IT Project Manager

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) has set ambitious goals to provide a high quality public education for every child, in every neighborhood, that prepares each for success in college, career and civic life.

The Project Manager performs a lead role in a) managing the implementation of midsize to large projects in support of the CPS Mission, and b) managing Portfolio Management Office (PMO) operational activities in support of the PMO Mission. This role is key in promoting and adhering to the organization's Project Management Methodology, including communication and management of tasks for all phases of the Project Lifecycle. The Project Manager also promotes visibility into the CPS portfolio of projects by consolidating current, accurate and quality information for multiple projects.

This position resides in the Portfolio Management Office of the Information and Technology Services (ITS) / Enterprise Transformation department of Chicago Public Schools. The Project Manager reports to the Manager of the PMO.

The Project Manager position will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

• Managing PMO operational activities, ensuring current, accurate and quality project information across the portfolio
• Defining project scopes, initiating and managing midsize to large projects
• Creating and executing project work plans and revising as appropriate to meet changing needs and requirements
• Initiating and managing multiple projects in parallel and with multiple dependencies
• Producing project reports and performance metrics
• Communicating with the Portfolio Management Office manager and ITS management regarding the status of specific projects
• Identify and manage project risks
• Using influence to eliminate bottlenecks and potential resource alignment problems
• Managing projects within standard project management methodologies to time, quality and budget
• Identifying resources needed and assigns individual responsibilities
• Managing through all stages of the project life cycle
• Managing stakeholders and stakeholder expectations
• Building strong project teams across multiple CPS divisions
• Providing excellent service to clients (internal and external to ITS)
• Effectively managing vendor relationships in accordance to CPS and ITS strategies and directives.
• Providing project status and other deliverables at each stage of the Project Management Methodology
• Demonstrating a willingness to collaborate and support the PMO and ITS peers and leadership
• Planning, directing and implementing projects on time, within budget and with desired functionality
• Performs related duties as required

The Project Manager is also responsible for supporting the advancement of the PMO's mission. Responsibilities include, but are not limited to:

• Supporting Portfolio Management that provides a forward looking picture of project work
• Continuously improving the Project Methodology
• Providing input into Project Management Best Practices
• Educating ITS staff and CPS Project Management stakeholders on PMO processes and tools

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, the Project Manager must possess the following qualifications:

Chicago Residency Requirement:

• CPS employees are required to be actual residence of the City of Chicago within six months of beginning employment, and are required to maintain Chicago residency throughout employment.

Type of Education Required :

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent experience required
• CAPM or PMP Certification preferred

Type of Experience and Number of Years :

• Minimum of 5 years' demonstrated experience in Project Management
• Minimum of 4 years' experience in Information Technology
• Experience in Education (K-12) project or program work preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities :

• Proficient in Project Management practices, principles, and tools
• Knowledgeable about organization and process structures
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Ability to apply process standards
• Self-motivated/willingness to take initiative
• Proven ability to build positive working relationships within own team and other areas of business
• Ability to effectively communicate with customers, project and functional management to identify needs and evaluate alternative solutions
• Ability to work as a Project Manager on multiple simultaneous projects
• Ability to work independently towards established goals

Additional Notes :

• Chicago Public Schools is not currently hiring individuals for this position who now or in the future require sponsorship for employment based non-immigrant and immigrant visas.
• Chicago Public Schools is an EEO/AA Employer. All qualified individuals, including minorities, females, veterans, and individuals with disabilities, are encouraged to apply.