Project Manager

Job Description

At K&L Gates, we are looking for smart, imaginative and hard-working people with diverse backgrounds, experiences and ideas to join us.  Perhaps our search for talented visionaries and your search for important and impactful work lead to the same place.

The global law firm of K&L Gates is seeking an IT Project Manager to join the Pittsburgh office. The IT Project Manager is responsible for leading departmental, practice and firmwide projects. The primary responsibility of the IT Project Manager is to create and execute plans for small to medium scale projects. The IT Project Manager works closely with Project Sponsors and firm stakeholders to define and manage project scope, schedule, costs, and resources, including both firm and outside resources, required to complete the project. The IT Project Manager is responsible for tracking and reporting project status, managing scope of various projects and ensuring collaboration and communication across project teams to align concurrent initiatives. The IT Project Manager works closely with members of firmwide management, Directors and Chiefs to implement strategic firmwide initiatives. The IT Project Manager may be responsible for supervising Business Analysts, Technical Staff and Subject Matter experts to achieve project results and will assist in delegating project work and managing resource assignments. Individual must possess expert knowledge in project management demonstrated by a proven track record of success in complex projects and/or programs.

Key Relationships:
This position requires key relationships with: Chiefs, Senior Administrators, Business Analysts, Project Managers, Business Sponsors, Functional Subject Matter Experts and IT Department personnel.  This position also requires management of outside vendors and consultants to help support firm initiatives.

Essential Duties:
•    Responsible for leading all aspects of the project lifecycle, including defining, planning and managing project scope, schedule, costs, issues, risks, quality, resources, stakeholders, communications and closure
•    Develop, manage and execute project plans with defined objectives and clear measures of success
•    Develop and manage detailed project schedule and work plan
•    Understand project objectives and strategy and advocate for project needs on behalf of the project sponsor
•    Direct, motivate and coordinate assigned project resources, including project sponsor
•    Navigate and escalate project issues in a timely and effective fashion
•    Adhere to the PMO’s standard Project Methodology and guidelines across all initiatives
•    Provide strategic advice and consult on the design and implementation of effective business processes across Firm to include process analysis, redesign, reengineering and overall organizational effectiveness
•    Oversee execution of project deliverables
•    Prepare and communicate project status and health reports for project team, sponsors, governance and other stakeholders. Mitigate risk exposure through response planning and monitoring
•    Monitor project progress, schedule, costs, scope, and customer satisfaction and proactively report project performance to project sponsor, PMO and Portfolio manger
•    Document and manage communication, training and support turnover plans
•    Manage vendors and outside resources according to contractual agreements
•    Collaborate with Training & Development team to build and execute change management plans for delivering new products, services and processes
•    Plan and manage project governance procedures. Document, obtain approval, and track all project change requests according to defined procedures
•    Facilitate lessons learned retrospectives and document results for future reference
•    Participate in the establishment/implementation of short and long-range goals, objectives, policies and operating procedures of the PMO
•    Communicate regularly with PMO, Portfolio and IT Management staff regarding the status of current project initiatives
•    Guide and mentor project and firm resources in project management best practices

Experience, Skills & Education Required:
•    Excellent, leadership and interpersonal skills
•    Strong facilitation and negotiation skills
•    Outstanding customer service skills and the ability to work with both technical and non-technical users
•    Demonstrated ability to meet obligations with confidentiality, integrity, and sensitivity
•    Knowledge of and adherence to the standards and techniques of the PMBOK
•    Ability to manage time and resources dedicated to multiple projects / assignments
•    Excellent analytical skills
•    Strong verbal and written communication skills
•    Ability to analyze complex problems, interpret operational needs and develop integrated, creative solutions
•    Goal oriented and action/result focused
•    Pragmatic, self-disciplined and organized
•    Accustomed to working as a team leader and member
•    Understanding of project management best practices and experience working in a structured project environment
•    Experience leading projects using various approaches, including predictive, agile and hybrid approaches, process improvement methodologies and other elicitation and facilitation techniques
•    Proven experience leading large, cross-functional, and virtual teams
•    Experience with project management information systems and software such as Microsoft Project
•    Proficiency with Microsoft operating system, Office applications, SharePoint, and other common information systems
•    Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience in business, computer science, or related field
•    5 years of professional experience in a project management or related role
•    Some experience leading IT, technical or systems-related projects preferred
•    Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) Certification preferred
•    Previous law firm experience desired

ABOUT THE FIRM

K&L Gates is a fully integrated global law firm with approximately 2,000 lawyers across five continents. We have experienced dramatic growth in the past decade and now rank among the largest U.S. based law firms in the world.  We take pride in constantly striving for innovation, imagination and an entrepreneurial spirit. We come up with big ideas and then roll up our sleeves to get the job done, guiding our clients through their most complex issues in a variety of industry sectors and across multiple regions of the world.

The industry recognition the firm has garnered in the past five years emanates from the foundation of a global community aligned on behalf of our clients. The people at K&L Gates are committed to working together to create a legacy for each other, the firm, our clients, and the communities in which we serve. We thrive in an inclusive and socially conscious environment that embraces diversity and takes a holistic approach to the career evolution of all our professionals.

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Notice: We participate in E-Verify in certain Firm locations for purposes of verifying employment eligibility.

BENEFITS

We offer a dynamic work environment and excellent benefits.

EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY

The Firm is an equal opportunity employer. It is the policy of the Firm that employment decisions shall be based on merit, qualifications and competence. Employment practices shall not be influenced or affected by virtue of a person’s race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, disability, military status or any other characteristic protected by applicable law. This policy governs all aspects of employment including, without limitation, recruiting, hiring, compensation, benefits, promotion, assignment and dismissal. In addition, it is the Firm’s policy to provide an environment that is free of unlawful harassment of any kind including, without limitation, that which is sexual, racial, age-related, disability-related or ethnic background-related.