IT Project Manager I - 1.0 FTE - Office of Technology & Information Services

Posting Timeline

PPS strongly encourages and recommends everyone who is able, to be vaccinated and remain current on the COVID-19 vaccine.

This job is open until filled. Applications will be reviewed as received. Portland Public Schools reserves the right to make a hiring decision at any point during the posting period.

This is a bond funded position that is expected to continue through June 23, 2029.

Position Details

Portland Public Schools (PPS) is seeking talented people from diverse backgrounds and experiences to lead change and inspire PPS students. At PPS, every employee, despite having different roles, is an educator. We hope to attract talented educators who model the core PPS Educator Essentials. With the District's focus on eliminating systemic racism and its adverse impact on student learning, we seek to hire individuals who bring to our district a deep commitment to racial equity and social justice. To learn more about Portland Public Schools, please visit the District website: here.

• Develop project plans for information technology projects and manage the execution of all project activities from concept and design through implementation and close-out including project objectives, technologies, system specifications, industry standards, schedules, budget, funding and staffing.
• Consult with project sponsors, stakeholders and steering committees to identify objectives, and translate vision into project plan, to ensure that business and functional requirements meet expectations and achieve agreed upon business outcomes; obtain appropriate input from appropriate, business, technical and academic staff.
• Conduct feasibility and cost/benefit analyses of project proposals with respect to deadlines, technology and business needs and integration with current and future systems.
• Lead or participate in the development and documentation of work breakdown structures (WBSs); coordinate workflow, tasks, schedules and resource plans; recommend processes, and define project scope, requirements, budget, risk, milestones and deliverables.
• Oversee project operations, through routine client communications and consultations, risk mitigation, issue resolution, and progress and status reporting; prepare project status reports by collecting, analyzing and summarizing information and trends.
• Track action items and deliverables and evaluate project progress to ensure that project stays within the prescribed project scope, time frame, and budget, and that project results meet the intended goals, objectives, deadlines, quality standards and stakeholder expectations; communicate with project stakeholders' regarding project status and schedules, general issues and concerns.
• Coordinate with, assign tasks or lead internal and cross-departmental project teams comprised of staff, vendors and/or contractors to execute project implementation plans and monitor work performance, payments and other related activities; facilitate and/or lead project team meetings and discussions to arrive at consensus and document decisions. Develop and maintain detailed, clear, complete and accessible project files and documentation in accordance with legal and District requirements and industry best practices.
• Work with District Purchasing and Contracting staff, stakeholders and suppliers to develop Requests for Proposals (RFPs), conduct bid analyses, and review vendor and contractor submittals and obtain resources and materials; advise leadership on awarding contracts and monitor vendor and contractor work performance, payments and other related activities.
• Write testing plans, create quality assurance standards, identify ways to improve project outcomes, conduct internal review and audit of assigned projects' activities and verify projects follow established standards; prioritize and resolve issues, coordinate project changes, and/or escalate as appropriate.
• Initiate, review or approve adjustments or revisions to project plans, schedules and budgets as necessary.
• Develop and implement communication plans to involve and share information and updates with stakeholders; participate in, develop and deliver formal presentations before citizen groups, advisory bodies, the Governing Board and District stakeholders.
• Serve as liaison between the Information Technology Department and project stakeholders; coordinate project planning activities to ensure alignment of new efforts with current and planned systems and inform other teams of potential impacts to their respective areas due to project efforts.
• Participate in and/or lead continual assessment and development of internal project management standards and processes; ensure that new standards, processes and templates are documented for future projects.
• Represent the District and work with a variety of community stakeholder groups; lead and participate on IT related task forces, community information and input meetings, advisory committees and similar District stakeholder partnerships.
• Assist in strategic planning and program management for multiple, competing projects through the, prioritization of tasks, alignment of skills and delegation of resources, including technology, staff and funding as directed.
• Demonstrate a commitment to the Portland Public Schools Equity Initiative by developing a thorough knowledge and application of the district Racial Educational Equity Policy and other board policies; participate in staff development, in-services and trainings related to diversity, equity and inclusion in the workplace and in K - 12 education; model appropriate behaviors; develop, recommend and implement improvements to educational business practices with awareness and understanding of their impact in a racially and culturally diverse community.
• Stay current on latest trends in education and information technology project management and develop and maintain professional skills through ongoing training and career development, including self-study, classroom training and industry seminars and workshops; lead, attend and participate in a variety of conferences, seminars in-service trainings and meetings.
• Perform related duties as assigned.

• Strategic planning and project management methodology including Waterfall and Agile methodologies, specifically Scrum; methodologies for proactively leading technological advancements.
• IT concepts, basic operating principles of data communications and information systems hardware and software.
• Software and product development life cycle methodologies and best practices including procurement, requirements analysis, design, development testing, documentation and training.
• Operation, capabilities and limitation of computer equipment.
• The appropriate use of different strategic planning techniques, objectives and metrics.
• Systems and procedure analysis, design and documentation.
• Microsoft Office Suite software applications.
• Project management applications, software and technologies.
• Process, workflow, contract and resource management techniques.
• Project Cost Management techniques, including creating accurate budget forecasts and estimates, expenditure schedules, budget monitoring and adjustments.
• Principles of feasibility assessment, quality assurance, change management and process improvement.
• Techniques and principles of high-quality customer service.
• Effective negotiation, partnership building techniques; interpersonal skills, using tact, patience and courtesy.
• Oral and written communication techniques.
• IT business functions that support ongoing operations and new functionality.
• District policies, procedures, and organizational structure.
• Applicable local, state and federal laws, codes, rules and regulations.

• Effectively plan, schedule, and coordinate information technology projects.
• Estimate project requirements, and organize resources to meet goals and deadlines.
• Work on highly technical projects and conduct feasibility assessments.
• Establish and maintain project methodology standards, policies, best practices, and templates.
• Develop business process models and track budgets; design, implement and maintain documentation for workflow procedures and other project tracking needs.
• Ensure a high level of fiscal control and accountability for project budget.
• Think critically about a problem, approach from multiple perspectives and adopt an effective course of action.
• Assure compliance with applicable industry best practices, policies, laws, codes, rules, and regulations
• Create Requests for Proposals and participate in vendor selection and material procurement process.
• Quickly learn or understand technical aspects of a given project.
• Use project tracking/work breakdown system software such as JIRA or Microsoft Project.
• Analyze the needs of a specific project or situation accurately to identify and adopt an effective course of action; elicit input/feedback to assess project needs and modification.
• Set priorities, manage workflow and perform multiple complex and responsible activities, for multiple projects, concurrently with constantly changing priorities and deadlines.
• Provide work direction, guidance, assistance and leadership to staff for assigned projects.
• Make sound and reasonable decisions in accordance with laws, ordinances, regulations, system capabilities and established procedures.