Senior IT Project Manager

We are looking for a Senior IT Project Manager to join the Harris Federation central team in Croydon, providing an excellent IT project delivery to our end users and customers ensuring effective delivery and handover of new services into production.

You will be responsible for ensuring that all projects with an IT deliverable are delivered on time, within budget and to specification. This will include working with a complex structure of internal and external stakeholders and delivery teams as well as external parties and contractors.

About Us

The Harris Federation is a leading education charity with 52 Harris primary and secondary academies across London and Essex. The founder, Chairman and sponsor of the Harris Federation, Lord Harris of Peckham, opened our first school in 1990. We now educate almost 40,000 young people and closing the gap between children from disadvantaged backgrounds and their peers has always been a core mission.

The Harris Federation has a track record of accomplishment in achieving success through rapid school improvement and has built an unrivalled reputation for running outstanding academies in London.

Our central team comprises a dedicated, driven group of departments working centrally to provide support across the Federation and all of our academies. Across a multitude of key departments, we maintain an outstanding body of staff all integral to supporting central and academy finance, HR, Data, Estates management, Talent and many more.

Main Areas of Responsibility

Portfolio & Project Management

• Head up the Project Delivery team within the IT, Security & Data directorate
• Responsible for the creation and delivery of the agreed programs of works managed by the IT, Data & Security teams across an organisation of c.45,000 end users across over 50 sites
• Work with the CIO and leadership team colleagues to agree the yearly programme plan and agreed projects
• Project manage the organisations lifecycle refresh across our academies in partnership with Harris Federation delivery partners to oversee a multi-year technology modernisation across our academies
• Projects are planned, managed to quality expectations, and delivered on-time, to budget and specification
• Required program and or project documentation is completed for each project and signed off by the appropriate authority
• Manage program budgets and associated project budgets in the millions of pounds
• Liaison with organisational stakeholders to agree user need, requirements, timescales, budgets and specifications
• Work closely with Directors and Assistant directors of education to deliver successful outcomes
• Work with other internal and external teams including the Estates, Finance, Procurement and building contractors
• Resource management across the programs balancing needs of business as usual versus change and transformation projects
• Ensure effective change management takes place to deliver user centred services
• Ensuring projects are effectively transitioned to a live state
• Preparing requests for proposals and invitation to tenders, conducting all follow activities to ensure procurement policies are followed
• Planning and overseeing the preparation and dissemination of program and project communications.

Leadership Team

• Working to the CIO and collaboratively with peers oversee the running of a directorate of c. 70 staff, inc. matrix managed technicians
• Role model behaviours for the wider directorate, living and breathing the team's vision and missions
• Deputise for the CIO and or other leadership team members as required
• Prepare reports for IT scrutiny group, audit committees and wider federation boards or committees and represent directorate in these meetings
• Represent the directorate in cross federation activities

Qualifications & Experience

The successful candidate will have:

• Experience of managing projects of various scope and scale up to millions of pounds of spend
• A track record of delivering projects that are IT driven, supporting business outcomes
• Prince2 level practitioner or equivalent knowledge/practical experience of Waterfall and/or Agile delivery methodologies
• Change management experience, demonstrable understanding of how change methodologies support successful delivery of IT programs and projects
• Experience of dealing with all levels of stakeholders across an organisation, from most senior to most junior colleague
• Experiences of influencing highly demanding stakeholders in time sensitive environments
• Strong written and verbal communications skills, demonstrated in previous roles
• Strong personal drive and willingness to get things done
• Self-motivated and committed to delivery on time and to a high quality
• Demonstrable experience of balancing priorities and successful delivery of objectives, in a fast paced, constantly changing environment
• Ability to react quickly and effectively to issues, risks and opportunities
• Ability to self-manage, organise, and prioritise tasks and work under pressure in a time critical education setting

Professional Development & Benefits

Our people are at the heart of our success. We have developed a strong culture of collaboration and best practice, with professional development and career planning at its centre. We invest in our staff with support, coaching, mentoring, and a wide range of top-quality training programmes delivered at every level to senior leadership.

We look for talented individuals who share our vision for creating exceptional places of learning, and are committed to ensuring that every child in London has access to the best possible education.

In addition to the opportunities for career progression, training and development, we also offer a competitive rewards and benefits package which includes a Performance and Loyalty Bonus, Pension Scheme, a Wellbeing Cash Plan, electric car scheme, 26 days' annual leave (plus bank holidays) for non term-time only employees, and many other benefits. We offer flexible working in the form of "Core Hours" and potential for hybrid working.

Safeguarding Notice

The Harris Federation and all our academies are committed to ensuring the highest levels of safeguarding and promoting the welfare of children, and we expect all our staff and volunteers to share in this commitment. All offers of employment are subject to an Enhanced DBS check, references, and where applicable, a prohibition from teaching check will be completed for all applicants. Before applying, please review our Policy Statement on the Recruitment of Ex-Offenders.

Equal Opportunities

The Harris Federation is an equal opportunities employer and welcomes applications from all suitably qualified candidates.

As a provider of employment and education, we value the diversity of our staff and students, and all our staff are equally valued and respected. We are committed to providing a fair, equitable and mutually supportive learning and working environment for our students and staff.