IT Project Manager

Our customer has ambitious plans to continue their growth and transform its existing retail estate and the services it offers its customers with upwards of 200 new Stores due to be opened over the next 3 years, in addition there is to be a refresh of the key elements of their IT infrastructure across the estate, to the introduction of new IT solutions that improve their customers experience and the ability of their teams to operate seamlessly in the background.

In order to assist our customer in the successful delivery these ambitious plans we are looking for a seasoned and professional IT Project Manager to join our client based Project Management team. As part of an existing team and reporting to our Senior Project Manager you will be providing project delivery and operational support on a secondment basis for one of our leading retail customers. The main job role covers delivery of a predetermined IT package via appointed contractors ranging from Wan circuits, switched Lan infrastructure, wireless solutions, structured cabling IP CCTV & access control systems, tills, PC’s printers and more. The post holder must be highly organised, flexible in approach with a drive to see the customers’ requirements are not just met but exceeded ensuring that established processes and systems are maintained. Further responsibilities within the role will see you deliver a consistently improving IT solution and new IT services that are being implemented as either strategic role outs across the estate or to specific targeted sectors. Ideally the candidate will have experience of Retail and IT Project delivery.

For the right candidate, we are offering a very competitive package

• To assume day to day responsibility for ensuring the timely and effective delivery of your allocated new store IT delivery projects along with projects aimed at introducing new, or changes to existing IT systems such as IP security, voice and data solutions across our customers Store and Distribution Centre estate. To assume day to day responsibility for ensuring the timely and effective delivery of your allocated new store IT delivery projects along with projects aimed at introducing new, or changes to existing IT systems such as IP security, voice and data solutions across our customers Store and Distribution Centre estate. 
• To manage working level relationships with key project stakeholders, ensuring that their expectations are met and, where possible, exceeded
• Work within all budgetary and or timescale placed on the projects. 
• To oversee the use of specific 3rd party suppliers to ensure that relevant project milestones are achieved to the required level of quality, on time and in the most cost-efficient manner. 
• To contribute to the continuous improvement of the team, processes and methodologies.

• Plan, track and report the completion of implementation-related activities for your projects, ensuring that key dependencies (both internal and external) are identified, communicated and managed appropriately and that any input required into wider planning activities (e.g. at an overall project and/or programme level) is provided in an accurate and timely manner.Plan, track and report the completion of implementation-related activities for your projects, ensuring that key dependencies (both internal and external) are identified, communicated and managed appropriately and that any input required into wider planning activities (e.g. at an overall project and/or programme level) is provided in an accurate and timely manner.
• Management of the internal and external resources required to deliver the project successfully whilst minimising risk by ensuring that only appropriately skilled and experienced resources are utilised.
• Manage risks and issues effectively, ensuring that these are identified early, recorded, managed and resolved
• Provide robust and accurate financial management of all IT related aspects of the project, ensuring costs and scope are defined and tightly controlled throughout the project lifecycle.
• Establish and maintain good working relationships with appointed contractors and sub-contractors, building partnerships (at all levels) that ensure the maximum benefit is gained from their respective skills, knowledge and experience. 
• Provide effective stakeholder management and communicate effectively (using the approved systems and frequency) throughout the project lifecycle.
• Ensure that all IT project delivery activities comply with the relevant quality assurance and quality control processes.
• Use every project as an opportunity to identify better and/or more efficient implementation delivery mechanisms 
• Build and maintain effective working relationships across the external contractors and within the IT department.

• Broad IT technical awareness, preferably within Retail or a related sector. Broad IT technical awareness, preferably within Retail or a related sector. 
• Strong IT project management skills.
• Experience of running medium to large scale IT implementations.
• Good working knowledge of the IT delivery methods, approaches and standards.
• Flexibility in approach to working hours in order to deliver projects
• Strong experience in dealing with senior business users and external contractors working to tight budgets and deadlines.
• Knowledge of or qualification in a project management methodology such as PRINCE2
• Familiar with IT projects from a commercial perspective and an understanding of how the project life cycle contributes to this

• LeadershipLeadership
• Managing Ambiguity
• Decision-making
• Resource Management
• Setting Direction
• Communicating and Influencing
• Commercial Acumen
• Managing people
• Managing internal and external relationships
• Managing suppliers
• Creating and managing and processes

• Implement and where necessary develop to overcome and report against pre-determined complex project schedules.Implement and where necessary develop to overcome and report against pre-determined complex project schedules.
• Identify resource requirements, mobilise and manage multi-disciplinary project teams.
• communicate effectively with other team members, across diverse supplier base and groups of technical and non-technical people
• work under pressure handling conflicting priorities 
• successfully prioritise and manage time for one’s self and for others involved in delivering the project
• Strong problem-solving skills and an ability to think logically