Project Manager

at  BMO Financial Group

The Associate Project Manager is accountable for acting in various project roles such as Team Leader, Project Coordinator, Project Administrator, up to and including Project Manager for small to medium projects. Through these roles, the Associate Project Manager undertakes the creation of new deliverables (i.e., product, service, or process) or changes to existing deliverables of varying size and complexity. Coordinating or managing of team members may include any project resources including people from other BMO areas, user groups, and internal and external contractors.

Key Accountabilities:

• Under the direction of a more senior Project Manager, directs small to medium complexity projects or provides assistance in managing larger projects. 
• Typically exercises direct accountability for projects with up to 10 team members 
• Provides feedback to people managers on the suitability/performance of project team members assigned to their projects 
• Accountable for defining, planning, orchestrating, and delivering assigned projects and associated deliverables. If managing a sub-project, accountable to the Project/Program manager for assigned activities 
• Manages all aspects of the project lifecycle and works with matrix business, corporate and IT partners to oversee all phases of the project, and to ensure that related project processes are completed as required (including, as applicable, change management, process management, transition to business/operations, system development, quality management, etc.) 
• Responsible for maintaining the day-to-day relationships and communications with the Accountable Executive and/or delegate and with the stakeholders necessary for success of the project. 
• Ensures end results are of the highest caliber with a clearly articulated scope and quantifiable benefit 
• Provides leadership and motivation to their project team in order to obtain a high level of co-operation and contribution from all project members 
• Chairs regular project team meetings to review progress with key constituents. Represents the interests of the project in various project governance and inter-department forums 
• Ensures the mechanisms of change management (plans , processes, tools) are in place and effectively executed 
• Ensures project issues and risks are identified, quantified, managed and tracked. Develops strategies to appropriately mitigate risks. Ensures risks, assumptions and constraints are appropriately communicated and escalated when necessary 
• Rigorously manages scope to ensure commitments are achieved within agreed on time, cost, and quality parameters 
• Manages and/or validates financial forecasts and provides on-going reconciliation of resources and other related project expenditures 
• Defines and tracks project milestones while developing, maintaining, and reporting on an overall integrated delivery plan 
• Develops project artifacts including charter, integrated plan, resource plan, contingency plan, and related PM artifacts, while complying with applicable enterprise standards(e.g. Risk, Audit, Compliance)
• Monitors and controls the project. Proposes recommendations and adjustments to the overall project manager (or Accountable Executive, as applicable) and publishes periodic project status reports.
• Assists in the daily management of external vendors to ensure receipt of specific resources and materials. Ensures day-today vendor relationship management occurs (including monitoring performance, reviewing and approving vendor invoices)

Qualifications

Knowledge 

• Possesses a university degree/college diploma and/or 3 to 5 years relevant work experience 
• Possesses 1 to 3 years of experience in project management 
• Industry-specific knowledge and experience is an asset

Skills 

• Shows potential to develop good relationship management and consulting skills. Exhibits growing courage and self-confidence in dealing with and escalating project issues. Displays team leadership skill. Displays flexibility, resilience, and resourcefulness in addressing project issues with guidance and coaching 
• Good change management skills 
• Good risk management skills 
• Shows potential to impact and influence key project participants and outcomes 
• Good business and technical acumen 
• Good presentation, written and verbal communication skill 
• Good problem-solving and critical-thinking skills 
• Good understanding of core project management skills 
• Good knowledge and expertise in the use of project management methodologies and tools (e.g. Clarity, MS Project, SharePoint repositories, Systems Development Life Cycle (SDLC) if applicable)