Project Manager

The Project Manager is responsible for planning, managing, and delivering IT projects for the business units. This role oversees all aspects of project delivery—including scope, schedule, cost, risk, and stakeholder management—to ensure successful completion in accordance with State SDLC and organizational standards. The Project Manager leads diverse teams consisting of internal staff, subject matter experts, and contractor resources to deliver IT systems, integrations, and infrastructure enhancements aligned with business goals and compliance requirements.Key Responsibilities:

Project Planning and Management

• Plan and manage small to large-scale IT projects, including system implementations, integrations, upgrades, and infrastructure initiatives.
• Assist customer areas in articulating requests for new systems or enhancements.
• Manage all project phases — initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure — per the standards.
• Develop and maintain a Project Management Plan for all assigned projects.
• Create and maintain Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) and project schedules using Microsoft Project or equivalent tools.
• Ensure project objectives are met by defining scope, managing stakeholder expectations, and supervising project teams.
• Assign work collaboratively and monitor progress to keep projects on track with respect to tasks, timelines, and budget.
• Identify and proactively address issues and risks affecting project success.
• Develop and update the Risk Management Plan (RMP) and Risk Registry, identifying and prioritizing project risks and mitigation strategies.
• Prepare and submit monthly project status reports to stakeholders.

Governance, Documentation, and Compliance

• Ensure project governance and control are followed per the approved Project Management Plan and State SDLC requirements.
• Maintain project artifacts, records, and documentation in a centralized repository (shared drives or collaborative workspaces).
• Manage change control, escalation, and resolution processes for issues and risks.
• Review deliverables for completeness, adherence to standards, and compliance with contract requirements.
• Coordinate and attend internal meetings as needed.
• Adhere to all internal policies governing security, privacy, documentation, maintenance, testing, training, and data management.
• Develop, document, and communicate escalation and resolution processes across all stakeholders.

Stakeholder, Team, and Vendor Coordination

• Collaborate with functional managers, IT staff, vendors, and SMEs to ensure smooth execution of project activities.
• Manage stakeholder relationships, expectations, and communications throughout the project lifecycle.
• Work with functional managers to resolve team workload conflicts and ensure proper resource allocation.
• Facilitate cross-functional communication, including coordination with external contractors and internal departments.
• Ensure training materials and documentation are developed and available for end-users.
• Provide accurate and timely reporting on project progress, risks, and deliverables.

Organizational Change Management

• Implement a structured Organizational Change Management (OCM) approach to lead stakeholders through project-related changes.
• Build buy-in and adoption for new systems and processes.
• Anchor the implemented changes into business operations to ensure long-term sustainability.
• Measure and manage the impact of change to realize desired project benefits.

Procurement and Contract Management

• Support or develop Task Order Requests for Proposals (TORFPs), Requests for Proposals (RFPs), and Requests for Resumes (RFRs) as needed.
• Coordinate with procurement teams while adhering to COMAR compliance (excluding bidding participation where applicable).
• Ensure vendor deliverables meet quality standards and contractual obligations.

Project Evaluation and Continuous Improvement

• Conduct lessons learned sessions to evaluate project outcomes and identify improvement opportunities.
• Monitor project performance metrics and recommend process improvements.
• Ensure the project team collects, organizes, and maintains current and archival documentation for audit readiness.
• Construct or supervise the creation of all necessary project artifacts as required by guidelines.
• Ensure all project deliverables identified in the approved plan are completed within schedule and quality standards.

General

• Become thoroughly knowledgeable in all aspects of assigned projects.
• Ensure compliance with project governance, documentation, and reporting processes.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Education: Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field (Master's preferred).
• Certifications: PMP (Project Management Professional) or equivalent certification preferred.
• Experience: Minimum 10+ years of progressive experience managing IT projects, including system implementations, software development, and infrastructure initiatives within enterprise or government environments.
• Technical Skills:
• Proficiency with Microsoft Project, SharePoint, and collaborative workspace tools.
• Strong understanding of SDLC methodologies, risk management, and change control processes.
• Experience with budget management, performance tracking, and QA oversight.
• Soft Skills:
• Exceptional leadership, communication, and negotiation abilities.
• Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders and priorities.
• Strong analytical, organizational, and problem-solving skills.

Work Environment:

• Standard office or hybrid work environment depending on project requirements.