Project Manager - 1 Year Contract

SUMMARY:
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POSITION INFO:

CAREER OPPORTUNITY 

Join our team as a Project Manager, where you'll oversee and drive the set-up and implementation of an Underwriting Academy. This will focus on the design and delivery of insurance-related learning and we're looking for a highly organized and motivated Project Manager to ensure that this key initiative is delivered timeously, and within budget.

JOB DESCRIPTION

The Underwriter of the Future Program, is an initiative where Underwriting and Technology meet, aimed at addressing the scarcity of underwriting skills in South Africa whilst developing skills and competencies that underwriters require to successfully function in an evolving and everchanging landscape. This initiative aims to reimagine the future of underwriting and create an industry wide solution that evolves the role of a traditional underwriter. Through theoretical learning, practical training, and industry exposure, the academy aims to bridge the skills gap and foster a pipeline of competent underwriting professionals. 

Key Responsibilities

• Plan, execute, and oversee all phases of projects, from conception through to completion, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and timelines.
• Coordinate resources and stakeholders across departments, ensuring clear communication, goal alignment, and effective collaboration. 
• Develop and manage project schedules to track milestones and key deliverables, adjusting as needed to accommodate project needs and unforeseen changes. 
• Monitor budgets and ensure financial objectives are met, seeking approval for any necessary adjustments. 
• Identify, assess, and manage project risks to mitigate potential issues before they arise. 
• Report project status and outcomes to senior leadership and stakeholders, providing transparency and insight into project progress. 
• Project Planning: Handle scoping, sprint planning, project sizing, work stream definition, and managing sprints, releases, and milestones.
• Financial Management: Manage budgets, track actuals, forecast projections, control expenses, and oversee invoicing and payments. 
• Time and Cost Management: Define and monitor budgets, manage time recording, control costs, and ensure timely invoicing and payments.
• Scope Management: Maintain project scope, monitor project backlogs, and ensure alignment with objectives. 
• Risk and Issue Management: Manage dependencies, escalate issues, and handle decision-making processes. 
• Reporting: Provide status updates on financials, schedule, risks, blockers, and quality, along with metrics like burn up/down charts and team velocity. 
• Governance Framework: Implement delivery governance, including review processes, decision-making, change control, and project closure with lessons learned. 
• Quality Management: Ensure deliverables meet quality standards through retrospectives, Scrum-of-Scrum sessions, and management of dependencies, blockers, and resources. 
• Stakeholder Management: Engage internal and external stakeholders across all divisions, demonstrating strong interpersonal skills. 
• Success Management: Regularly review success metrics to ensure deliverables meet requirements and quality standards. 
• Team Leadership: Leverage Agile expertise to create high-performing team dynamics, balancing planning, execution, and reflection. 
• Facilitation Skills: Promote collaboration, lead discussions, and ensure inclusive decision-making.
• Team Culture: Foster a culture of collaboration and belonging within teams. 

QUALIFICATIONS AND PROFESSIONAL CERTIFICATIONS 

Required:

•  8+ year Bachelor degree: Information Systems, Computer Science, Data Science, Business Administration, Engineering or related discipline
• Agile Methodologies Certification:
• Certified ScrumMaster (CSM), or SAFe Agilist (SA), or Kanban Management Professional. 
• Project Management: Project Management Professional (PMP), or PRINCE2, or certification(s) in Agile Project Management.

EXPERIENCE AND KNOWLEDGE

Required:

•  8+ years of experience managing complex projects or change initiatives, including cross-functional, onshore, and offshore teams.   Proven success in delivering projects on time and within budget using industry-standard methodologies such as Agile and Scrum.
•  At least 5 years’ experience working in the Insurance and/or Financial Services. 

Preferred

• Extensive experience leading Agile teams, facilitating Scrum ceremonies, sprint planning, and retrospectives. 
• Sound experience working with stakeholders across various levels and locations (onshore and offshore). 
• Strong understanding and hands-on experience in system development lifecycle processes and methods from business concept to deployment stages. 
• Proven ability to proactively identify, mitigate, and resolve risks and blockers to ensure uninterrupted project delivery and maintain momentum.
• Experience in managing budgets, controlling project costs, optimizing resources to maximize efficiency and minimize waste throughout the project lifecycle.
• Familiarity with tools: JIRA, Confluence, Portfolio for JIRA, PPO, and SharePoint, according to organizational standards for project management and collaboration. 

TECHNICAL AND SOFT SKILLS

• Well-honed MS Office skills.
• Agile Leadership and Project Management.
• Technical proficiency with project and collaboration tools.
• Stakeholder engagement.
• Strong interpersonal, clear communication and active listening skills.
•  Financial and resource management.
• Advanced problem-solving skills.
• Familiarity with change management disciplines.
• Facilitation and mediation skills.

COMPETENCIES

• Strategic alignment.
• Leadership.
• Continuous learning.
• Analytical thinking and decision-making.
•  Client focus and stakeholder collaboration.
• Organizational savvy and complexity management.
• Ability to work independently and determine course of action.
• Interpersonal communication and emotional intelligence.
• Collaboration
• Driving results
• Client focused
• Cultivate innovation
• Flexibility and adaptability
• Risk management