Job Specification

Purpose of Position :

To provide project management for concurrent small-to-medium scale, low-to-moderate risk l&IT projects for diverse clients across the Province.
To ensure project deliverables meet clients' business requirements on time, scope and budget, following OPS project management methodologies and frameworks.

Duties / Responsibilities :

Small-to-medium scale, low-to-moderate risk l&lT projects in the Cluster are typically valued between $200,000 and $1,000,000 (2011). Small value projects are not necessarily low risk. The environment for projects led by this position is typically complex and diverse - i.e. there are multiple different stakeholders/clients, frequently at different locations across the Province, whose differing priorities, needs and resources impact on the design and conduct of the projects, as well as associated communications and relationship management.

1. Project Management Accountabilities: l&IT Project Management Methodology
Manages small/medium projects, involving all project phases (concept, definition, planning, implementation, and closeout) using Unified Project Management Methodology (UPM) and OPS l&IT project management methodologies. Leads the gathering and development of requirements in order to create and maintain a detailed project schedule and project budget. Creates a project charter and obtains sign-off from multiple key stakeholders. Creates and manages the integrated project plan and all related documents. Manages project scope, scope changes and approach for approval. Creates and manages all key project management documentation deliverables for each of the project phases. Uses accepted project management/portfolio management tools and OPS standard productivity tools, (e.g. Microsoft Office) to capture relevant project management information. Handles communications fcr a broad range of internal and external stakeholders, clients and other contacts from all levels of the organization, ensuring that the attendant complexities of diverse audience needs are addressed effectively. Identifies all resource requirements, confirms funding, and participates in acquiring approved resources (e.g. through RFPs, RFSs, contracted external providers, internal resources, etc). Provides performance feedback on l&IT project resources.

2. Management of Project Teams
Identifies resource requirements; sources and selects team members from various disciplines; defines, clarifies roles and responsibilities, and sets task/deliverables/performance expectations for skills resources that are both OPS unionized employees as well as external contractors. Resolves resourcing conflicts, negotiates changes to resourcing needs, ensures knowledge is shared among team members. Proactively plans and prioritizes tasks effectively across resources in order to respond to numerous and diverse challenges and demands. Leads project teams to work effectively and efficiently toward project objectives in a complex and diverse environment with one or more stakeholders and
changing priorities, and ensures high quality deliverables that are on time, within scope and do not exceed budget. Leads
and develops the project schedule that decomposes the project scope into measurable tasks, responsibilities, accountabilities, and dependencies. Keeps project stakeholders informed on progress of tasks/projects and generate reports as needed.

3. Budget
Develops and refines cost estimates, and manages the project budget effectively. Ensures a high level of fiscal control and accountability for each project budget. Forecasts changes to the budget, and communicates planned vs. actual budget status as the project progresses. Works with financial leads to meet fiscal reporting requirements. Manages activities and ensures proper controls are in place to achieve the financial targets associated with the project.

4. Risk/Issue Management
Analyzes the project environment to anticipate and evaluate potential risk and issues, in order to implement appropriate mitigating strategies. Creates and manages an active, prioritized Risk/Issues log, and communicates risks and issues to senior executives and stakeholders as early as possible. Makes recommendations/decisions based on evaluation of risk and understanding of the business implications of the decision. Identifies significant potential for risk as the project moves forward and recommends mitigation strategies. Identifies, monitors and manages risks and issues through to resolution or mitigation. Considers the impact of issues with respect to direct partners, stakeholders, customers and staff.

5. Stakeholder/Customer Relationship Management
Develops and maintains relationships with clients (typically up to the director level) to manage expectations. Provides project reporting to multiple stakeholders at the director level. Supports Managers in stakeholder meetings as required. Presents project updates at steering committees and stakeholder forums. Resolves conflicts within projects.

6. Change Management
Understands how various stakeholders are or will be affected by change; implements appropriate strategies and actions to overcome resistance to change and capitalize on forces in support of change during all stages of the project (i.e. concept, design and implementation). Identifies and resolves the differences between an ideal solution and a solution which has the commitment and support of those who will implement and use the solution.

7. Promotes and adheres to OPS l&IT standards and best practices for project management, to facilitate control of system quality, use of standard methodology, and the control of the use of I&IT resources. Participates in OPS community of practices to ensure alignment with direction from the central agencies and centres of excellences. Remains current with developments and trends in the field, assessing their potential for beneficial application and/or threats they may pose for clients' projects.

8. As assigned.

Knowledge :

CPIC clearance and/or enhance security clearance may be required.

Availability for travel within the Province required.

Expertise in applying accepted OPS l&IT project management standards, best practices and methodologies, including planning, estimating, budgeting, scheduling, measuring, monitoring, controlling and documentation, and expertise in using industry-standard program, portfolio and project management tools effectively, in order to manage concurrent small-to¬medium scale, low-to-moderate risk l&lT projects at diverse locations.

Thorough understanding of OPS I&LT standards, directives and policies to ensure compliance of project initiatives, and ensure success and integration of small-to-medium scale, low-to-moderate risk I&IT projects.

Thorough knowledge of l&IT technologies, industry trends and offerings, particularly those relevant to each project, to support project deliverables effectively (e.g. though appropriate fiscal and human resource planning, acquisition and deployment, risk assessment, process assurance, etc).

Effective financial and controllership management skills to develop and manage multiple project budgets.

Knowledge of OPS procurement policies and practices to ensure compliance in obtaining software solutions, hardware and services.

Effective resource management skills, and understanding of the various contributions and areas of expertise associated with each job family, in order to determine required resources for each project, and plan, schedule and lead multiple project teams effectively through all phases.

Knowledge of the OPS ITIL-based service management framework to ensure project compliance.

Knowledge of technical and human factors associated with change, and of different change management approaches and tools in order to make appropriate decisions/selections that ensure success of change initiatives/projects to support I&IT projects.

Effective interpersonal skills in order to lead project teambuilding, conduct effective negotiations, collaborate and communicate project deliverables in order to ensure understanding and agreement.

Effective oral and written communications, including persuasiveness and negotiation skills, to communicate with senior managers, peers, staff and external parties; establish effective working relationships with stakeholders; identify underlying interests and needs; participate in SLA development; and manage client and service agreements with vendors and clients.

Effective leadership skills and ability to plan, organize, and co-ordinate human, financial and material resources.

Judgement :

Work is performed under the direction of the Manager, CRM & Solutions or Regional Manager, and within the broad framework of enterprise and Cluster l&IT standards, plans and guidelines; Cluster strategic plans, policies, procedures and standards; and clients' diverse business requirements.

Judgement is exercised in:

Planning, co-ordinating and managing a variety of concurrent small-to-medium scale, low-to-moderate risk I&IT projects for different clients across the Province, including planning, scheduling and controlling resources to meet changing requirements during each project phase.

Determining project priorities in consideration of the mandate of clients' diverse business plans and strategic directions.

Determining optimum systems solutions to meet user needs within time and budgetary constraints, and determining the necessary resources and methods of project development, service delivery and support (e.g. considering OPS directions in alternative service delivery, outsourcing and constraints, as well as the need to anticipate and formulate solutions for problems).

Managing several concurrent l&IT projects, including establishing observable performance indicators, and monitoring progress to ensure budgets and timeframes are met and operations meet quality standards for reliability, confidentiality, security and contingency recovery.

Identifying, monitoring, managing and mitigating risks and issues within projects, including dealing diplomatically with different responses and needs of diverse Cluster clients (e.g. those who are involved in the same project but have different program areas).

Providing expertise in the l&IT PM field to perpetuate PM best practices amongst the PM family and potentially other job families

Providing coaching and developing resources in technical, project management and relationship/customer management.

Accountability - Programs :

• Planning, co-ordinating and leading all phases of concurrent small-to-medium scale, low-to-moderate risk I&IT projects at diverse locations from start through completion within risk, time and resource constraints, where the outcomes may affect service delivery, government legislative programs, and/or public expectations of services.

• Ensuring effective utilization of assigned financial, material and human resources within established project timefrarnes and standards.

• Ensuring excellent communication of project progress through effective status reporting using both formal and informal manners methods. Ensuring compliance with OPS directives, policies and standards and accepted project management principles and practices.

Accountability – Personnel :

Providing technical direction and supervision for assigned project personnel, including external consultants. This involves setting priorities; scheduling and assigning work; monitoring and reporting on technical performance; and providing technical training, advice, coaching and development for less senior program/project leads.

Accountability - Finance and Materials :

Recommending, preparing, controlling and managing project budgets for concurrent small-to-medium scale, low-to-moderate risk I&IT projects.

Determining allocation and ensuring optimal use of resources including internal and contract service providers, and recommending assignment of resources from other areas within I&IT for project work,

Using resources effectively, including participating in SLA negotiations with internal and external service providers, and managing their performance to the contract.

Ensuring project-related processes and documentation meet required standards.

Accountability - Impact of Errors :

Errors in project planning and leadership could delay the implementation of important systems and significantly disrupt clients' programs, lead to excessive project/operating costs, and impact on major contracts and commitments. Errors in analyses, advice and support could result in inadequate l&IT systems development, poorly managed change, considerable waste of resources, and failure of l&IT to support clients' businesses with value-added, cost effective technology.

Failure to develop effective contingency recovery processes and control the security, confidentiality and integrity of data could lead to serious breaches of privacy resulting in legal action against the client; high correction costs; and loss of credibility.

Contact - Internal :

Frequently with client senior management and l&IT senior management to participate in and provide expertise for project needs identification and planning; negotiate detailed terms of reference and review contracts and specifications; provide project status reports, advice and recommendations; resolve issues; and negotiate project changes and resource requirements.

Regularly with managers across the enterprise and in other clusters, or cross- jurisdictional environments to participate in/co¬ordinate resource sharing, resource assignments, development activities and activity planning/scheduling, and to resolve technical/resource issues.

Daily with assigned project staff and professionals, to provide direction, advice, guidance, consultation and problem resolution.
Regularly with peers and other stakeholders in other Clusters and/or at the enterprise level to ensure alignment of activities
and to provide PM expertise on committees, task forces or on an individual consulting basis.

Contact - External :

Frequent contact with consultants, external service providers, software vendors and other private sector organizations to exchange information. acquire services. or address problems related to quality of services.

Regularly with colleagues in the PM/I&IT community to exchange information on emerging technologies, trends, tools and operating environments.