Senior IT Project Administrator

SUMMARY DESCRIPTION

Under the direction of an appropriate level manager, the Senior IT Project Administrator plays a pivotal role in supporting the planning, execution, and delivery of complex high impact IT initiatives across the organization. The Senior IT Project Administrator collaborates with IT leadership, project managers, internal stakeholders, and external vendors to ensure that projects are delivered on time, within budget, and are aligned with organized objectives. The incumbent is a highly organized professional with experience in coordinating multiple high-impact initiatives in a fast-paced environment.

REPRESENTATIVE DUTIES

The following duties are typical for this position. Incumbents may not perform all of the listed duties and/or may be required to perform additional or different duties from those set forth below to address business needs and changing business practices.

• Coordinate and monitor project activities, resources, and timelines to ensure efficient execution.
• Partner with Business Analysts and Quality Assurance team members to verify project deliverables match design materials.
• Monitor project progress and promptly escalate issues or delays to the IT Project Manager.
• Assist project managers in the update and monitoring of projects within the project management tools.
• Assist in the preparation and distribution of project status reports and updates.
• Assist in preparing the quarterly project summary reports and report outs to District Committees on project status and team performance.
• Support activities for timely completion of IT hardware, software, and services procurements.
• Review, process, and prepare contracts for goods, services, and software, ensuring compliance with applicable laws, codes, and District policies.
• Obtain proposals, review negotiated terms, monitor contract renewals, and resolve discrepancies related to invoices or vendor performance.
• Prepare and manage contracts, maintain accurate records, conduct research, compile data, and generate reports as needed.
• Ensure all contracts and purchase orders are current and valid; proactively communicate with vendors for contract renewals.
• Act as a liaison, representing the department, in an effort to troubleshoot and resolve all issues related to project management and contracts in a timely manner.
• Assist in preparing presentations and reports for leadership and governance committees.
• Ensure adherence to organizational policies, security standards, and data governance requirements.
• Assess software, websites, and services for accessibility compliance; verify legal compliance, conduct research, and recommend alternatives when necessary.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for internal staff, vendors, and external agencies; respond to inquiries and coordinate meetings.
• Collaborate with end users to support the maintenance of ongoing projects.
• Learn new technologies and create end-user documentation including training materials and job aids.
• Provide high-level administrative and operational support to project managers and teams, ensuring seamless coordination across District departments and timely execution of project deliverables.
• Assist with developing, organizing, and maintaining project plans, schedules, risk logs, and status reports.
• Prepare written materials, including correspondence, reports, procedures, and guidelines related to projects and department operations.
• Facilitate communication between stakeholders, vendors, technical teams, and management to ensure alignment and timely issue resolution.
• Track project milestones, deliverables, and budgets, reporting progress to stakeholders.
• Assist in project change management processes, ensuring proper documentation and communication of scope changes.
• Monitor compliance with administrative regulations, security standards, and regulatory requirements.
• Support post-implementation reviews to capture lessons learned and contribute to continuous improvement.
• Assist in providing general budgeting, purchasing, and administrative support to the Information Technology department.
• Support the review, approval, and payment process of vendors.
• Create and maintain project information in various project management support systems.
• Prepare and coordinate all aspects of meetings with internal and external participants. Key tasks include, but are not limited to, coordinating schedules, identifying and booking meeting locations, procuring refreshments, scheduling meetings, creating meeting materials such as agendas and handouts and taking meeting notes.
• Assist in the design and execution of organizational change management efforts to achieve higher level of adoption for new project initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS

The following generally describes the knowledge and ability required to enter the job and/or be learned within a short period of time in order to successfully perform the assigned duties.

Knowledge of:

• Project management concepts such as Gantt charts, Risk Logs, and Work Breakdown Structures.
• Administrative functions in support of project management.
• Commonly used office software such as Microsoft Office products.
• Project management software tools such as Microsoft Project, SharePoint and Teams.
• IT systems, software development lifecycles (SDLC), and infrastructure concepts.
• Enterprise-wide ERP systems, preferably in higher education (Banner ERP preferred).
• Project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall) and tools (e.g., MS Project, Jira, or similar).
• Technical writing techniques.
• Problem solving and analytical approaches.
• Communication techniques in support of group facilitation, training, and technical support.
• Work organization and office management principles and practices.
• English usage, grammar, spelling, punctuation, and vocabulary.

Ability to:

• Manage multiple priorities in a deadline-driven environment.
• Independently execute a wide range of operational, administrative, and support activities for IT projects.
• Employ a proactive approach to coordinating and managing various tasks that are essential for the smooth operation of projects.
• Coordinate and manage various tasks that are essential for the smooth operation of projects.
• Work with a high level of independence, as the coordinator will need to have a detailed understanding of departmental and project activities.
• Coordinate, assist, and/or manage meetings for project managers, including drafting and distribution of minutes.
• Assist project managers in monitoring contract processing and budget expenditures.
• Coordinate project calendars and activities.
• Monitor and update project plans and schedules.
• Perform research, analyze data, and make recommendations on project-related services.
• Support and prepare reports and presentations for project related activities.
• Coordinate communication across the enterprise on behalf of project managers.
• Apply excellent organizational, analytical, and communication skills.
• Create complex spreadsheets and flow charts.
• Report to work on a regular and consistent basis, as scheduled, to assigned job.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE GUIDELINES

Any combination of education and experience that would likely provide the required knowledge and abilities is qualifying. A typical way to obtain the knowledge and abilities would be:

Education/Training:

Equivalent to a bachelors degree (or higher) in Information Technology, Business, or a related field.

Experience:

Three (3) to five (5) years of progressively responsible experience in project coordination or administration, preferably within IT or higher education.

Prior experience working in a Project Management Office (PMO) or similar organization with multiple concurrent projects is desirable. Experience using organizational change management principles, methodologies, and tools to drive adoption of new systems and processes.

Licenses, Certificates, and/or Other Requirements:

A valid California drivers license may be required for some positions.

Professional certifications such as PMP, CAPM, CSM, CPO, or similar project management, agile-related, and other certifications are highly desirable.