IT Project manager

Project Manager
Houston TX (Need Locals)

Project Background: The primary project this candidate would support involves all aspects of IT and is a major transformational journey. The Observability Project supports the IT Infrastructure & Operations department and includes the other IT Departments. The candidate that is a good fit for this position will have strong organizational skills and ability to work across all IT departments (i.e., Infrastructure, Applications, Client Support, etc.).

• Document, weigh and review each IT functional area requirements for monitoring capabilities (e.g. network, server, application performance and user experience via synthetic benchmarking)
• Define and document a standard set of SLAs for IT, including escalation intervals & criteria
• Document and weigh existing tools and technologies in use by Enterprise and those being considered for use
• Map the defined requirements against existing and potential new toolsets
• Evaluate and rationalize toolsets where possible to minimize our license spend, operational impact and maintenance requirements
• Migrate from existing tools and processes in parallel to the new defined toolsets and eventually retire the old systems
• Publish an executive level dashboard of business critical applications including key metrics such as availability uptime, real time and historical performance overview at a high level and messaging interface for both planned activities and reported issues.
• Published a more in-depth dashboard to be leveraged by IT application owners for a narrowed relevant view into their applications

Job Description: The Project Manager will be responsible for planning, executing, reporting, and overseeing the delivery of software and technology projects while following the established Enterprise Products IT project management methodology. The Project Manager will support these job functions:

Project Planning & Execution

• Lead technical projects from initiation through implementation, including RFP development, vendor selection, proof of concept, requirements gathering, design, development/configuration, testing, integration, data conversion, user acceptance, go-live, and project close.
• Manage projects across diverse technology domains such as enterprise applications, infrastructure upgrades, data platforms, digital transformation initiatives, and IT support operations.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, secure and organize resources, coordinate project activities, monitor budgets, assess dependencies, and manage project issues.
• Monitor project progress and adjust resources and priorities accordingly.
• Assess project dependencies, risks, budget constraints, and resource conflicts to ensure successful implementation, including contingency planning.
• Support continuous improvement of project management methodologies and tools.

IT Leadership & Technical Alignment

• Translate business needs into clear technical requirements and ensure alignment between IT deliverables and business outcomes.
• Gather and document business requirements and ensure the translation of them into actionable design specifications.
• Maintain a strong understanding of both business and technical issues to manage resources and deliverables effectively.
• Serve as a liaison between business stakeholders and IT teams to ensure solutions meet operational and strategic needs.

Team Leadership & Collaboration

• Build and lead high-performing teams by leveraging individual strengths, technology, and organizational processes.
• Coordinate with stakeholders across IT, operations, vendors, and compliance to ensure seamless execution.
• Foster strong working relationships across all levels of the organization, exercising flexibility, professionalism, and diplomacy.
• Drive cross-functional collaboration and alignment across departments and leadership levels.

Analysis & Communication

• Provide regular status updates, risk assessments, and mitigation strategies to leadership.
• Apply strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including root cause analysis and proactive identification of improvement opportunities.
• Analyze and report project status, synthesizing complex information for decision-making.
• Communicate effectively in both written and verbal formats with staff, management, and executives.

Adaptability & Decision-Making

• Manage shifting priorities in fast-paced, dynamic environments.
• Make well-informed decisions under pressure, balancing strategic goals with operational realities.

Qualifications: The successful candidate will meet the following qualifications:

• Bachelor s degree in Computer Science, MIS, CIS, or a related field, or equivalent professional experience.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification preferred.
• Minimum of 6-8 years of experience managing multiple, complex projects.
• Demonstrated success in building and leading project teams using both internal and external resources.
• Strong leadership, interpersonal, communication, negotiation, influencing, organizational, and facilitation skills.
• Proficient in both Waterfall and Agile development methodologies.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Proficiency with MS Project, Azure DevOps (TFS), Microsoft Office Suite, and Visio.