IT Project Manager - Finance

Farmer Mac•Washington, DC

7d•$120,000 - $150,000

About The Position

Farmer Mac is seeking an experienced IT Project Manager to lead complex technology projects from initiation through delivery and serve as Scrum Master for select IT teams. The role manages multiple projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment, partners closely with business and technology stakeholders, and is accountable for delivering projects on time, within budget, and in alignment with business objectives. The position is based at Farmer Mac’s headquarters at 2100 Pennsylvania Avenue NW, Washington, DC; remote candidates will also be considered. Farmer Mac describes its work environment as “Presence with a Purpose,” offering flexibility while creating opportunities for teams to come together with purpose. Occasional work outside core hours may be required for planned or unplanned activities, time-sensitive projects, or project go-live and support events. The role reports to the Director - Finance Technology & IT Operations and collaborates with IT leadership, project managers, business analysts, product owners, Finance, Operations, Business Development, Internal Audit, EPMO, Cybersecurity, Development, IT Infrastructure, business stakeholders, managed service providers, vendors, and consultants.

Requirements

At least seven years of experience as an IT project manager leading technology projects in a business or financial services environment.
Proven ability to lead complex technology projects, including system implementations, upgrades, integrations, and process modernization efforts.
Demonstrated ability to manage several projects concurrently in a fast-paced environment while meeting deadlines and maintaining quality.
Strong working knowledge of Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid project management methodologies, and the ability to select an appropriate approach.
Strong knowledge of Agile methodologies, including Scrum and Kanban, Agile ceremonies, roles, artifacts, backlog management, user stories, acceptance criteria, estimation, and sprint planning.
Hands-on experience serving as a Scrum Master, including facilitating Scrum events, coaching teams and product owners, removing impediments, and driving continuous improvement.
Experience using Agile metrics such as velocity, burndown, and cycle time to measure team performance and improve delivery predictability.
Ability to support multiple Agile teams and adapt facilitation and coaching to different team dynamics and levels of Agile maturity.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to communicate with technical and non-technical audiences and senior leadership.
Strong leadership, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to influence without direct authority.
Experience managing project budgets, schedules, scope, risks, and issues.
Comfort using AI tools such as Microsoft Copilot for drafting communications, summarizing meetings, analyzing information, and streamlining project and Agile team activities.
Experience with Azure DevOps for project planning, backlog and sprint management, work item tracking, and reporting.
Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and sound problem-solving ability.
Minimum of seven years of professional experience as an IT project manager, including experience working in Agile environments and serving as a Scrum Master.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor’s degree strongly preferred, ideally in Information Systems, Computer Science, Finance, Business, or a related field.
PMP certification preferred.
Financial services industry experience is a plus.
Agile certifications such as Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), Professional Scrum Master (PSM), PMI-ACP, or SAFe Scrum Master are strongly preferred.
ITIL Foundation or similar credentials are a plus.

Responsibilities

Lead complex, cross-functional technology projects through initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, testing, go-live, and closure.
Manage several projects concurrently, balancing priorities, deadlines, dependencies, and available resources.
Serve as Scrum Master for select IT teams by facilitating sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives, and coaching team members and product owners on Agile principles and practices.
Partner with product owners and business analysts to maintain a prioritized backlog, refine stories, support sprint goals, and track velocity, sprint progress, and delivery commitments.
Identify and remove obstacles affecting team delivery, escalate issues that cannot be resolved at the team level, and protect teams from scope churn and competing priorities.
Define and manage project scope, budgets, forecasts, and resource needs; manage changes through established change-control processes.
Identify, track, and escalate project risks, issues, and dependencies, and drive timely mitigation and resolution.
Communicate project status and updates to sponsors, business stakeholders, and IT leadership, including executive updates and steering committee materials.
Coordinate with vendors, managed service providers, and consultants to ensure deliverables, timelines, and commitments are met.
Work with business analysts, developers, and business users to confirm requirements, coordinate user acceptance testing, and manage release and go-live readiness.
Apply project management standards and governance practices, including SDLC and EPMO processes; tailor Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid approaches while maintaining required approvals, documentation, and audit evidence.
Maintain project information, backlogs, sprint boards, work items, and reporting in team project management tools such as Azure DevOps.
Lead project teams and facilitate status meetings, planning sessions, and retrospectives to keep teams aligned and accountable.
Promote continuous improvement and Agile maturity by sharing lessons learned, improving team processes, and helping teams adopt consistent Agile practices and metrics.