Software Project Manager

Empyrean Benefit Solutions•Houston, TX

About The Position

As a member of the Enterprise Project Management Team, the Software Project Manager is responsible for providing project management and oversight to technical teams performing software architecture development activities for Product, Operations and IT. Works in a matrixed environment and will own and lead a diverse set of technology resources for the duration of the project. Communicates project status to Senior and Executive Technology Leadership and will be ultimately responsible for project success.

Requirements

Well-developed written and verbal communication skills, specifically documentation skills
Ability to collect varying and potentially conflicting feedback and distill it into meaningful requirements/direction
Ability to work with people at all levels of the organization and lead discussion to consensus
Aiding in definition of systems strategy, developing systems requirements, designing and prototyping, testing, training, defining support procedures, and implementing practical business solutions under multiple deadlines.
Strong attention to detail and quality-conscious, yet open and flexible to others’ ideas and suggestions
Strong strategic and analytical skills
Proficient in the use of development methodologies; e.g. Waterfall, Prince 2
Proficient in the practice of Scrum and Kanban Agile Framework
Proficient in the use of Jira and Confluence
Proven ability to meet deadlines and work effectively in a multi-tasking environment
Proven ability to work within tight delivery timeframes, meet deadlines and work effectively in a multi-tasking environment
Proficient in managing projects using Scrum or Kanban Agile Framework and Waterfall methodologies
Tenacious, self-starter who thrives in understanding the details of complex, cross-functional projects and can effectively distill into actionable project plans.
Superb organizational skills and an analytical view on maximizing productivity, with a focus on value and not getting caught up on process.
Eager to ask questions and understand business and product objectives
Inherently curious about how things work and the ability to self-educate when necessary
Bachelor’s degree preferred but not required
In lieu of Bachelor’s degree, equivalent years of experience in enterprise project management or a related field
5-7 years’ experience in project management
5-7 years’ experience in software project manager
5-7 years’ experience in product line operating model
5-7 years’ experience in software and product development background
Prior experience leading multiple strategic, complex projects with successful results (scope, schedule, and budget) simultaneously
Prior experience in benefit program administration and/or healthcare and knowledge of Health and Welfare benefits and processes preferred
Familiar with multiple and complex scheduling work streams

Responsibilities

Act as project manager for multiple software development initiatives
Clearly communicate project delivery framework within the team and implement project standards
Plan and schedule project timelines and milestones using project management software; maintain and update plans as needed during the lifecycle of the project
Track project milestones and deliverables and ensure the project team is aware of upcoming deadlines
Effectively communicate project delivery expectations and progress to team members and executive team in a timely and clear manner
Define project success criteria and disseminate them to involved parties throughout project life cycle
Assess project status and report to executive leadership team regularly
Delegate tasks and responsibilities to appropriate owners
Assess and manage the risk of schedule changes and help identify and implement mitigation strategies
Identify and resolve issues and conflicts within the project team
Identify and manage project dependencies and critical path
Work with appropriate internal parties to ensure vendors’ or other internal teams’ dependent tasks are managed and completed on time
Creates and maintains project plans and ensures effective financial forecasting and tracking
Interfaces with other technology and business organizations to reach agreement on scope, obtain resources and ensure proper preparedness
Reviews and evaluates work to ensure quality, timeliness and adherence to organizational policies and procedures
Work with an exceptional team of software developers, service reliability engineers, product owners, and product managers and IT engineers to deliver mission critical projects.
Produce dashboards, roadmaps, plans and documentation to support project efforts, communicate status and manage stakeholder expectations
Observe/Participate in stand-up and work group meetings to identify action items & address blockers to keep projects on track
Improve process inputs, streamline workflows and project management tools in order EPMO Maturity