Release Manager in Chicago, IL
Job Summary
Individual contributor, plans and manages complex IT projects consisting of one or more project teams. Manages relationships and acts as liaison between the development teams, client organizations, and other stakeholders throughout the project cycle.
Seeking arelease/project manager to lead delivery of enhancements across a business portfolio. This individual will be responsible for leading teams to package, build and deploy the enhancements in accordance with our Business Framework methodology and Release Calendar. Previous experience managing financial-related initiatives and/orinsurance industry experience strongly desired.
Competencies:In addition to proven project management discipline, the candidate must possess strong leadership, negotiation and communications skills.
Special Tools: Primavera proficiency required. (MS Office Suite expected)
Activities/Functions:
Leads, motivates, and coaches Technology team members.
Selects, executes and monitors adherence to the approved Project Management techniques and practices.
Works with the Domain Owners and engineers to identify additional members of the Realization Team and ensures they are in place prior to planning the remaining Phases.
Ensures that the roles and responsibilities of each Realization Team member are clearly understood, and accepted.
Validate existing plan(s) or develop new plan by decomposing the initiative into time-phased, manageable work units, prioritizing key deliverables and assuring the ownership is clear.
Proactively manages the issues and risks to the program and establishes contingency and risk mitigation plans.
Contributes to defining estimates (time, money, resources, etc.).
Ensures that the program plan addresses time, cost, and quality.
Integrates schedules between the Realization Team and any other organizations in which there is a dependent relationship.
Works to obtain Technology staffing.
Assists the team in problem solving and coming up with a solution, minimizing technical barriers to the business solution.
Manages the budgets and schedules for the initiative; tracks the actuals and compares them to the plan.
Provides accurate, clear, and timely status reporting.
Ensure that the quality assurance activities are documented in the Quality Strategy and Plan and included in the detailed phase plan
Ensures that all deliverables have been appropriately reviewed and approved by Realization Team members and other identified business or Technology personnel.
Identifies and resolves escalations.
Establishes and tracks commitments via the Program Review Status.
Ensures the requirements (both functional and non-functional) are technically sound, clearly defined and actionable.
Ensures the requirements are tracked and managed.
Essential Duties & Responsibilities
1. Manages and directs one or more project teams to meet complex project objectives.
2. Coordinates, schedules, assigns project tasks, builds teams, and maintains working relationships with the functional areas outside of IT.
3. Reviews, evaluates and formulates project plans, schedules and budgets. Typical project budget: $500,000 - $3,000,000.
4. Allocates staff and budget resources to meet changing corporate needs.
5. Identifies and negotiates schedules, milestones and resources required to meet project objectives.
6. Evaluates and reports progress in terms of quality and performance metrics. Modifies schedules as required.
7. Works with client departments to coordinate systems testing, installation, training and support.
8. Uses appropriate systems development methodologies to structure and organize the tasks to be completed by the team.
9. Provides input on performance of team members and may provide feedback.
10. Stays up to date on trends and developments within functional area of expertise and the insurance industry.
May perform additional duties as assigned.
Reporting Relationship
Director or above
Skills, Knowledge & Abilities
1. Proven project management skills to manage projects from inception to implementation.
2. In-depth knowledge and ability to apply project development methodologies, reporting techniques, and measurement techniques.
3. A solid knowledge of the system development life cycle, and system and application program development technological alternatives.
4. Proven knowledge of client area's functions and systems.
5. Excellent communication and interpersonal and consultative skills to work effectively with clients, peers, and IT management and staff.
6. Able to foster working relationships with the team and client departments.
7. Advanced computer skills including Microsoft Office Suite and other business related software systems.
Education & Experience
1. Bachelor's degree in Computer Science or equivalent experience.
2. Minimum of seven years related experience as an IT project team member including previous project leadership experience.
3. Applicable certifications preferred.
Experience: Competencies: In addition to proven project management discipline, the candidate must possess strong leadership, negotiation and communications skills.
Special Tools: Primavera proficiency required. (MS Office Suite expected)
Activities/Functions:
Leads, motivates, and coaches Technology team members.
Selects, executes and monitors adherence to the approved Project Management techniques and practices.
Works with the Domain Owners and engineers to identify additional members of the Realization Team and ensures they are in place prior to planning the remaining Phases.
Ensures that the roles and responsibilities of each Realization Team member are clearly understood, and accepted.
Validate existing plan(s) or develop new plan by decomposing the initiative into time-phased, manageable work units, prioritizing key deliverables and assuring the ownership is clear.
Proactively manages the issues and risks to the program and establishes contingency and risk mitigation plans.
Contributes to defining estimates (time, money, resources, etc.).
Ensures that the program plan addresses time, cost, and quality.
Integrates schedules between the Realization Team and any other organizations in which there is a dependent relationship.
Works to obtain Technology staffing.
Assists the team in problem solving and coming up with a solution, minimizing technical barriers to the business solution.
Manages the budgets and schedules for the initiative; tracks the actuals and compares them to the plan.
Provides accurate, clear, and timely status reporting.
Ensure that the quality assurance activities are documented in the Quality Strategy and Plan and included in the detailed phase plan
Ensures that all deliverables have been appropriately reviewed and approved by Realization Team members and other identified business or Technology personnel.
Identifies and resolves escalations.
Establishes and tracks commitments via the Program Review Status.
Ensures the requirements (both functional and non-functional) are technically sound, clearly defined and actionable.
Ensures the requirements are tracked and managed.
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