Technical Delivery Senior Project Manager

Job description / Role

Role Purpose:

The UK IT portfolio delivery team is responsible for the management of business demand, delivery and governance of the UK CAPEX funded initiatives to drive business growth.

The role of an IT Technical Snr. Project Manager will focus on delivery of one or multiple projects within an assigned portfolio driving the mobilization, shaping and design and end to end delivery of those projects.

As an IT Technical Snr. Project Manager you will work within a portfolio team aligned to the business area (e.g. Connectivity, Unified Communications, Networks, Home Broadband. Regulatory, Finance, etc.), the business stakeholders and the relevant IT functions (architecture, Platform Engineering, Release and Testing etc:). You will plan and manage delivery from demand and idea generation to go live and transition to IT operations. You will ensure on time, on budget delivery of prioritized business initiates enabled by IT.

You will manage assigned projects within the portfolio. You will manage high complexity projects with cross functional impact across a number of technical systems, domain areas, System Integrators and Third Parties. Projects will involve constrained resource teams and typically include significant business change /transformation. Managing senior business stakeholders is a key part of this role and it's success.

Responsible for the end to end delivery of assigned projects starting from creation of the business case to the transition into IT operations ensuring delivery to the required standard of quality and within the specified constraints of time and cost. Compliance to the methodology as defined by Vodafone's delivery governance is an integral part of the role.

Work collaboratively and constructively within UK IT and Digital teams to ensure delivery of the projects with assigned portfolios on time, on budget.
Manage the direction, priorities, scope and plan for the project delivery to realize maximum benefit for key stakeholders.

What differentiates a IT Technical Snr. Project Manager:

Very solid technical understanding for key technology domains , like but not limited to
- MVNO (Mobile virtual network operator).
- IT Enterprise Application Upgrades, Database Upgrades, Infrastructure & OS Upgrades & Shadow IT & Oracle Application Stack.
- IT Provisioning experience (Oracle Communications ASAP)
- Oracle IT Stack and Amdocs Stack.
- Oracle Stack Applications (CRM & Order Management, Billing & Integration).
- Mobile Billing provisioning networks.
- Mobile Payment system.
- Understanding of the application development lifecycle
- Technical change / transformation experience
- Experience of managing cross-cultural teams

Key accountabilities and decision ownership
- Vision, Planning and Control
- Act as project/delivery manager where you will build, lead, motivate, direct and support the cross-functional project delivery team by developing a clear vision of successes and nurturing strong relationships and trust within the team - lead from the front, keeping the team informed,
- Identify all stakeholders, suppliers and delivery functions at kick off, build strong relationships that are nurtured and constantly reassessed through lifecycle
- Build a motivated and effective project delivery team and sense of purpose and accountability to deliver for our customers.
- Communicates the High Level Vision for the project/ programme and the customers "desired" future state. Designs the delivery capability to deliver the programme
- Creates a detailed project/programme plan, using Transformational Flows, identifying the resources required, project interdependencies and critical path, including all the activities that the business need to do to prepare for new technical or business components identifying the projects within the Programme plan
- Create cost estimated for the business
- Ensure that all projects/programme work streams and project plans are integrated within the overall programme plan.
- Manage and control the performance of the project plan. Identify and embed measurable outcomes & critical success factors into the programme plan
- Formulate and manage stakeholder communications plans
- Plan & Manage the people utilisation, including recruitment, competency profiles and development for duration of the engagement
- Forecast and manage the resource supply and demand throughout the lifecycle of the project/programme (colleagues, technology, financial)
- Organisation & Leadership
- Clarifies the skills requirements of a project/program and builds a team capable of managing them.
- Manages the team in the successful delivery of the programme/project.
- Manages project planning and resourcing processes, balancing priorities
- Takes on a coaching and mentoring role, motivating others and boosting moral.
- Key influences within the customer environment during the lifecycle of the project/programme
- Initiate and influence relationships with and between key stakeholders, external and internal.
- Customers, supplier and third parties:
- Quality Assurance and Reporting
- Ensures quality assurance standards are applied across the programme & project work streams.
- Ensure suitable Programme & Project Status Reporting mechanisms are put in place
- Produce regular, ad hoc and exception reports in line with the agreed communications plan.
- Ensure timely and accurate reporting, covering aspects (Budget, Timelines and Quality) of scope, outcomes and performance against agreed critical success factors, KPIs and benefits tracking.
- Maintain accurate financial reports. Maintain document library for project/programme, and produce project/Programme level Lessons Learned & Closure reports.
- Commutations
- Succinct, meaningful communication that commands respect and confidence that allow rapid and informed decision making at all levels
- Professional presentation skills
- Financial Management - Benefits, Commercial , Partner & 3rd Party Management
- Ensure that strategic outcomes expected by the projects/ programme are aligned to benefits realisation plan, and that benefits tracking process is in place and managed effectively.
- In the event of projects/programme scope changes materialising ensure that financial and investment plans are reviewed and adjusted accordingly
- Maintain the business case for funding the project/programme and confirm the continuing business viability of the project at regular intervals
- Be accountable for managing, forecasting and reporting on all related budget and expenditure.

Core competencies, knowledge and experience
- Typically >6 years relevant experience in end to end managing for major complex projects delivery in ICT filed
- Flexible with the ability to maintain effectiveness in a changing environment
- Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement
- Able to adapt style and apply influencing skills to a range of complex relationships, the Senior Project Manager will be required to create & manage high performing cross functional teams to deliver against agreed plans to the customer.
- Maintain relationships at senior levels
- Able to respond positively and convincingly to constructive challenge from the team and overseas the management of any issues with poor performance
- Professional and Customer Centric
- Able to deliver confident and engaging presentations at the most senior level, drawing on a range of communications techniques to adapt to challenging situations and audiences
- Provides interface with other areas of business to ensure departmental knowledge is shared and obtained
- Business Skills
- Applies knowledge of business and markets to create intellectual property
- Has in-depth knowledge of multiple domains and understands the company's position in the place.
- Business Case
- Supports the commercial team in the preparation of the business case, ensuring accurate forecasting and value for money
- Blueprint Delivery
- While the blueprint remains the ownership of the customer, the Vodafone Customer Senior Project Manager will work with the Customer Programme manager to ensure the Vodafone elements of the plan are delivered.

Requirements

Must-have technical / Professional qualifications:

- Background in Telco / Network environment
- Prince 2 Practitioner or PMP
- MSP Foundation
- Proven experience of concurrently managing multiple projects or programmes of differing size and complexity to meet business expectations and deliver results.
- Proven ability to build relationships and influence at all levels internally and externally, including excellent customer facing skills (ability to communicate, effectively, with the customer account teams, in addition to end users and technical persons)
- Experience in programme and project budget management
- Understanding of financial accounting including capitalisation and profit and loss
- Strong cross-functional working capabilities
- Excellent interpersonal and communication skills
- Strong leadership skills with the ability to drive an effective project team
- Understanding and experience of working in a telecommunications environment
- Ability to quickly assimilate technical knowledge from outside own area of expertise
- Highly competent in Microsoft Excel/PowerPoint/Visio/Project

About the Company

At Vodafone, we are known for our technology, but the truth is, it is humanity that drives our business forward. With the global pandemic raising so many questions for tech brands, it has highlighted the leading role that we need to play.

We believe that, when working together, humanity and technology can find the answers and create a better future for all.

Working at Vodafone is all about helping people feel ready to benefit from new technology. We bring the future to even the most remote places, using technology to help families in disaster zones, showing young people that a phone is not just for fun and thinking about technology that doesn’t even exist yet.