units to translate needs into actionable plans
- Deliver clear, executive-level reporting on risks, financial milestones, and business impact
- Act as a key liaison to executive stakeholders, ensuring alignment on scope, priorities, and progress
- Drive organizational change management to support adoption and sustained utilization of new solutions
- Champion project management and agile methodologies to enhance delivery and team performance
- Develop compelling business cases, success metrics, and value propositions for IT initiatives
- Contribute to IT portfolio management, ensuring balanced investments and resource allocation
- Oversee vendor relationships and ensuring quality, value, and contract alignment
- Strengthen PMO governance and lead continuous improvement of delivery process
- Shape PMO standards, best practices, and training programs to elevate organizational maturity
- Mentor and support the development of project management talent
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor's degree in IT Business, or a related field
- 7 years of experience in project management
- Expert in Agile and Waterfall methodologies
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office
- Proficiency with project management tools
- Skilled in vendor and contract management
- Skilled with CRM and ATS systems
- Basic familiarity with IT governance, compliance, and risk management frameworks
Preferred Qualifications:
- PMP, PMI-ACP or other certification
- MBA or Master's Degree in related field
- Skilled in Excel
Behavioral Traits for Success:
- An analytical, inquiring, and critical mind that solves complex problems
- Ability to develop new ideas, systems, and technology while analyzing and improving old ones
- Natural ability to spot and correct errors
- Can consider all possibly related facts and potential issues
- Big picture thinker and a strategic decision maker
- Can translate abstract concepts, systems, and ideas into tangible plans, deliverables, and outcomes
- Organized self-disciplined approach to producing timely results that are high quality and accurate
- Strong self-awareness
Working Environment:
- Typical office environment with climate control and sufficient lighting, ergonomic desk/chairs
- Corporate Office located St. Louis, MO
- Limited Domestic Travel
Your Performance Will Be Measured by your ability to achieve annual department objectives and corporate goals which include but are not limited to the following.
- Communication (clarity, responsiveness, and consistency)
- Ability to prioritize and provide clear updates on risks and finances
- On-time, on-budget delivery and scope adherence
- Issue resolution
- Strong alignment across departments (fewer miscommunications and faster execution)
- Decision-making and judgment
- Budget variance and forecast accuracy
- Engagement with project tools
- IT viewed as a trusted business partner in growth and innovation
- Quality of reporting
- Change management (training and adoption rate and fewer post-launch issues
- Sprint velocity, cycle time, team retrospectives
- Strategic investments are backed by clear value propositions
- Vendor management
- PMO governance and process improvement
- Mentorship
- Able to communicate complex issues in a clear and concise manner
- Quality presentations that are engaging and offer actionable insight
- Stakeholder Feedback
