IT Project Manager

JOB TITLE: IT Project Manager

JOB DESCRIPTION:

The IT Project Manager will oversee all IT project and programs at Sahara Las Vegas. Accountable for the accurate and timely creation and delivery of IT projects and services to support a world class tem member and guest experience.

JOB FOCUS:

Focus is on, but not limited to the following:

· Conducts research and analysis, and accurately and clearly defines and documents user & technical requirements and processes to assist in the resolution of highly complex, multi-faceted problems. This may involve participation in rapid prototyping, with requirements and solutions developed on an iterative basis that provide interim deliverables until a final production solution is created. This is made more challenging due to variations in the business lines and structure.

· Under minimal supervision, responsible and accountable for the coordinated management of multiple related projects directed toward the strategic business and organizational objective of developing & opening a world class Casino & Resort. These programs contain complex activities that span functions and organizations.

· Build credibility, establish rapport and maintain communication with stakeholders at multiple levels, including those external to the organization.

· Define and initiate projects, manage costs, schedule, and performance of component projects, while working to ensure the ultimate success and acceptance of the program.

· Maintain continuous alignment of program scope with strategic business objectives and make recommendations to modify the program to enhance effectiveness toward the business result or strategic intent.

· Responsible for determining and coordinating the sharing of resources among the constituent projects to the overall benefit of the program.

· Assist in the establishment and operation of a Project Management Office that will oversee multiple projects.

· Define, design, document, implement and ensure compliance with associated PMO policies, procedures and standards.

· Define, document, establish and maintain overall project quality standards and project metrics.

· Manages projects to ensure that implementation and prescribed activities are carried out in accordance with specified objectives and organizational policies, procedures & standards.

· Plans and develops methods and procedures for implementing project, performs, directs and coordinates project activities, and exercises control over matrix personnel responsible for specific functions or phases of project.

· Confers with team members to explain project and individual responsibilities for functions and phases of project.

· Reviews reports and records of activities to ensure progress is being accomplished toward specified project objective and modifies or changes methodology as required to redirect activities and attain objectives.

· Designs, compiles and prepares program reports for superiors.

· Monitors, controls and reports expenditures in accordance with budget allocations utilizing existing toolsets.

· Responsible for ensuring that management is kept informed and that problems and issues are escalated appropriately.

· Responsible for working with a matrix project team to ensure that all assigned projects are thoroughly, accurately and timely completed while at the same time providing a valuable and consistent experience for the customer. These activities may include detailed documentation of requirements for systems changes, detailed review and documentation of scope, process work flows, instructions to users (i.e., manual updates, job aids, circulars, etc.), partnering to ensure system requirements are realized, assisting with implementation, assisting with testing requirements and transition to the operations & maintenance function.

· Matrix manages, cooperates, directs and administrates a contingent of outsourced vendors, operating partners and internal resources in the execution of projects and associated activities to achieve/set objectives, to share knowledge, experience and responsibility within the realities of delivery timeframes and the organizations values.

· Design and implement a project requirements management tool.

· Compile, prepare & maintain detailed individual project & integrated PMO plans, schedules, WBS, risks/issues, network diagrams, requirements, scope, estimates of cost and schedule and author project status and progress reports to client and IT Management.

· Establish, and monitor for compliancy, best practices, policies, procedures (SOPs) and standards for area of responsibility.

· Assess the quality and risk of any additions/changes/enhancements to the individual projects & PMO to ensure they are adequately documented and addressed.

· Co-ordinate the testing of various sized projects across various platforms, configurations and environments. Provide input regarding the assessment of the risk and quality of changes and enhancements to more than 50 new applications.

· Participates in the development of the training strategy, transition support programs and in the training/coaching of team members.

· Develop and maintain a good working knowledge of assigned component projects and overall PMO.

· Identify and pursue opportunities to enhance personal breadth and depth of expertise and proactively apply knowledge on the job; identify and recommend enhancements or modifications to program management and requirements definition processes in an effort to continually improve overall department efficiency and effectiveness.

· Establish and maintain regular/timely, quality, accurate and complete written and in-person communications with the department decision-makers, stakeholders, business department heads, and end users regarding pertinent IT activities.

· Define & Practice document control standards, policies, procedures, and related documentation templates.

· Consistently deliver a thoroughly tested, documented, complete and functional solution within agreed upon timeframes/due dates, budget and quality/scope.

· Performs other duties as assigned.

SKILLS :

• The Project Manager should have a broad knowledge of the organization and should understand how the company works from a variety of perspectives.
• Must possess a good understanding of current IT practices, systems development techniques, including requirements specification and testing methodologies, real-time analytical tools, and keep current with rapidly changing technology.
• Proven experience leading cross divisional change projects.
• Ability to perform and coordinate the execution of multiple projects and assignments concurrently.
• Good working knowledge of applications and their interfaces.
• Ability to adapt quickly to changing priorities.
• Excellent communication skills, choosing when and how to convey information and/or ideas concisely in ways that will be clearly understood.
• Highly creative, self-starting, results-oriented and highly motivated with excellent problem-solving skills - continuously demonstrates the ability to be a 'forward thinker'.
• Strong leader with excellent interpersonal, communication, presentation, organizational and negotiation skills.
• Proven ability to adapt to constantly changing priorities and environment, ability to multi-task and work on concurrent projects.
• Able to work independently, make quick, sound judgment under pressure.
• Excellent business and technical writing/documentation skills.
• Good knowledge of best practices, current and anticipated regulatory requirements, Back Office processes, and the end-to-end workflows among the Front and Back Offices, within at least two Hotel/Gaming areas, and a basic knowledge of at least one other Hotel/Gaming area.
• Must be reliable, pro-active, results-oriented, customer-focused and attentive to detail.
• Knowledge of Hotel/Gaming technology; knowledge of construction disciplines.
• Thorough knowledge of internal & NGCB controls, meeting management, project planning and methodology, computer based, productivity tools (MS Office, Visio, Project) and business process design.
• Required to understand the ways of positioning for the implementation of new hardware, software and operating systems with new & existing facilities.
• Excellent listening skills tailoring approach to fit the person or audience ensuring internal/external communication channels upward and downward are open by managing internal and external communication.
• Customer focused, seeking information about the real underlying needs of both internal and external customers, and taking personal responsibility for matching those needs to available or customized services.
• Correcting problems promptly and non-defensively by anticipating underlying customer needs and adds value.
• Results focus, maintaining a focus on the task at hand and the desired result.
• Identifies opportunities for increasing the bottom-line and pushing activities and projects in that direction by achieving targeted outcomes.
• Team focus, working effectively with others to achieve common objectives.
• Takes action to create and sustain highly motivated groups to achieve common objectives.
• Helping integrate and sustain goals, roles and responsibilities of the team the cooperating;
• Has the ability to influence others to a desired outcome through building persuasive arguments based on logic and fact, coupled with the ability to anticipate and respond to the needs and concerns of others by responding effectively to objections.

DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

· Minimum high school diploma or equivalent

· Bachelors of Science in Computer Science from a four-year college or university preferred or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

· Minimum four years IT Project Management experience with one to three years related work experience in a Casino, Hospitality and/or Banking or Entertainment industry or other high volume, complex, demanding customer-orientated IT environment preferred.

· Experience in the field of construction disciplines is a plus.

· Strong working experience with industry compliance standards, including Nevada Gaming Control Board MICS, Sarbanes-Oxley, and PCI

· Proven technical and troubleshooting skills, including Microsoft desktop and server applications, iSeries, virtualization, and networking administration

· Excellent communication skills, customer service and team oriented, self-starter, and professional maturity

· Strong organization, analytical, and problem-solving skills and exhibit composure and professionalism while under pressure

· Ability to manage multiple projects and people in a fast-paced environment while meeting constant deadlines and maintaining strong attention to details

· A valid Nevada Gaming License is required and must be obtained before entering this position

· Must be 21 years of age or older