Project Manager (2 posts)

Located in North Wales only a stone’s throw from the Snowdonia National Park, Bangor University is a long-established university with an international reputation for the quality of its teaching and research. A rare opportunity has arisen for an experienced Project Manager to work in the Digital Services directorate. As part of the Corporate Systems division the postholder will join the Business Systems team who assist and support the implementation of transformational digital projects.  

Duties will include taking a leading role in the management of digital transformational projects across the University. 

Candidates will be educated to degree level in a relevant subject area and will have significant experience as a project manager within a busy digital services environment and ideally have experience of bringing together both technical and business experts. Candidates will be problem solvers by nature with a broad set of skills gained from implementing real-world software solutions. Applicants will have a broad set of skills covering both communications, project management as well as having a thorough technical understanding of business systems. 

The post is permanent and full-time and benefits from being eligible to the nationally supported USS pension scheme and various other employee benefit schemes. 

This role will be located on campus at Bangor. Through our Dynamic Working framework , there will also be the option to spend some time working remotely (although remaining in the UK) to support work life balance, which will be discussed further with candidates at interview.

Applications will also be considered to carry out this role on a part-time or job share basis (up to one full-time equivalent).

Applications will only be accepted via our on-line recruitment website, jobs.bangor.ac.uk. However, in cases of access issues due to disability, paper application forms are available by telephoning 01248 383865.

Informal enquiries can be made by contacting: Susannah Neill, Business Applications Support Manager, e-mail [email protected] , tel: +44 1248 382492.

Committed to Equal Opportunities.

Digital Services is responsible for providing, developing and maintaining IT facilities and services across the University, supporting staff and students to use those facilities and services. Digital Services has a good reputation within the University, providing reliable and resilient infrastructure, services, applications and facilities. We pride ourselves on being helpful, friendly, and responsive to user needs. Digital Services comprises circa 100 staff with its IT responsibilities set in three main areas: Corporate Systems, Infrastructure and Client Services.  

The post of Project Manager is located within the Business Systems team responsible for implementing and supporting transformations IT projects as part of the wider Corporate Systems group which reports to the Head of Business Systems and Deputy Director.   

The post holder will take a leading role in the management of digital transformational projects across the University which will install or replace existing IT systems. The successful candidate will work closely with the Business Applications Support Manager, the Head of Business Systems and Deputy Director, colleagues across Digital Services and various stakeholders across the University. 

The post holder will help ensure that projects are properly managed, communicated and that all the technical and administrative tasks are aligned leading to timely delivery to cost.  

The post holder will report to the Business Applications Support Manager in Digital Services' Corporate Systems Division.

• To provide professional and effective project leadership.  
• Establish good working relationships with key stakeholders to guide the project delivery, developing appropriate communication links with the University’s Colleges/Directorates. 
• Develop and maintain overall project communications plans. 
• Ensure early and complete engagement with stakeholders.
• Gather and analyse data to inform management decisions. 
• Show initiative in problem solving and dealing with implementation challenges. 
• Maintain project risk registers through effective risk analysis and risk management of work streams. 
• Maintain and ensure that overall project plans are adhered to and co-ordinate the dependent tasks. 
• Identify training needs (drawn from stakeholder/end user input), facilitate and deliver training across different domains of users to ensure effective workflows.  
• Evaluate the effectiveness of the training and the system. 
• Arrange, facilitate/attend project meetings as required and record the actions and monitor and ensure progress against these actions. 
• Serve project steering groups, assisting in reporting on the overall progress of the projects, implementation tasks and to provide regular reports (to colleagues, partners and for assurance purposes). 

• Perform other duties occasionally which are not included above, but which will be consistent with the role.  
• The post holder will be expected to comply with the University equal opportunities policies, Dignity at Work and Study Policy and the University’s Welsh Language Policy and the Welsh Language Standards. 
• The post holder has a general and legal duty of care in relation to health, safety and wellbeing and must take all reasonable steps to ensure a safe and healthy working environment for themselves and for other members of staff, students and visitors affected by their actions or inactions. The post holder is also required to comply with all applicable health and safety policies, procedures and risk assessments. 
• The post holder must comply with relevant legal and financial policies and procedures and be aware of their responsibilities in terms of the legal requirements of their post. 
  

Qualifications/Training 

Essential 

• Undergraduate degree in a relevant subject area. 
• Evidence of excellent IT and numeracy skills including knowledge of MS Office 365 applications (including MS Project).  

Desirable 

• Relevant professional accreditation.
• A postgraduate degree in a relevant subject.
• A recognised Project Management qualification.
• Experience of PRINCE and Agile methodologies. 

 
Experience/Knowledge 

Essential 

• Experience of administration of large/complex projects.
• Practical experience of managing projects that cross both business and IT work streams.
• Experience of developing and delivery training programmes across different users.
• A good understanding of project management tools and techniques, alongside experience of managing and delivering projects to agreed timescales and budgets. 
• Experience of providing management information, briefings, updates and reports.

Desirable 

• Experience of working in the Higher Education Sector.
• Experience of the curriculum quality assurance and validation process.

 
 
Skills/Abilities 

Essential 

• Ability to work effectively both independently and as part of the project team, taking a lead role where appropriate. 
• Ability to give support and advice in a professional way to all levels of staff in the project team, wider university and external organisations. 
• Evidence of the ability to understand and convey information which requires careful explanation, both written and oral. 
• Evidence of the ability to organise, prioritise and plan time and resources, including personal time management, working to deadlines and planning work for others. 
• Relevant experience of negotiating with a broad range of stakeholders and suppliers to agree work packages and delivery of project activities. 
• Evidence of ability to solve problems using initiative and creativity, and of ability to identify, develop and select options independently. 
   

Desirable 

• The ability to communicate through the medium of Welsh is desirable for this role. If applicants are not able to speak / write in Welsh at present, there are many opportunities to learn if the successful candidate wishes to do so.

The University is committed to supporting and promoting equality and diversity and to creating an inclusive working environment. We believe this can be achieved through attracting, developing, and retaining a diverse range of staff from many different backgrounds. We strive to develop a workforce from all sections of the community regardless of sex, gender identity, ethnicity, disability, sexual orientation, trans identity, relationship status, religion or belief, caring responsibilities, or age. We promote and facilitate the use of the Welsh language through our progressive Welsh Language Policy. We comply with the Welsh Language Standards and are committed to equality of opportunity. You are welcome to apply for any job in English or Welsh and all applications submitted will be treated equally.

We are a member of Advance HE's Athena SWAN Gender Equality charter and hold a Silver award in recognition of our commitment to and progress towards gender equality within the University's policies, practices, and culture. We are proud to be a Disability Confident employer.

All members of staff have a duty to ensure their actions are in line with the overall environmental aims of the University and minimise their environmental impact.

All offers are made subject to proof of eligibility to work in the UK and receipt of satisfactory references.

All candidates must meet the requirements of UK ‘right to work’ requirements *** If you require Home Office permission to work in the UK, or need to switch your visa status in order to take this job we recommend you use the following link to information about the routes into employment and to check eligibility requirements: https://www.gov.uk/browse/visas-immigration/work-visas

Please note that we are unable to employ anyone who does not have the right to live and work in the UK legally. When applying for this post you will be required to explain the basis upon which you believe you will be able to live and work in the UK legally on the commencement date of the role should your application be successful.

Please note that, in the event of applications being received from candidates on the University's Redeployment Register with a reasonable skills match to the post specification, these applicants will be given prior consideration.