Job Description

Main Purpose

• Responsible for project leadership across the IT portfolio by providing frameworks and direction, and maximising benefit delivery, limiting project and business risk, within the constraints of scope, quality, time and cost.

Key Outcomes:
Manages project planning and delivery

• Take a project from inception (idea stage) through to planning and execution of the final working solution following a structured approach
• Understand and ensure that the business requirements have been understood and correctly interpreted
• Define project objectives, scope, impacts, outputs, cost, benefits and success criteria in collaboration with business champions, business unit management, programme sponsor and other relevant stakeholder (where applicable)
• Ensure delivery of the required output(s) for each phase or stage
• Create and control all project management related documents
• Manage the people, processes and technology required to deliver solutions effectively according to the project requirements
• Conduct post implementation reviews (PIRs) and provide recommendations based on best practices and lessons learnt

Manage project risks and issues

• Identify and mitigate issues and risks that may negatively impact the project
• Tracking and escalation of key decisions, unresolved issues and risks

Ensure effective budget control

• Manage the project budget by forecasting requirements
• Monitor, track and manage expenditure by analysing variances and initiating corrective action

Manage and support project team

• Lead cross functional project teams and follow up on task progress to ensure on-time completion
• Mentor team members on structured methodology and best practices
• Manage team in order to delivery on project commitments
• Provide regular and timely feedback to team members and their respective line managers (where applicable)

Effective management of quality and processes

• Apply quality management principles and processes
• Ensure all work is undertaken within the organisation standards and processes
• Ensure required documentation is complete, current and stored appropriately

Effective reporting and stakeholder management

• Build and maintain relationships across business, suppliers and IT with stakeholders
• Conduct regular project reviews and accurately communicate the status of the project
• Produce management reports using established IT Portfolio Management methodology
• Establish and update plans with actuals and forecasts

Job Requirements

• IT Relevant 3 year tertiary or NQF aligned qualification
• Project Management certification
• Minimum of 7 years experience in programme and project management
• Managed at least 5 IT or IT related projects through the complete project management lifecycle
• Agile Project Management experience
• Proven track record of delivering business application and infrastructure projects
• Relevant retail industry experience an advantage
• May be required to work flexible hours to support project delivery.
• Travel (locally and into Africa) may be required, dependent on project scope and requirements.

Functional Competencies

• Deep understanding and experience of IT Project Management methodologies
• Ability to develop Business Cases or Feasibility studies to justify initiatives for approval by the Executive team
• Ability to align the IT Projects being executed to Business Requirements throughout the programs and projects lifecycle
• Strong facilitation and communication skills at multiple stakeholder levels
• Strong collaboration with internal and external stakeholders and partners
• Strong leadership ability of direct and virtual teams
• Proactive Risk and Issue Management skills
• Ability to analyse the impact of change on the Business, Programs and Projects and put required actions in place
• Retail Business acumen
• Excellent multi-tasking ability
• Attention to detail and working to deadlines essential
• Is aware of and responsive to internal and external events and influences on the technical landscape
• Quickly identifies key issues, stakeholders and viewpoints in a complex situation or problem
• Finds ways to condense large amounts of information into a useful form
• Anticipates the consequences of situations and proactively works to overcome potential obstacles
• Asks perceptive, probing questions to get to the heart of the matter
• Allocates time and resources as required when faced with multiple demands and competing priorities
• Considers the financial implications before finalising activity/project plans
• Actively monitors resource allocation and utilisation and makes adjustments as necessary
• Accurately interprets the moods, feelings and reactions of others and adjusts own behaviour to build effective relationships within the organisation and with its business partners
• Applies diplomacy and tact, demonstrating respect for differing perspectives
• Understands the perspectives of others to establish mutually beneficial objectives
• Coaches others on how to develop proposals and work plans for effective partnership arrangements.
• Establishes connections that help facilitate the accomplishment of broader organisational objectives.
• Actively listens, interprets and presents messages in different ways to enhance understanding.
• Appropriately adapts the message, style, and tone of communication to accommodate a variety of audiences.
• Continually searches for ways to adapt and improve through change
• Redirects own or own teams efforts in response to changed circumstances to ensure effective problem solving

Competence: Level: Independently Competent
Business & Commercial acumen

• Responsive to external influences (positive or negative) on the organisation.
• Understands what is commercially achievable and makes sound business decisions.
• Supports the development of business acumen of team through knowledge sharing and upskilling.
• Maintains advanced knowledge of business operations and organisational metrics and trends.

Retail Industry Awareness

• Factors in retail models and levers in building an effective IT landscape.
• Develops retail acumen of team through knowledge sharing and upskilling.
• Maintains advanced knowledge of key industry metrics and trends.
• Benchmarks the competition and other relevant comparison groups.

Technical Acumen

• Sound understanding of the Companys IT landscape, including systemic understanding of key business linkages and dependencies
• Is aware of and responsive to internal and external events and influences on the technical landscape
• Ability to influence sound technical decisions based on understanding of what is commercially achievable within technological constraints
• Leverages research on technology-related concepts, trends and best practices to provide guidance on IT roadmap

Analytical Thinking

• Effectively applies substantial in-depth analysis in order to determine and meet requirements
• Quickly identifies key issues, stakeholders and viewpoints in a complex situation or problem
• Finds ways to condense large amounts of information into a useful form
• Anticipates the consequences of situations and proactively works to overcome potential obstacles
• Asks perceptive, probing questions to get to the heart of the matter

Results Orientation

• Plans and ensures implementation of activities/projects identified in business strategy
• Maintains a keen awareness of the interrelationships among various components of large-scale activities/projects
• Allocates time and resources as required when faced with multiple demands and competing priorities
• Considers the financial implications before finalising activity/project plans
• Actively monitors resource allocation and utilisation and makes adjustments as necessary

Interpersonal Skills

• Accurately interprets the moods, feelings and reactions of others and adjusts own behaviour to build effective relationships within the organisation and with its business partners
• Applies diplomacy and tact, demonstrating respect for differing perspectives
• Understands the perspectives of others to establish mutually beneficial objectives

Collaboration

• Seeks and influences new relationships outside own unit and identifies new collaborative partnerships that better position programmes and services.
• Shares information with colleagues and partners about industry trends and business opportunities.
• Coaches others on how to develop proposals and work plans for effective partnership arrangements.
• Establishes connections that help facilitate the accomplishment of broader organisational objectives.

Communication

• Actively listens, interprets and presents messages in different ways to enhance understanding.
• Appropriately adapts the message, style, and tone of communication to accommodate a variety of audiences.
• Reviews presentations to ensure effective use of tools and techniques and provides recommendations.
• Prepares a wide variety of complex reports and documents using diverse sources.
• Confidently addresses groups of people, adapting style as appropriate for different audiences.

Adaptability

• Anticipates change by keeping up to date on current research and trends affecting ones own field
• Reviews, evaluates and disseminates information regarding key methodologies, best practices and tools to support a future landscape
• Continually searches for ways to adapt and improve through change
• Consciously models appropriate adaptions and encourages it in others
• Devises action plans for adapting to change
• Systematically analyses and shares the learning/ knowledge gained from change
• Redirects own or own teams efforts in response to changed circumstances to ensure effective problem solving

Kindly regard your application as unsuccessful if you have not heard from the agency within 2 weeks.

Project Management Connection