IT SENIOR PROJECT MANAGER

Location: DOC Headquarters - North Little Rock, Pulaski County

Anticipated starting salary: $97,301.00 (Salary range: $97,301 - $158,753)

All positions are designated as Safety Sensitive and subject to random drug testing. Medical marijuana usage is prohibited for personnel in safety-sensitive positions, even with a registry identification card.

About the Role

The IT Senior Project Manager leads complex, high-impact technology projects supporting the State of Arkansas’ digital initiatives. This role oversees the full project lifecycle, ensuring IT solutions are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget while meeting state policies, security requirements, and stakeholder expectations.

Responsibilities

• Develop and manage IT project plans, budgets, and timelines for complex state-wide initiatives.
• Align IT projects with state government priorities, agency needs, and regulatory compliance requirements.
• Lead cross-functional teams consisting of state employees, contractors, and external vendors.
• Establish and monitor project KPIs, milestones, and performance metrics to ensure successful delivery.
• Serve as the primary liaison between IT teams, state agencies, and external stakeholders.
• Facilitate requirements gathering and solution design in collaboration with business and IT leaders.
• Manage vendor contracts, service level agreements (SLAs), and procurement processes in accordance with state policies.
• Communicate project status, risks, and recommendations to executives, agency heads, and legislative committees as needed.
• Identify and mitigate risks, security vulnerabilities, and compliance issues throughout project execution.
• Ensure adherence to Arkansas state IT policies, cybersecurity best practices, and data privacy regulations.
• Develop contingency plans and crisis response strategies for IT service disruptions or project challenges.

Requirements

• Minimum of five years of experience in project management, engineering, systems administration, or a related field, including three years in a leadership role.
• Experience developing and executing SQL queries for data analysis, validation, and reporting.
• Working knowledge of SAP BusinessObjects or comparable business-intelligence and reporting tools.
• Knowledge of relational database design, structure, integration, and management.

Skills

• Strong expertise in IT project management methodologies.
• Experience managing large-scale software development, cloud migrations, cybersecurity initiatives, or IT infrastructure upgrades.
• Proficiency in project management tools.
• Knowledge of state and federal IT regulations, security compliance frameworks, and procurement processes.
• Ability to lead diverse teams, resolve conflicts, and drive complex projects to completion.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills to present technical concepts to non-technical audiences.
• Capable of assessing risks, identifying opportunities, and making data-driven decisions.
• Ability to handle shifting priorities, unexpected challenges, and high-pressure situations.