IT Project Manager

NW Natural•Happy Valley, OR

171d•$98,450 - $157,100•Hybrid

About The Position

NW Natural is hiring an IT Project Manager for its Infrastructure, Network, Service Delivery, Strategy and IT Planning (INSD) program/project management work. The position collaborates with procurement, accounting, finance, engineering, IT&S, facilities, external vendors, and partners to deliver projects. The manager serves as a subject matter expert on PMO processes, tools, and deliverables, supports procurement resources performing project management work, and participates in identifying and implementing PMO process improvements. The role manages projects from initiation through close according to PMO processes and best practices. It involves infrastructure and network delivery, cybersecurity and risk considerations, service delivery and help desk integration, and cross-functional operational leadership. The position is based at NW Natural’s downtown Portland headquarters. Oregon and Washington residents may use a hybrid schedule, with onsite work Tuesdays through Thursdays and remote-work flexibility Mondays and Fridays, subject to business needs. Candidates must live within commuting distance or be willing to relocate to the Portland metropolitan area. The role is offered at PM2 or PM3 level, with differing experience expectations. PM2 requires at least five years of project management experience; PM3 requires at least eight years of progressive project management leadership experience and includes additional experience and domain expectations. The position is regular, full-time, and exempt.

Requirements

Demonstrated success applying project management concepts and techniques across projects (PM2).
Excellent communication and presentation skills across organizational levels.
Analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills, with attention to detail.
Ability to facilitate meetings and manage difficult conversations with tact and diplomacy.
Ability to gain and maintain credibility throughout the organization.
Bachelor’s degree in business, technology, engineering, construction, or a related field.
At least 5 years of project management experience for PM2; at least 8 years of progressive project management leadership experience for PM3.
Thorough knowledge of project and program management theories, models, and techniques for information technology, construction, or engineering projects (PM3).
Demonstrated success applying project management concepts to complex, mission-critical projects or programs with multiple cross-functional dependencies (PM3).
Experience in the utility industry (PM3).
Experience managing projects supporting field operations, maintenance crews, frontline workforces, and geospatial systems (PM3).
Understanding of unionized and bargaining-unit environments (PM3).
Experience with systems hosted on Azure, including understanding of information systems management (PM3).
Demonstrated ability to manage vendors and drive accountability against performance expectations (PM3).
Ability to clearly articulate trade-offs between business impact and security risk (PM3).
Systems-thinking mindset across networks, infrastructure, applications, vendors, and business operations (PM3).
Experience managing core IT infrastructure projects, including servers, data centers, and cloud platforms, and network upgrades involving hypervisor VMs, firewalls, or VPNs.
Hands-on experience leading projects with security implications, including identity and access management, network segmentation, endpoint security, compliance initiatives, and coordination with cybersecurity and risk/compliance teams.
Experience delivering projects affecting end-user support, including Service Desk or ITSM tools, operational readiness, incident/change management alignment, and transitions to steady-state support.
Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional infrastructure, network, security, and service delivery teams; manage vendors and contractors; handle operational constraints; and communicate with technical subject matter experts and executive stakeholders.

Nice To Haves

PMI or equivalent certification preferred for PM2 and PM3.

Responsibilities

Drive assigned projects through all phases, from initiation through close, following PMO project delivery processes and best practices.
Build relationships with project teams, sponsors, stakeholders, vendors, and leadership, and proactively escalate issues.
Lead project intake in the PMO project management tool and obtain required stakeholder approvals.
Work with project teams to establish project goals, scope, budget, and schedule.
Oversee project teams and external consultants throughout the project lifecycle and ensure deliverables meet NW Natural standards for accuracy and quality.
Identify, collect, and manage project risks and issues with teams and stakeholders.
Develop and update actual and forecast project costs; manage performance against forecast and budget; analyze and address variances.
Assess, document, and communicate changes to scope, cost, and schedule baselines, and manage change-order approval processes when required.
Manage project communications, including meetings, status reports, portfolio reviews, and ad hoc updates; lead team meetings and provide minutes and action items as needed.
Present status reports at routine monthly executive or project sponsor meetings.
Identify, procure, and manage project personnel, including employees and contractors; clarify tasks and deadlines and work with team members and resource managers to address performance concerns.
Assist purchasing with vendor RFP scope documents and coordinate RFP issuance with procurement.
Negotiate vendor change orders and obtain approvals as required; manage vendor schedules, deliverables, and costs in accordance with statements of work, and integrate vendor information into project plans.
Maintain communication among NW Natural sponsors, steering committees, stakeholders, and vendor project teams.
Prepare required PMO documentation and track, collect, and organize project information in accordance with PMO change management practices.
Complete other assigned duties, including process or deliverable improvement projects.