Project Manager at Pearson

Job description

The Project Manager has responsibility for all aspects of delivery activity through the delivery lifecycle (initiate, plan, execute, control, close). Candidates must be familiar with project scope and objectives, as well as the role and function of each team member, to effectively coordinate the activities of the team. Responsible for assigning individual responsibilities, identifying appropriate resource needs, and creating and owning the project plan to ensure timely delivery of the stated objective. Candidates will be required to take the project from early high level discussion through to final implementation, working with all delivery and customer groups. Stakeholder groups will include business users in Content teams, external third party content suppliers and extended operational and technical groups in the local regions whilst working with the central Programme delivery team to ensure a consistent approach. The Project Manager should ensure adherence to quality standards throughout all stages of the delivery lifecycle via robust planning and regular checkpoint reviews.

This role will also be expected to engage with senior executive team to provide regular status reporting for their respective business areas.

Key accountabilities

• Lead the local project delivery team to ensure successful completion of tasks as defined in the project plan in order to achieve the project goals
• Ensure the recording of detailed customer requirements, constraints, and assumptions with stakeholders in order to establish the detailed project deliverables.
• Implement and manage a robust governance structure to ensure the delivery of a quality solution and that risks and issues are understood, communicated and addressed appropriately.
• Measure project performance using appropriate tools and techniques in order to monitor the progress of the project, identify and quantify any variances, perform any required corrective actions, and communicate to all stakeholders.
• Manage any changes to the project scope, project schedule, and project costs using appropriate verification techniques in order to keep the project plan accurate, updated, reflective of authorised project changes as defined in the change management plan, and facilitate customer acceptance.
• Ensure a common understanding by setting expectations in accordance with the Project Plan, in order to align the stakeholders and team members.
• Implement the approved actions to mitigate project risk to minimise the impact of the risks on the project.
• Financial Management & Commercial Awareness. Tracking of budget and spend. Budget set and agreed in conjunction with the project sponsor. Managed with agreed set of tolerances.
• Decision Making - impacting scope, timeline, cost. Accountable for making decisions and final recommendations; gaining final ratification from project sponsor and Steering Group.
• Ability to make timely decisions without senior management involvement or ratification.

Core Competencies

• Working in a matrix and virtual environment
• Solid experience in IT business analysis & design (especially process and organisational analysis & design)
• Working with a constantly changing, increasingly digital world
• Driven toward effective execution and implementation of all projects
• Working with a number of stakeholders – internally within Pearson and internationally
• Working with a global customer base and different cultures
• Managing stakeholders who are resource constrained and may be under committed to this initiative.

Experience

• Recognised Project Management qualification required - (Prince2, PMP, PMI etc).
• Wide experience of managing the business centric delivery projects (i.e not technology infrastructure projects)
• Requires a minimum of 3 - 5 years or project management experience, ideally with exposure to large scale software
• deployment within diverse and challenging industries.
• Experience of Content Management Platforms highly desired.
• Experience within Publishing industry especially welcome.
• Knowledge of both Waterfall and Agile project methodologies.
• Strong working knowledge of Project planning software (MS Project, SmartSheets).
• Leads, supports and motivates project delivery team, project sponsor, and business stakeholders
• Solid organisational skills including attention to detail and multitasking skills.
• Excellent client-facing and internal communication skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Responds confidently and resolves all conflicts positively.
• Strong facilitation skills
• Personal Style and Behaviour
• Proactive self starter, comfortable with identifying and leading required delivery activities with the project team.
• Develops and maintains constructive and cooperative working relationships with others.
• Handles oneself ethically following core values and beliefs.
• Recognises others for their efforts.
• Understands team dynamics, fostering a positive team environment.

Qualifications

• Minimum: Project Management e.g. Prince2, PMP, Scrum, PMBOK certification or equivalent qualification in project methodologies.
• Knowledge of delivering IT projects while using ITIL, SDLC, Agile or Waterfall Scrum methodologies.
• Desirable: An appropriate university degree, with preference for a B Sc., B Sc (Eng), BComp Sc

Pearson is committed to the principles of Employment Equity and in accordance with our Employment Equity goals and plan, preference will be given to suitable applicants from designated groups as defined in the Employment Equity Act and subsequent amendments thereto.