TECHNOLOGY PROJECT MANAGER (PROJECT/TEMPORARY)

The University of Washington (UW) is proud to be one of the nation’s premier educational and research institutions. Our people are the most important asset in our pursuit of achieving excellence in education, research, and community service. Our staff not only enjoys outstanding benefits and professional growth opportunities, but also an environment noted for diversity, community involvement, intellectual excitement, artistic pursuits, and natural beauty.

At the University of Washington, diversity is integral to excellence. We value and honor diverse experiences and perspectives, strive to create welcoming and respectful learning environments, and promote access, opportunity and justice for all.

The University of Washington (UW) is currently implementing enterprise-level data governance to help get better value from data in support of strategic initiatives. One critical initiative involves the development and deployment of a key core data (aka master data) element, the Institutional Organizational Structure (IOS) (see https://datagov.uw.edu/topics-initiatives/ios-task-force-status/ for more information ). The IOS serves as the system of record for the institutional hierarchy and organizational structure, provides context for UW business entities, and supports high-level cross domain report and analysis. These data will be consumed throughout the UW, including systems maintained by various data domains (HR, finance, academic, etc.). Given this, success of this initiative is dependent on the development and refinement of an organizational structure, understanding and managing the inter-domain dependencies of this structure, and the eventual deployment of the IOS system.

This position will serve a critical institutional role in Core Data Management (CDM) efforts by providing project management and analytical support during the development and deployment of the IOS. Specifically, this position will work with key stakeholders across the university to develop and refine the description of the UW organizational structure, identify key core and transactional data elements, help data domains in developing "crosswalks" between their intra-domain organizational structures and the IOS, develop strategies for the curation of core data elements provided by IOS, and support the development, deployment, and processes for sustaining the IOS service.    

This position requires strong analytical acumen, broad awareness of key organizational data governance structure and objectives, and an ability to prioritize multiple timelines and competing goals. Competitive candidates will have excellent project management skills, written and oral communication skills, and work with minimal supervision either independently or in a collaborative team environment.     

The complex organizational structure of the UW is largely due to the decentralized nature of the University. Furthermore, current functional descriptions of this structure rely on legacy financial structures, or a combined financial/organizational structure, which serves as the default system of record for the UW organization structure (although it was never intended to serve this role). The current Finance Transformation project at the UW will result in the retirement of both the University’s legacy finance and budget systems of record, and as a consequence, the legacy financial organizational structure.

A new IOS that is a core data element designed intentionally to serve this role is required. This work will require coordination with the Finance Transformation project in addition to data governance structures (for example, specific data governance committees and data domain councils) that will ultimately consume core data from IOS and map their data structures to IOS. This position reports to the Chair of the Data Governance Operational Committee and works closely with the Institutional Data and Analysis Team in Office of Planning and Budgeting.          

Duties and Responsibilities
Project Management and Leadership
• Develop and manage detailed work plans for cross-functional end-to-end process workstreams in support of IOS development and deployment.
• Proactively identify potential risks, dependencies, and obstacles that may hinder successful completion of deliverables and achievement of project goals.
• Monitor and evaluate specific roadmaps, keeping stakeholders informed of scheduled updates and framing associated decision points.
• Develop and deliver workstream status reports.
• Actively working to ensure quick closure of risks and issues and communicating to program leadership.
• Coordinate with key stakeholder groups including data governance committees and councils to ensure priorities are aligned with project management goals.
• Coordinate efforts with data governance leadership.
• Work closely with business analysts, SMEs, and services analysts to ensure a clear understanding of the business requirements. Manage scope, identifying areas of confusion where priorities need to be set by data governance leadership.
• Organize and facilitate project planning and communications to key stakeholders including Data Governance Operations and Steering Committees.

Data Governance and Stewardship Analysis
• Lead and partner with multiple stakeholders such as data governance committees, domain councils, users and data architects to elicit requirements related to governance and stewardship of IOS data at the enterprise level.
• Identify, develop and evaluate potential solutions to issues encountered in IOS development.
• Collaborate with architects, functional managers, business analysts, and others on analysis, design, development, and ongoing sustainment of the IOS.
• Create user requirements and other documentation as necessary in support of agile methodologies of system development.
• Facilitate discussions and ask prompting questions across a complex and diverse set of stakeholders to ensure alignment and move discussions toward decision-making.

Project Leadership
• Positively and effectively lead, organize, influence and maneuver through unstructured problems and create the necessary structure to drive for results.
• Define, track and monitor the project scope, schedule and resource plans.
• Facilitate the development of project milestones, work breakdown structures, document handoffs and dependencies, critical paths, project statuses, project risks, and contingency plans.
• Build and maintain effective partnerships with key stakeholders.
• Ability to have difficult conversations with leaders and peers to support goals.
• Other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications
• Bachelor’s Degree, preferably in Business Administration, Information Science, or related areas and at least two years’ experience as a project manager of complex technical projects including demonstrated ability to create, implement, and manage small and large projects within a team environment.
• Three or more years of project management experience, preferably in supporting large, complex IT transformations projects.
• Demonstrate leadership experience and cultivation of trust and strong collaboration.
• Experience communicating effectively with diverse stakeholders, including customers and key process stakeholders.
• Proven use and understanding of PMI practices and familiarity with ITIL Service Management process.
• Ability to manage a diverse range of activities in a very visible and pressured environment, exercising independent judgment in resolving problems.
• Ability to speak and write about technical issues for both technical and non-technical audiences.
• Experience communicating with executive management.
• Demonstrated excellent written/oral communication skills, technical documentation skills, user liaison skills, and personal interaction abilities.
• Equivalent education/experience will substitute for all minimum qualifications except where there are legal requirements such as license/certification/registration. 

Desired Qualifications
• PMI Certification.
• Experience utilizing SharePoint, JIRA and agile work processes.
• Experience in a large university, medical center or other large enterprise.
• Experience with Core Data Management and data governance frameworks, principles, and activities.

Application Process:
The application process for UW positions may include completion of a variety of online assessments to obtain additional information that will be used in the evaluation process.  These assessments may include Work Authorization, Cover Letter, and/or others.  Any assessments that you need to complete will appear on your screen as soon as you select “Apply to this position”. Once you begin an assessment, it must be completed at that time; if you do not complete the assessment you will be prompted to do so the next time you access your “My Jobs” page. If you select to take it later, it will appear on your "My Jobs" page to take when you are ready. Please note that your application will not be reviewed, and you will not be considered for this position until all required assessments have been completed.