Job Summary
The Programme Manager defines the IT project roadmap, ensuring it is aligned with the Elementis business strategy and contains all major IT change projects. It enables the business and IT to set strategy. It also enables risk management, budget and resource planning. The Programme Manager ensures successful delivery of the portfolio of IT projects in all Elementis’ international operations (that include the US, UK, EU, Brazil, Taiwan, and China) managing internal IT resources and contracted project managers.
Job Description
Position in Organization
Reports to: VP IT and Data
Department: IT
Location: The role is based in Portugal and has global responsibilities.
Direct reports: This role has one direct report.
Responsibilities
Programme management
You own the 2-year IT roadmap that outlines potential major IT projects. The roadmaps should include projects required by the business to deliver the strategy as well as the maintenance, relicensing, upgrading and/or decommissioning of systems/services.
You support the VP IT and Data by facilitating roadmap prioritization discussions with the business and enabling decision-making around roadmap resourcing and budgeting.
You ensure that the agreed roadmap gives visibility to senior-decision makers to enable change planning in their respective functions.
You develop a 6-month IT project pipeline that identifies all imminent IT projects in order to enable business and IT colleagues to prioritise and plan and ensure that preparations are made for the projects to be set-up for success.
Project lifecycle management and governance:
You ensure that the range of projects are managed with processes and methods that are appropriate to their size, urgency and importance, ranging from small, rapid change to major projects.
You ensure projects have all the prerequisites for successful delivery set-up before they start. You ensure they are assigned a “Green” flag to indicate; resources and people are assigned and available, governance is set-up, technologies and partners are contracted and the level of risk is understood. You advise the VP IT and Data on whether a project requires a dedicated project manager and other resources.
You ensure projects have appropriate governance that enables reporting and decision-making.
You ensure stakeholder management and communications are appropriate for the scope of the project.
You prepare and enable test management according to the complexity and change in the project.
You ensure the company is aware of the need for change management. For certain projects, you may undertake these change management activities after careful agreement by stakeholders.
Upon project completion, you perform post implementation reviews, learn lessons, close activities and provide hands-on maintenance and support.
Managing external services and parties:
You assess and make recommendations regarding the use of project management partners and purchase of project technologies.
You manage and optimise contracts with suppliers, including licenses for project management tools.
You run project budgets and contracts with project service providers.
You establish and monitor service level agreements, key performance indicators (KPIs), and metrics to measure and improve the performance and quality of IT project services.
Project office, risks, controls and best practice:
You ensure that project owners evaluate their risks and adopt mitigation actions. On more complex projects, such as the infrastructure upgrade, you evaluate project risks and mitigations through the discipline of project risk logs.
Working in partnership with the Security Officer, you ensure that projects delivery and implementation is aligned with security guidelines.
Keep up to date with the latest IT trends, developments, and best practices, and ensure that the IT projects are aligned with Elementis’ goals and strategies.
Deliver a Project Management Office service to store project documentation and collateral and enable reporting. You own and maintain logs, documentation and reports of project activity.
Develop policies and practices to manage, control and deliver projects including project delivery methods for different types of projects, templates and file stores.
Deliver post implementation reviews of major projects and any applicable audits.
Line Management:
You manage the Business Analyst role and provide the incumbent with leadership, direction, support, guidance and coaching to deliver their role.
You also manage external project management resources, provided by project management services or contractors hired directly by Elementis.
Decision making
You are the Elementis authority on IT project delivery and are the primary decision-maker on project management operating model and practice. In particular, the role decides if a project is ready to start and agrees to the status of each project during delivery.
You procure project delivery software, services and licenses.
What will it take
Planning, prioritising and aligning IT projects with Elementis’ goals is key to optimising resources to deliver business needs; strong organisational skills are required.
Optimizes work processes: knowing the most effective and efficient workflow for getting things done is key to making the most of tight resources; with a focus on continuous improvement.
Problem-solving: Strong problem-solving aptitude is critical to address the daily situations that an IT project engages with.
Ability to move from strategy to details is a core competence in project management as roadmaps & policies require a high-level view but resolving daily operational problems needs attention to details.
Communicating effectively with stakeholders, such as senior management, vendors and users using written and verbal approaches is key in a global organization.
Consistently focusing on driving results holding oneself accountable for IT project delivery.
Technical Knowledge and Skills
Expertise in IT programme management and project management and its deployment in multinational industrial companies.
Expertise in the range of project management methods.
Project management is a key competence for an IT role to ensure activity and projects are delivered on time and on budget, and stakeholder expectations are managed.
Knowledge of data protection operations and legislation (e.g. GDPR).
Position Requirements
Education: Computer science, Information Systems or similar degree or professional qualification would be an advantage. Professional qualification in programme or project management is a requirement.
Experience: 5+ Years of experience in IT Project Management or similar managerial role with demonstrable experience of delivering different ERP projects and projects in a multi-location context. Experience of JD Edwards projects would be a significant advantage.
IT Skills: Extensive competence in standard project management tools and Microsoft suit is a must.
Language Skills: Verbal and written fluency in English.
Working arrangements: Minimum 3 days a week in the office.
Traveling required: Occasional travel to other Elementis sites as required.