Senior Manager, Projects

Job Purpose/Summary

The Senior Manager, Projects will be responsible for the strategic leadership, planning, and execution of complex projects and programs. This role ensures that all projects are delivered on time, within scope, and in alignment with business goals. The position also plays a critical role in shaping project governance, driving stakeholder engagement, and fostering continuous improvement within the project management office (PMO).

Responsibilities/Duties/Tasks

Project/Program Delivery

• Define and document project scope, objectives, and key performance indicators (KPIs) in collaboration with stakeholders.
• Lead cross-functional teams to deliver high-impact projects, ensuring alignment with the organization’s business goals and compliance requirements.
• Oversee the execution of project plans, including budgeting, scheduling, resource allocation, and risk management.
• Ensure effective project integration by coordinating with other departments and external vendors to achieve seamless delivery.
• Monitor project performance, employing data-driven insights to optimize project outcomes and ensure efficient resource use.
• Conduct project reviews and lessons-learned sessions to identify improvement areas and implement best practices.

Project Governance & Compliance

• Develop and implement robust project governance frameworks, ensuring that all projects adhere to established standards and regulations.
• Establish project closure protocols, ensuring that financial documentation, regulatory compliance, and project outcomes are properly reviewed and recorded.
• Lead periodic reviews to assess project performance against budget, scope, and timeline, providing regular updates to senior management and steering committees.
• Foster a culture of continuous improvement, ensuring that learnings from project delivery are incorporated into future initiatives.
• Recommend and enforce project risk management strategies, utilizing the Risk, Assumptions, Issues, and Dependencies (RAID) framework to mitigate potential project challenges.

Stakeholder Management

• Build and maintain strong relationships with both internal and external stakeholders, including vendors, partners, and senior leadership, to ensure project buy-in and alignment.
• Collaborate with key stakeholders to identify and prioritize project needs, ensuring their interests are addressed throughout the project lifecycle.
• Proactively communicate project progress, risks, and issues to stakeholders, ensuring transparency and alignment at all stages.
• Facilitate project steering committee meetings and other governance forums, ensuring stakeholders are well-informed of project developments and key decision points.

Decision-Making & Accountability:

• Strategic Decision-Making: Make critical project-related decisions, including vendor selection, resource allocation, and project prioritization.
• Financial Accountability: Responsible for managing project budgets, ensuring cost-efficiency while delivering on project objectives.
• Risk & Issue Resolution: Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks while escalating key issues to senior leadership when necessary.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, or related discipline. Master’s degree is a plus.
• Certifications: PMP, PRINCE2, or other relevant project management certifications. Agile or Scrum certification is an advantage.
• Experience: Minimum of 8-10 years of project management experience, with at least 5 years in a senior leadership or strategic role.
• Industry Knowledge: Extensive experience managing large, complex, multi-stakeholder projects, ideally within the financial services, technology, or infrastructure sectors.
• Technical Skills: Proficiency in project management tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, Asana), budget management software, and risk management frameworks.

Skills & Competencies:

• Leadership: Proven ability to lead, motivate, and manage cross-functional teams to deliver successful projects.
• Strategic Thinking: Ability to align project goals with broader organizational strategy and make decisions that drive long-term value.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills with the ability to anticipate challenges, devise solutions, and adjust plans accordingly.
• Stakeholder Management: Excellent communication, negotiation, and conflict resolution skills, with the ability to manage multiple stakeholders with competing priorities.
• Risk Management: Strong risk assessment and mitigation capabilities, with experience implementing the RAID framework.
• Adaptability: Ability to thrive in a fast-paced, dynamic environment, managing multiple projects concurrently.