AVP, PMO & Project Portfolio Manager

You can look forward to

*A preferred candidate has been identified

Job Summary:

This position reports to the VP, Operations, directs, oversees and governs the organization's project portfolio and project managers. Provides strategic leadership in cooperation with the VP, Operations and AVP, PMO on the efficient and effective management and execution of local and enterprise projects.

Essential Functions:

• 50% Plans, organizes, leads, and controls projects within the portfolio.
  Utilizes expertise and leadership skills to direct staff and to ensure that assigned projects produce required deliverables within the defined quality, time, and cost constraints, and facilitate full realization of expected project benefits.
  Develops project scope, cost and time estimates, cost-benefit analysis, project metrics, staffing requirements, reporting, and communication plans to meet project objectives and to satisfy the needs of sponsors, key stakeholders and customers.
  Monitors and tracks project status by collecting, analyzing and summarizing information, risks and trends. Initiates review or approve modifications to project plans, cost adjustments or resource additions to achieve expected project benefits.
• 25% Leads the project managers within the PMO, including providing strategic leadership and oversight of project management and execution for local and enterprise projects
  Leads the activities of project portfolio management including planning, budgeting, resource tracking, management reporting, governance, resource acquisition, conflict resolution, etc.
  Plays a leading role, in conjunction with the AVP, PMO in the establishment of principles, standards and best practices.
  Collaborates with group colleagues to ensure appropriate alignment of processes, practices, standards, etc.
• 25% Proactively directs the activities of Strategic Spend projects via the Operational Council as needed in areas of project approval and oversight, prioritization, resource allocation, conflict resolution, and staffing, and overall implementation path. 
  Impacts the direction and resource allocation for program, project and services. Ensures efficient utilization of PMO and IT resources on most important priorities, and over time look to leverage appropriate staffing strategies to minimize project cost. Drives the tactical planning process to provide adequate information to the Operational Council for making decisions on key priorities annually.

You come equipped with

Competencies:

• Plans and Aligns
• Manages Ambiguity
• Courage
• Manages Compexity
• Persuades

Essential knowledge, skills and abilities:

• Degree in business, finance, or related discipline from an accredited college or university.
• Minimum of 8 years project experience in the life insurance or consulting business.
• In-depth expertise in working on short- and long-term strategic projects, and experience with international project management.
• Experience in project portfolio management (PPM)
• Ability to solve unique problems that have a broad impact on the business; requires conceptual and innovative thinking to develop solutions.
• Strong communication skills.  Ability to structure and create executive level presentations. Communicates complex ideas, can anticipate potential objections and persuade others, often at senior levels, to adopt a different point of view.
• Proven track record of relationship building across organizational and reporting lines.
• Experience with business planning and strong financial acumen.
• Experience working with senior management and managing cross-functional teams.

Desired knowledge, skills and abilities:

• A blend of talents and skills is required of a successful candidate, including intellectual ability, strong analytic skills, imagination and creativity, judgment and maturity, excellent project and time managment skills, strong communication and presentation skills, strong interpersonal skills, an ability to work in a team environment and demonstrated leadership across a wide range of topics.

Travel:

• 30% - domestic and international travle, overnight stay

Total Compensation (Inclusive of Base + Bonus):

• $125,500 - $169,700