Project Manager/ Solutions Specialist at Morningstar

Job description

The Role:

In this role, enthusiasm, creativity and initiative are essential as you manage sophisticated client relationships and integration projects utilising Morningstar’s Enterprise Components, Publishing System, Research & Data Product Platforms in a high-pressured environment. You will act as the expert that collaborates with our clients, product managers, marketing, sales, designers, project coordinators, developers, quality assurance analysts and other client/third party stakeholders to create & execute high quality deliveries to our dynamic client base. You will be responsible for driving results with your strong communication & proactive project management skills. This role is based in our Cape Town office.

Responsibilities:

• Work closely with clients & sales teams in understanding client requirements and creatively design best-of-breed solutions to meet those.
• Produce clear business requirements, functional and technical specifications as well as project work plans to appropriately capture client requirements, defining appropriate solutions for those and managing all internal & external expectations with all stakeholders.
• Lead & manage projects from consultation to deployment; applying project management methodology, coordinating all stakeholders and enforcing best practice standards.
• Work closely with product management & development teams to design, build and deliver client solutions and the tasks required to fulfil those.
• Lead and coordinate quality assurance efforts by coordinating all internal and external stakeholders, collecting client feedback from User Acceptance Testing and driving resolutions with product & development teams.
• Act & lead all client communication during all phases of the consultation & project life cycle.
• Communicate clear and concise project status, tracking and managing key metrics such as scope, schedule, quality, and risk.
• Identify, track and manage project risks and issues with all stakeholders to conclusion, defining appropriate risk mitigation and contingency plans.
• Manage multiple work streams.

Requirements

• Strong client focussed ethic and a well-developed intuition in asserting business requirements and appropriate stakeholders with proven organisational and multitasking skills.
• Strong & assertive internal & external communication and presentation skills both written and oral.
• Ability to be self-motived, work independently, be creative and think strategically when it comes to understanding client requirements, problem solving and project management.
• Quick learner with a sound technical understanding of systems needed in creating consultative solutions, the conceptual technologies that govern them and how clients would use and embed such systems & technologies within their workflows and organizations.
• Strong drive for continuous improvement, operational excellence and driving change.
• A passion for data with a strong skillset to build a deep understanding of the real-world circumstances it represents; why, how and where data originates, how it is organized & flow through systems, how products are constructed with it, how it is delivered to end entities and how clients would use it and why.
• A proven track record of strong analytical skills, excellent creative problem-solving together with the ability to prioritise projects and tasks.
• Ease in dealing with ambiguity and a strong resolve to provide strong leadership through uncertainly; ability to create focus and keeping all stakeholders, clients and internal teams on track.
• Excellent attention to detail; an ability to anticipate potential risks and finding creative solutions to mitigate those, coordinating all stakeholders and keeping deliveries on track.
• Ability to develop strong internal & external partnerships and relationships; take a collaborative approach; and work effectively across different business and functional areas.
• Strong knowledge of software development processes and methodologies.
• Knowledge of the investment and competitive landscape; and market trends impacting our clients.
• Knowledge of technologies such as JSON, XML, HTML, SQL, responsive design and relational databases is highly desirable.
• A bachelor’s degree is required; an advanced degree is a plus.
• Two to three years of experience in project management, past QA and/or development experience a plus.
• Financial services experience is preferred.

Morningstar is an equal opportunity employer.