Project Manager - Agile

About the Job:

As a Project Manager, you will be a crucial leader responsible for the successful initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure of diverse projects. You will play a pivotal role in driving strategic initiatives, ensuring projects are delivered on time, within budget, and to the required quality standards. This role demands a highly organized, proactive, and communicative individual with a strong ability to lead cross-functional teams, manage stakeholders effectively, and navigate complex challenges. You will be instrumental in implementing best practices and fostering a culture of continuous improvement within the project management framework.

Roles and Responsibilities:

1. Project Planning & Execution:

- Define Project Scope, Goals, and Deliverables: Collaborate with stakeholders, including business owners, technical teams, and end-users, to clearly define project objectives, scope boundaries, key deliverables, and success criteria that directly align with overarching business strategies.

- Develop Detailed Project Plans, Schedules, and Budgets: Create comprehensive project plans encompassing tasks, dependencies, timelines, resource allocation, and budget forecasts. Utilize project management tools and techniques to develop realistic and achievable schedules, considering potential constraints and dependencies.

- Ensure Smooth Execution of Projects: Lead and coordinate project activities according to the established plan. Monitor progress against key milestones, track task completion, and proactively identify and address any deviations or potential roadblocks to ensure timely and efficient project delivery.

- Manage Project Documentation: Maintain accurate and up-to-date project documentation, including project charters, scope documents, communication plans, risk registers, issue logs, status reports, and closure documents.

2. Stakeholder Management:

- Collaborate with Internal and External Stakeholders: Establish and maintain strong working relationships with all relevant stakeholders, including executive leadership, business owners, functional teams, external vendors, and clients. Actively engage stakeholders to understand their requirements, expectations, and potential concerns.

- Regularly Report Project Status to Executives and Business Owners: Prepare and deliver clear, concise, and informative project status reports to executive leadership and business owners. Communicate key progress, potential risks, issues, and any necessary escalations in a timely and effective manner.

- Address and Resolve Stakeholder Concerns Efficiently: Act as the primary point of contact for stakeholder inquiries and concerns. Proactively address and resolve any issues or conflicts in a professional and timely manner, ensuring stakeholder satisfaction and maintaining positive relationships.

3. Team Leadership & Resource Management:

- Lead and Manage Cross-Functional Teams: Provide strong leadership and guidance to cross-functional project teams, fostering a collaborative and high-performing environment. Clearly define roles and responsibilities, set expectations, and motivate team members to achieve project goals.

- Assign Tasks, Monitor Performance, and Ensure Accountability: Effectively delegate tasks to team members based on their skills and expertise. Monitor individual and team performance, provide constructive feedback, and ensure accountability for assigned responsibilities and deliverables.

- Foster a Collaborative and Result-Driven Team Culture: Promote open communication, teamwork, and knowledge sharing within the project team. Encourage a proactive and problem-solving mindset, focusing on achieving project objectives and delivering high-quality results.

4. Risk & Issue Management:

- Identify Potential Project Risks and Develop Mitigation Strategies: Proactively identify potential risks and uncertainties that could impact project timelines, budget, or quality. Develop comprehensive risk mitigation strategies and contingency plans to minimize their potential impact.

- Resolve Conflicts, Bottlenecks, and Challenges Proactively: Identify and address project-related conflicts, bottlenecks, and challenges in a timely and effective manner. Facilitate problem-solving and decision-making processes to ensure smooth project progression.

- Ensure Adherence to Compliance and Regulatory Requirements: Understand and ensure that all project activities adhere to relevant compliance standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational policies and procedures.

5. Budget & Cost Control:

- Manage Project Budgets and Ensure Cost-Effective Solutions: Develop and manage project budgets, tracking expenditures against allocated funds. Identify opportunities for cost optimization and ensure cost-effective utilization of resources.

- Optimize Resource Allocation to Enhance Efficiency: Strategically allocate resources (human, financial, and material) to maximize project efficiency and effectiveness. Monitor resource utilization and make adjustments as needed to optimize performance.

- Approve Financial Expenditures Related to Project Activities: Review and approve financial expenditures related to project activities, ensuring adherence to budgetary constraints and organizational approval processes.

6. Process Improvement & Best Practices:

- Implement Industry Best Practices and Agile Methodologies: Apply industry-recognized project management best practices and methodologies, including Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban), Waterfall, or hybrid approaches, as appropriate for the project context.

- Ensure Continuous Improvement by Analysing Project Performance and Gathering Feedback: Regularly analyse project performance data, identify areas for improvement, and gather feedback from team members and stakeholders to enhance future project execution.

- Document Lessons Learned and Recommend Process Enhancements: Document key lessons learned throughout the project lifecycle and recommend process enhancements and best practices to improve the overall project management framework within the organization.

7. Communication & Reporting:

- Conduct Regular Project Meetings and Update Reports for Stakeholders: Facilitate effective project meetings, ensuring clear agendas, active participation, and documented outcomes. Prepare and distribute regular project status reports to all relevant stakeholders.

- Present Insights, Challenges, and Solutions to Leadership Teams: Effectively communicate project insights, potential challenges, and proposed solutions to leadership teams, providing them with the necessary information for informed decision-making.

- Ensure Proper Documentation and Knowledge-Sharing Across Teams: Maintain comprehensive project documentation and facilitate knowledge sharing across project teams and the wider organization to promote learning and best practice adoption.

Qualifications:

- Master's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, or a related field.

- Proven experience (typically 5+ years) in managing complex projects from initiation to closure, with increasing levels of responsibility.

- Strong understanding of project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid) and their application in different contexts.

- Excellent leadership, communication, interpersonal, and negotiation skills.

- Proficiency in using project management software and tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Jira, Asana).