Manager: IT Program Management

About the role

Mayer Brown is an international law firm representing major corporations, funds, and financial institutions in their most important and complex transactions and disputes. As a Manager: IT Program Management in our Information Technology department in Chicago, you will be responsible for delivering programs and/or projects that are on-time, on-budget, within scope, and fulfill the business requirements.

Responsibilities

• Develops and maintains program documentation, including charters, project plans, communications plans, program team status, executive status reports, program roles & responsibilities, and maintain the document repositories.
• Facilitates executive status meetings with business sponsors and other Firm leadership as necessary during which the program’s progress will be reviewed, issues discussed for resolution, and any material changes to scope, budget, or schedule should be raised.
• Oversee program activities with domestic and international team members, including establishing schedules, assigning tasks, monitoring, and resolving conflicts.
• Manage multiple large and complex programs at one time, coordinating program activities with IT Management and other IT teams.
• Define program business requirements, analyze, and design; facilitate decision-making sessions for program-specific architecture, business strategy, operational processes, business processes, and organizational requirements.
• Meet with program stakeholders to clearly capture business requirements, critical milestones, and dependencies – may occasionally require travel to other offices.
• Obtain stakeholder buy-in and proactively manage expectations throughout the program.
• Manage vendor relationships throughout the program ensuring outsourced tasks meet contract expectations, Firm standards, and are delivered on time.
• Assist with the development of RFIs and RFPs as required to enable third-party solutions and IT services.
• Provide regular status progress reports to the Project Management Office to assist with the overall tracking and management of the Project Portfolio.
• Aid the Global Director of the IT Project Management Office with Project Portfolio planning and process improvements.
• Coordinate the creation and follow-up of program-related surveys and end-user communications that clearly explain technical concepts using non-technical language.
• Act as a liaison between IT stakeholders to strengthen understanding of business-aligned goals.
• Participate in occasional calls and meetings outside of normal business hours to accommodate international team member schedules when necessary.
• Perform other duties as assigned or required to meet Firm goals and objectives.

Qualifications, Experience and Personal Attributes

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Minimum of 8 years successfully managing large and complex IT programs and projects from inception to completion, overseeing direct / indirect reports and vendors.
• 12+ years of IT experience.
• Legal industry experience preferred.
• Agile and DevOps experience preferred.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and M365 products.
• Strong understanding of project management principles and methods; preferred current Project Management certification such as PMP, Agile, Prince 2, Master’s Certificate, CSM or other certification / degree in project management.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, able to communicate effectively and in a professional manner with all levels of the Firm and outside vendors.
• Ability to work in a diverse team environment and effectively support the demanding needs of the Firm.
• Ability to work under pressure, and meet deadlines with shifting priorities.
• Self-starter with a high level of initiative.
• Strong client-service orientation and skills, able to anticipate needs and exercise independent judgment.
• Strong attention to detail, organizational skills and the ability to handle multiple projects.
• Maintains confidentiality and exercises discretion.
• Exercises solid strategic thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Demonstrated leadership and supervisory experience.
• Participation in the recruitment process.
• Able to determine and implement change processes to improve workflow efficiencies.
• Process- and service-oriented with strong leadership and project management skills.
• Able to set priorities and delegate in an efficient manner.

Education/Training/Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Professional Experience: Minimum of 8 years successfully managing large and complex IT programs and projects from inception to completion, overseeing direct / indirect reports and vendors.
• 12+ years of IT experience.
• Legal industry experience preferred.
• Agile and DevOps experience preferred.

Pay

The typical pay scale for this position is between USD $170,000.00/Yr. and USD $225,000.00/Yr., although the actual wage or salary could be lower or higher if the candidate's education, experience, skills and internal pay alignment are different from those specified.