Information Technology Consultant

 Position Information

Plans Projects
Under minimal direction:

• Consults with project sponsors to clarify project scope, deliverables, time lines, and analyze risk.
• Interacts with users and other stakeholders (administration, faculty, staff, students, vendors) to further understand requirements.
• Develops the project plan as needed to identify and organize project resources, assigning and clarifying roles and responsibilities, establish project schedule, plan for communication, risk, budget, and quality assurance
• Uses presentation and communication skills and tools to communicate project vision and plans to team and stakeholders.
• Works with Information Security, Networking, Operations, ldentitiy Management, and other information technology departments to plan for proper system and security design, best practices, and service transition.
• Works with Service Desk and IT Training and Communications Coordinator to plan project communications to the users and campus community.
• practices, and service transition.
• Documents project planning in the project and portfolio management tool.
   

Executes Technical Projects

• Applies certified PM tools and methodologies to achieve project milestones, maintain scope, and execute project plans.
• Observes project team dynamics to ensure effective team member synergies and to resolve team issues.
• Creates progressive milestones to recognize successes, provide feedback, and motivate the project team.
• Gathers and analyzes project metrics to evaluate project performance and to manage issues, risk and changes of scope.
• Coordinates with technical managers and resources from Information Security, Networking, Operations and other information technology departments to execute the plan, utilizing past experience and knowledge to look for gaps or risks.
• Communicates with stakeholders, senior management and project leaders to discuss issues and resolutions and to authorize scope changes.
• Maintains project status and appropriate documents such as requirements, issues, and risk in the project and portfolio management tool. 

Monitors and Controls Projects

• Utilizes PM tools to manage project timelines and accuracy, ensure project resource commitments are met, and track activities and variances.
• Performs assessments throughout projects to identify risks and their potential impact and to develop response strategies for managing and mitigating risk factors.
• Using email, Word, Visio, Excel, and the project software as appropriate, interacts with project customers to verify completion dates, review milestone expectations, and to manage Information Technology Services (ITS) personnel resource schedules.
• Interacts with Functional Managers to manage resources and to meet project commitments and avoid delays and conflicts.
• Offers sponsors solutions to problems with imaginative, thorough, and practicable solutions.

Closes Projects

• Evaluates project achievements and facilitates the "lessons learned" process to provide documented historical information for future projects.
• Obtains formal approvals for closing project plans to ensure deliverables met requirements and expectations.
• Works with the Service Desk and the Applications Manager on formal handover.
• Surveys customers, stakeholders, sponsors, and team members to gather input on project quality, metrics performance and recommendations for improvement.
• Stores documents, creates final status, finalizes project plan, and formally closes the project in the project and porfolio management tool.

Project Governance

• Assist with implementation and improvement of yearly Project Governance process and Project Management processes
• Reviews project requests and works with requestor and team to get estimates.
• Assists with periodic resource planning. 

•  Masters Degree in related area such as Computer Science, Management Information Systems, Information Technology, Business or related field from an accredited university.
• Five years experience as a Technical Project Manager with University experience
• Experience using project and portfolio management software (such as Jira/Confluence, etc.) for documenting, storing, and sharing project charter information, plans and schedules, team information, issues, risks, and communications.
• Experience leading projects in a matrixed IT environment that involve aspects of IT Governance such as web governance, data governance, etc
• Experience implementing process improvement and process automation.
• Experience working with users, leaders, and decision makers to ensure strategic and effective decision making occurs in process and project work.
• Demonstrated understanding and applicable experience of higher education organizational structures and mission.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification
• Familiarity with Agile (Scrum) concepts
• Demonstrated knowledge of Microsoft Office products (e.g. Excel, Word, Visio etc.)
• Ability to effectively present process improvement ideas, alternative solutions, and workflow concepts in applicable written or presentation formats such as Context Diagrams, Use Cases, Workflow and Swim Lane Diagrams.
• Ability to use consultative and facilitative skills to gain consensus on specific outcomes and requirements.
• Core Competencies-embody the following competencies:
• Bias toward collaboration and teamwork.
• Effective oral, written and nonverbal communication skills.
• Customer/Client Focus with an emphasis in problem solving and resolution.
• Personal effectiveness and credibility as demonstrated by interpersonal and professional confidence.
• Diversity and inclusion.