"Project Manager II"

Job Profile Summary:

The Project Manager II oversees the execution and process of all projects for their department. The Project Manager II will work with multiple teams, project requesters, and creative teams to develop project plans according to strategic development priorities, as defined by project requesters and leadership. This position is accountable for ensuring that the scope, dates, commitments, and project plans are communicated to all stakeholders and updated as necessary. The individual monitors and reports project status-including risks, issues affecting project schedules, and milestone achievements-to stakeholders and departmental leadership. The Project Manager II develops project plans and schedules and ensures projects meet departmental requirements, standards, policies, and deadlines. This individual is expected to keep fully informed of departmental strategies and priorities and effectively influence the work of project team members in line with those priorities. The Project Manager II is responsible for tracking deadlines, monitoring incoming requests, managing commitments, and utilizing project management tools to ensure project timelines are met, issues are escalated, identified opportunities for efficiencies and process/decisions are documented.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities:

• Maintains a thorough and detailed understanding of all department projects, purpose and status and ensures projects meet outlined processes.
• Monitors, reports on, and makes visible project status, issues, resource requirements, dependencies, and project plans.
• Keeps stakeholders and departmental leadership informed of project statuses, including, but not limited to, milestone achievements, toll gate progress, risks, and any issues that may adversely affect project schedules.
• Documents project deliverables, outputs, and notes that capture why key project decisions were made and keeps project management records and systems accurate and up to date.
• Understands departmental strategic priorities and influences the actions and work efforts of team members in line with those priorities.
• Works closely with product team, content creators and other department stakeholders to align priorities and progress on all projects.
• Manages traffic of incoming new requests - validates that appropriate requirements are included.
• Produces timely and accurate reports as directed. Regular weekly progress report of Project Tasks completed, priorities for upcoming week, dependencies.
• Provides input to Project Management Office (PMO) manager to develop or refine project management procedures and processes for the purpose of improving efficiency.
• Develops realistic project plans and schedules by analyzing organizational process assets, enterprise environmental factors, task dependencies, resource requirements, work breakdown, and departmental strategy and priorities.
• Ensures projects meet organizational standards and are managed in accordance with applicable policies, processes, and procedures.
• Conducts retrospective work on closed/ completed projects to document lessons learned in conjunction with associate PJM, and prepares retrospective documentation, as well as recommendations, for review at the program level for consideration in future CQI efforts, and/ or potential redevelopment needs.
• May conduct data analysis, research course and program level information as requested during the analysis phases of other projects.
• May work to mentor Associate PJM and develops team leadership skills and team initiatives.
• Track project costs in order to meet budget.
• Facilitating change requests to ensure that all parties are informed of the impacts on schedule and budget.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office.
• Background knowledge/experience of curriculum.
• History of successful execution of projects that impact an entire organization.
• Professional integrity that represents the educational standards within higher education.
• Excellent leadership and project management skills.
• Works well in a team environment.
• Ability to influence change and motivate others.
• Solid technical and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to plan and meet schedules.
• Ability to use project management systems and tools.
• Problem Solving Skills: Investigates appropriate resources and involves partners when appropriate; future-oriented; assesses what will help/hinder achieving goals; focuses on what is important.
• Interpersonal Skills: Deals with others in a considerate, respectful, and unbiased manner; approaches conflict proactively; solicits and shares feedback openly; listens with empathy and maintains composure.
• Accuracy: Draws on factual information garnered from careful cultivation of a broad knowledge of WGU's goals and processes; investigates beyond assumptions.
• Adaptability: Course corrects behaviors and communication style to meet the needs of a wide range of situations; tackles obstacles appropriately; is comfortable with ambiguity.
• Reliability: Accountable to others; does what it takes to get the job done; actions are consistent with words; follows through on commitments; exhibits exceptional integrity.
• Attitude: Displays commitment to the organization and to personal growth; self-motivated and able to motivate and inspire others; asserts self appropriately to champion ideas; tells the truth in a direct and constructive manner.
• Initiative: Self-directs with a strong bias for action; leads the way in improvement of performance or processes; displays keen interest in students and organization.

Competencies:

Organizational Impact: Works to achieve operational targets within job areas impacting department, function, or office results. Work is performed independently on moderately complex projects and assignments with some guidance required for direction and complex tasks. Sets objectives for oneself to meet the goals of projects or assignments.

Problem Solving & Decision Making: Responsible for employing adjustments or recommended enhancements to systems and processes to solve problems or improve the job area's effectiveness while leveraging a systems-thinking approach. Problems faced may require an understanding of a broader set of issues and job areas.

Communication & Influence: Collaborates with contacts typically within the job area to obtain or provide information requiring some explanation or interpretation.

Leadership & Talent Management: May provide guidance and assistance to entry-level professionals and or support employees. Demonstrates the WGU leadership principles in all aspects of service to students, employees, and partners of WGU.

Job Qualifications:

Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution. Three (3) years of experience as the assigned project manager of executive-sponsored projects, with sole responsibility for project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.

Preferred Qualifications: Experience in higher education, WGU, and program development preferred. Master's degree from an accredited institution or higher in relevant field.

Physical Requirements:

Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.