Project Manager

Job Title: Project Manager
Location: Dubai, United Arab Emirates
Contract duration: Fixed contract for 2 years
Business Stream: International Education
Travel: Domestic or international travel may be required (5-10%)
Open to: Residents of UAE

DRS is looking for the Project Manager on behalf of the world-leading academic publisher and assessment organisation to manage the successful delivery of education reform projects, managing resources and ensuring that deliverables are completed to quality, cost and time standards as specified in the contract, aiming to ensure customer satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle. The role holder will shape how the project is run and delivered and, through this, will have a major impact on customer satisfaction, impacting the organization’s reputation in the market and future commercial opportunities.

PRINCIPAL ACCOUNTABILITIES

Accountability

1. Manage project documentation, scope and deliverables (20%)

• Monitor and actively manage project scope, containing scope creep and negotiating variations as required
• Manage the completion and effective handover of deliverables as defined in the contract
• Manage the project documentation (e.g. the contract implementation and variations, completion certificates or acts of rendered services)
• Ensure project documentation is organised and controlled, in line with standard

2. Plan the project and monitor and report delivery performance (15%)

• Contribute as needed to contract or bid development to advise on deliverability and high-level planning
• Produce robust, achievable plans for the projects and ensure the commitment of all engaged parties to achieve them
• Monitor progress against plan and take corrective action and/or escalate to ensure plans are delivered
• Ensure timely, transparent reporting is provided to inform on all aspects of project performance and risks, to meet the need of the Project Steering Group, Client and CPE SMT
• Lead and chair project working groups and meetings

3. Establish effective project governance and project organisation (20%)

• Set up and facilitate both internal and external governance to support effective decision-making and proper use of escalation routes
• Ensure clarity of project organisation and roles

4. Operate robust project controls (15%)

• Ensure controls are operated in accordance with good project practice and CPE project management methodology to ensure that delivery meets stakeholder requirements
• Set and manage budgets, forecasts, control expenditure, contingencies and timely processing of purchase orders and invoices
• Establish and operate controls for managing quality, working with technical SMEs to manage the submission of all deliverables to ensure they achieve the specified standards
• Actively manage and report project risks throughout the project lifecycle. Promote focus of the project team to address these risks, ensuring mitigation and contingency arrangements are defined and provisioned for and escalating to the Programme Manager, Portfolio Manager or Project Sponsor as required
• Actively manage project issues and corresponding resolution actions, escalating to the Programme Manager, Portfolio Manager or Project Sponsor as required
• Identify, record and act on lessons learned throughout the project lifecycle
• Ensure any secondary benefits and/or implications for the organization are understood and monitored as required

5. Manage resources and staffing (10%)

• Work with the CPE Supplier Manager to arrange the supply of external suppliers for the project in line with project plans and scope of work
• Manage procurement of external resources, including timely processing of procurement deliverables and approvals
• Work with technical SMEs to ensure alignment with project scope and that all project resources, both internal and external, have clear terms of reference
• Actively monitor and manage the delivery performance of resources
• Coordinate and communicate with the project team to ensure they are engaged and kept up to date on changing needs and priorities of the project
• Positively and actively lead and motivate the project team

6. Manage communication and stakeholder engagement (15%)

• Plan and manage project communications both internally and externally, in line with an actively maintained communication plan
• Manage client interactions for the project, ensuring a positive experience for the client and collaborating closely with them on matters relating to delivery
• Work with the Project Sponsor, Portfolio Manager, Programme Manager and Incountry Manager to actively manage engagement, communicating with internal and external
• Stakeholders to enable the successful delivery of the project

7. Manage project closure (5%)

• Manage the project closure and final handover to the client
• Complete a Post Implementation Review at the end of the project, liaising with the Operational Performance Analyst on lessons learned, and formally close the project

Decisions

• Day-to-day management of projects which includes:
• Planning and chairing project-specific meetings and working groups
• Input to Project or Programme Steering Group
• Recording and implementing agreed decisions and actions
• Creation and management of key business and project documents, including project plans, business cases, project reports, issues and risks registers, sign-off and business handover documents
• Forward planning and managing budgeted expenditure and staff resourcing
• Appropriate communication with all key stakeholders

Recommends for approval:

• Overall project plan
• Project milestone completion
• Changes to project scope/cost/timing/quality
• Overall budget and large items of expenditure, in line with corporate financial regulations
• Resource requirements

JOB CHALLENGES

• Managing performance and delivery of multiple suppliers across multiple projects, maintaining good relationships with clients, suppliers and internal/external resources during development and delivery
• Assessing risk and mitigating factors on a project-to-project basis, re-planning of projects when external factors disrupt the approved plan

KNOWLEDGE, EXPERIENCE AND SKILLS

Qualifications

• Educated to degree level or related experience
• PRINCE2 practitioner (or equivalent relevant qualification or experience)

Experience

• At least 5 years’ experience in project management in the education or assessment sectors
• Proven track record of managing complex, large and/or international projects for demanding clients
• Experience in communicating effectively and persuasively with a range of stakeholders from all levels within an organisation

Skills

• Good knowledge and experience in working with formal Project Management methodologies such as PRINCE2 and Agile
• Fluent Arabic speaker with an advanced level of written and spoken English
• Well-developed project management and organisation skills
• Proactive strategic thinker, able to challenge constructively
• Able to identify and manage risk proactively
• Strong presentation, communication and negotiation skills
• Ability to find innovative ways of solving or pre-empting problems
• Ability to articulate a good understanding of the international education reform marketplace
• Knowledge or experience in working with digital workflows, web technologies and digital platforms
• Knowledge and understanding of digital learning and online education

Behaviours

• Excellent communicator
• Highly collaborative
• Intercultural sensitivity
• Tenacity
• Ability to recognise the often divergent needs of individuals and teams involved in the project
• Able to work to tight deadlines and in a high-pressure environment
• Positive ‘can-do’ attitude
• Strong focus on continuous improvement

WORKING PATTERN

• The job will generally involve work during normal office hours. The job does not have fixed working patterns.
• Levels of workload are dependent on the status of particular projects, although the post holder will be expected to identify and prioritise as needed.