When you join USS, the size and scale of our pension scheme means you will have numerous opportunities to learn and develop your career. Given our size you'll have real autonomy and influence as you collaborate closely with a wide-ranging team of experts.
Our office is a vibrant place to work, and we offer flexibility of office/homeworking due to our hybrid model.
About the role
In your role as Senior IT Project Manager you will make a meaningful and valued contribution from the outset. This role will provide a great opportunity to be responsible for managing a team of IT Project Managers which is critical for the delivery of the IT Portfolio plan. You will manage the delivery of medium to large-sized projects, and/or larger programmes (a mix of technical and non-technical work packages) using an agreed project management methodology.
What you will be doing
As a trusted part of the IT team you will be responsible for:
Delivering Results
* Lead the planning and implementation of medium to large sized projects and/or programmes within the IT Portfolio Plan by the definition of project tasks, activities and milestones.
* Facilitate the definition of project scope/requirements, defining goals and deliverables by working closely with IT Project Management, IT Applications Analysis, Business Analysis functions and Project Stakeholders
* To produce all relevant project artefacts as and when required (Project Initiation, RAID Log, Project Plans, Weekly Reports, Support Material et al)
* To work with IT Portfolio Manager to manage the IT Portfolio Plan, ensuring all active and pipeline projects are reported accurately
* To provide cover and support when and where the IT Project Manager is not available
* Celebrate success and recognise that of others
Managing Resources
* Provide support and advice to IT Project Managers by managing development plans, peer reviewing project artefact documentation and managing their workloads through effective assignment of projects
* Work with IT Portfolio Manager to matrix manage IT resources ensuring requests are forward planned and resource availability and/or constraints are managed accordingly
* Support IT Portfolio Manager during 3-year planning to ensure future project demands are resourced accurately
Managing Relationships
* Establish and maintain regular engagement and communication with Senior IT Application Analyst
* To effectively manage expectations of stakeholders, peers and departmental managers
Managing Processes & Future Focus
* To produce all relevant project artefacts as per Change Model, to a high level of quality; maintain these documents throughout the lifecycle of the project and ensure up to date, accurate information is reflected at all times; manage and support the production of complementary artefacts (project dependent) where required
* Adhere to the USS Governance framework and defined project management methodology
* To attend and provide input, when required to IT Portfolio Steering Committee
* Capture, track and monitor milestones from project plans, communicating movements of these milestones to the relevant audience(s) and ensuring rebaselined are managed via change control methodology
* Where required, support wider IT functions when adopting best practise guidelines for planning, RAID management and resource management
* Implement Best Practice - promote, contribute to, communicate and share best practice (e.g. document templates, model document content, demonstrate “what good looks like” etc.)
About you
We know that sometimes people can be put off applying for a job if they don't tick every box, if you're excited about working for us and have most of the skills or experience we're looking for, then please apply, regardless of whether you meet all the requirements outlined in this profile.
To be successful in the role you will have:
* Excellent experience and knowledge of project management principles and governance, including planning, stakeholder management, communication and risk and issue management
* Certification and accreditation from industry standard professional body in project management
* Proven experience of delivering and leading complex IT projects and programmes
* Strong planning and scheduling skills, ensuring that project activities are controlled and co‑ordinated
* Able to work in an organised and structured manner with a high degree of autonomy where required
* Excellent communication and presentation skills – including the ability to produce clear and concise written communications
* Excellent stakeholder management skills with the ability to influence stakeholders at all levels of the organisation
* Good experience of working with third party IT companies/suppliers
* Customer and business service focus and attention to detail, with demonstrable experience in business engagement and stakeholder management
* Experience of line management responsibilities
* Good IT infrastructure/cloud and networking knowledge
* Evidence of continued professional development in project management
* Able to translate and present complex technical concepts to project stakeholders
At USS, every individual contributes to building a secure financial future for our members and their families. We strive to create a work environment where everyone can thrive professionally while making a meaningful impact on the lives of others. We're also committed to helping you build your career by providing opportunities for development. We put a focus on recognising and supporting each individual's unique career path, driving this forward with the support of an engaged and proactive management team. Here at USS, we want you to thrive in and out of work with a friendly team, flexible culture and excellent range of benefits!
How we will reward you
* Generous annual leave package
* Access to a high quality pension scheme provided through Universities Superannuation Scheme
* Supportive people policies (including enhanced occupational sickness pay and family friendly pay)
* Financial contributions towards your personal development to help you maintain your physical and mental wellbeing
* Access to a range of health and wellbeing services i.e., private healthcare, discounted gym membership
* Learning and development opportunities to develop your skills, knowledge and talent
* Employee Volunteer Day’s to support the communities where you work and live
* Cycle to Work Scheme
Our culture and values
Our people are what makes us different. We work together to create a diverse and inclusive culture that embraces individuality, where people are welcomed and feel comfortable in the knowledge that they can be themselves. Our purpose firmly states the importance of members, putting them ‘front and centre’ of what we do. This is embedded through our values:
* Integrity
About us
Universities Superannuation Scheme (USS) was established in 1974 as the principal pension scheme for universities and other higher education institutions in the UK. We work with around 330 employers to help build a secure financial future for almost 577,000 members and their families. We are one of the largest private defined benefit pension schemes in the UK, with total assets of around £76.8bn (at 31 March 2025). To find out more, please visit https://www.uss.co.uk
USSL is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. We strive to ensure our recruitment process is as flexible and inclusive as possible so we can attract diverse candidates and recruit the best talent. We want all candidates to perform at their best during the recruitment process, so if you need any reasonable adjustments or if there is anything we can do to help support you through your recruitment journey please let us know by contacting resourcing@uss.co.uk.
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