IT Project Manager

Duties/Pligte

• Defining the scope, objectives, and deliverables of the project. Executing if these were already predefined in an existing project.
• Creating a comprehensive project plan, including schedules, tasks, and resource allocation.
• Depending on the type of project, developing a budget and managing project finances.
• Assembling a project team, defining roles and responsibilities, and fostering a collaborative and productive working environment. This requires collaborating with academic, administrative, and technical stakeholders; ensuring alignment and integration.
• Motivating and guiding team members to meet project goals and deadlines.
• Ensuring effective communication within the team and with stakeholders.
• Identifying potential risks and issues that could affect the project's success.
• Developing and implementing risk mitigation strategies.
• Monitoring and addressing issues as they arise to keep the project on track.
• Allocating and managing project resources, including personnel, equipment, and software.
• Ensuring that team members have the necessary tools and support to complete their tasks.
• Managing the project's scope, and making sure that changes are documented and approved.
• Preventing scope creep, if possible, which can lead to project delays and increased costs. Documenting changes and any additional costs that are incurred.
• Establishing quality standards and processes to ensure that project deliverables meet the required specifications.
• Conducting quality assessments and audits to maintain high standards.
• Acting as a primary point of contact for project stakeholders, including clients, sponsors, and upper management. Unless defined by a project as a shared responsibility with the project owner.
• Keeping stakeholders informed about project progress, issues, and changes.
• Preparing and delivering regular status reports and presentations.
• Monitoring project timelines and deadlines.
• Adjusting schedules and priorities as necessary to keep the project on track.
• Using project management tools and techniques to manage time effectively.
• Monitoring and controlling project costs to ensure that the project stays within budget. (Depends on the project type.)
• Tracking expenditures and discussing budget adjustments with the project owner as needed.
• Maintaining comprehensive project documentation, including project plans, defining and managing charters, governance logs, milestone tracking, schedules, reports, and change logs (some via JIRA).
• Ensuring that the project documentation is well-organised and accessible to team members and stakeholders.
• Identifying and acquiring the necessary materials, services, and equipment for the project.
• Managing vendor relationships and contracts, if applicable.
• Ensuring that all project components are integrated smoothly and working together as intended.
• Coordinating dependencies between different parts of the project.
• Building and maintaining strong relationships with project stakeholders.
• Addressing stakeholder needs, concerns, and expectations throughout the project.
• Reviewing and analysing the project's performance to identify areas for improvement.
• Implementing lessons learned and best practices in future projects.
• Evaluating project outcomes against initial objectives and deliverables.
• Preparing a project closure report and facilitating the transition of project results to the operational phase.

Job Requirements/Pos Vereistes

• At least an NQF Level 7 qualification in the relevant field.
• Formal project management certification (e.g. ITIL, PRINCE2, Agile/Scrum).
• Formal or demonstrated experience in change management practices (e.g., Prosci, ADKAR, or equivalent frameworks).
• Strong written and verbal communication abilities, with active listening skills.
• At least five years' experience of managing IT projects in a higher education environment.
• Familiarity with project management tools (JIRA, SmartSheets, MS Project, or similar).
• Highly organised with a focus on planning and execution.
• Proven ability to collaborate at all levels of an organisation.
• Excellent problem-solving and root-cause analysis capabilities.
• The ability to work in a team-oriented, collaborative environment.
• Adaptability to work with both Agile and traditional project management methodologies.
• High attention to detail, with a strong focus on stakeholder value and sustainable outcomes.

Recommendation/Aanbeveling

• Experience in working with academic staff, research, IT teams and university leadership to drive digital transformation.
• Experience and familiarity with academic calendars, institutional reporting cycles, and South African regulatory frameworks (e.g., POPIA, HEQSF).
• Experience in working in higher education or public-sector IT environments.