Projects Manager at Gulf African Bank March, 2023

Job Purpose

The Projects Manager is responsible for the day to day management of a portfolio of projects in the Bank, initiated by all units, by coordinating and managing cross-functional project teams. The position holder will coordinate all projects of the Bank, ensuring completion on time, within budget and within scope, to generate value for the Bank.

Key Responsibilities

Accountabilities for each project

Initiating stage:

• Determine project goals by identifying and working with stakeholders in order to meet their requirements, specifications and expectations.
• Determine the product or service deliverables by reviewing or generating the scope of work, requirements, and expectations.
• Determine project management processes outputs by applying appropriate practices, tools and methodologies to ensure required product/service delivery.
• Document project constraints through coordination with stakeholders and review policies and procedures to ensure compliance.
• Document assumptions by determining information that must be validated, or situations to be controlled during the project in order to facilitate the project planning process.
• Define the project strategy by evaluating alternative approaches to meet stakeholder requirements,  specifications and expectations
• Identify performance criteria by referring to product/service specifications and process standards
• Determine the key resource requirements by referring to deliverables in order to support planning and decision making.
• Define an appropriate project budget and schedule by determining time and cost estimates in order to support decision making.
• Provide comprehensive information by producing a formal document to obtain an approval decision from stakeholders.

Planning the project

• Refine project requirements, assumptions and constraints through communication with stakeholders and /or by reviewing project documents to baseline the scope of work and enable development of the execution plan.
• Create the work breakdown structure (breakdown of activities) using the scope of work, other project  documents, and decomposition techniques to facilitate detailed project planning and the executing,  controlling and closing processes.
• Develop the resource management plan (Human resource, procurement etc) by identifying resource requirements and obtaining commitments from internal, external and procured sources to complete all project activities.
• Refine project time and cost estimates
• Establish project controls by defining the required correct processes, measures and controls to manage change, communications, procurement, risk, quality and human resources.
• Develop a formal and comprehensive project plan by integrating and documenting project deliverables, acceptance criteria, processes, procedures, risks, and tasks to facilitate execution, control and closure.
• Obtain project plan approval by reviewing the plan with the initiating department (Client) and other required stakeholders to confirm project baselines prior to proceeding with project executing process.

Executing the project

• Commit project resources in accordance with the project plan to ensure that all activities are performed.
• Implement the project plan by authorizing the execution of project activities and tasks to produce project deliverables.
• Manage project progress by ensuring that activities are executed as planned in order to achieve project objectives.
• Ensure projects are completed within scope, timelines and budget.
• Communicate project progress by producing project reports to provide timely and accurate project status and decision support information to stakeholders.
• Implement quality assurance procedures by performing project control activities to meet project objectives.

Controlling the project

• Measure project performance continually by comparing results to the baseline in order to identify project trends and variances.
• Refine control limits on performance measures by applying established policy in order to identify needs for corrective action.
• Take timely corrective action by addressing the root causes in the problem areas in order to eliminate or minimize negative impact.
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the corrective actions by measuring subsequent performance in order to determine the need for further actions.
• Ensure compliance with the change management plan by monitoring response to change initiatives in order to manage scope.
• Reassess project control plans by scheduling periodic reviews in order to ensure their effectiveness.
• Respond to risk event triggers in accordance with the risk management plan in order to properly manage project outcomes.
• Monitor project activity by performing periodic inspections (in some projects) to ensure that authorized  approaches and processes are followed or to identify the need for corrective action

Closing the project

• Obtain final acceptance of deliverables by obtaining formal approval from appropriate stakeholders to achieve closeout.
• Document lessons learned by surveying project team members and other relevant stakeholders to use for the benefit of future projects.
• Facilitate administrative and financial closure in accordance with the project plan in order to comply with the bank’s requirements.
• Preserve essential project records and required tools by archiving them for future use to adhere to legal requirements, policy compliance requirements.
• Release project resources by following the appropriate HR procedures in order to optimize resource utilization.

Qualifications and experience

• Business graduate from an accredited university, Project Management qualifications mandatory.
• At least 5 years’ experience in banking, a good understanding of banking processes services and products, with 3 years at Manager Level.
• Experience in managing projects, especially ICT related projects and coordinating cross-functional committees.

Personal Attributes

• Ability to prepare an effective work plan and organize his/her time in a manner that enables that plan to be implemented.
• Ability to get on well with people and to influence through leadership skills.
• Strong networking skills, both externally and within the Bank.
• Good negotiations skills to negotiate with stakeholders.
• Dynamic individual, who takes pride in his/her work, and has the ability to thrive in a competitive and  dynamic environment (working effectively under pressure)
• Excellent understanding of Bank policies.
• Problem solving and analysis skills especially within a business context; good business sense is a key requirement.
• Professionalism, i.e. ability to win the confidence of, and work effectively with clients and colleagues