Principal IT Project Manager (This is an In-Person Position)

Bernalillo County•Albuquerque, NM

3d•Onsite

About The Position

The Principal IT Project Manager is Bernalillo County’s top IT project, program, and portfolio expert, providing strategic leadership for countywide technology initiatives. The role guides governance, mentors project managers, and aligns major technology investments with County priorities. It ensures successful delivery of complex, cross-departmental projects across scope, schedule, budget, quality, change management, and readiness. The position leads large-scale IT portfolios and establishes project, program, and portfolio management methodologies, standards, and processes. It advises IT leadership on planning, organizational capacity, prioritization, risk, and resource allocation; evaluates proposed technology initiatives; and manages high-risk, politically visible projects involving multiple departments, partners, vendors, and substantial integration requirements. The role also supports business transformation, governance, executive reporting, comprehensive project documentation, vendor oversight, procurement planning, and long-term IT planning. Work is typically performed in an indoor office environment, with occasional travel to other locations. The position is in person. Work environments may include noise, dust, unpleasant odors, or confined spaces. Occasional evening, holiday, and weekend work may be required.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field.
Ten years of progressively responsible experience managing complex IT projects, programs, or portfolios in a comparably complex environment.
Experience with enterprise- or county-wide initiatives involving multiple stakeholders, systems, vendors, and organizational units.
Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience may be considered.
Successful completion of a post-offer employment medical examination.
Adherence to all County safety guidelines.
Completion of all FEMA training assigned to the position.
Possession of a valid New Mexico driver’s license by the date of hire and maintenance of a valid license while employed.
Completion of required supervisor training, if applicable.

Nice To Haves

Project Management Professional (PMP) certification.
Program Management Professional (PgMP) certification.
Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) certification.

Responsibilities

Provide strategic leadership for large-scale, multi-program IT portfolios and align them with County-wide objectives and long-term technology planning.
Define, implement, and oversee project, program, and portfolio management methodologies, standards, and processes; promote consistent adoption and continuous improvement.
Advise IT leadership on program and portfolio planning, organizational capacity, prioritization, risk posture, and resource allocation.
Lead intake, evaluation, and scoring of proposed technology initiatives and recommend priorities based on strategic value, risk, cost, feasibility, and organizational impact.
Manage high-risk, politically visible, complex initiatives spanning multiple years, departments, external partners, and vendor ecosystems.
Provide situational leadership, direction, and technical mentorship to lower-level IT Project Managers on delivery challenges, escalations, decision-making, and recovery strategies.
Serve as the escalation point for governance, risk, and issue management across IT-managed portfolios, and lead cross-functional resolution efforts.
Partner with business leadership on technology-enabled business transformations, organizational readiness, stakeholder engagement, training strategies, and change management.
Coordinate with IT managers, executives, and County departments to establish governance committees, steering groups, and portfolio review boards.
Prepare and deliver executive-level reports, dashboards, and presentations on portfolio health, risks, dependencies, outcomes, and return on investment.
Lead the design and oversight of project execution artifacts, including enterprise schedules, Work Breakdown Structures, dependency maps, and resource plans.
Ensure comprehensive lifecycle documentation, including requirements, decision logs, change management artifacts, transition plans, and end-of-life documentation.
Mentor and train PMO staff in advanced project, program, and portfolio management practices, and guide Leads in coaching other project managers.
Monitor vendor performance and contract compliance at the portfolio level and support contract negotiations and multi-year procurement planning.
Maintain trusted relationships with business partners, executive stakeholders, and external agencies, serving as a strategic liaison for long-term IT planning.