MUST RESIDE IN ILLINOIS

Position Description and Responsibilities

As a critical support role reporting directly to the Vice President of Operations, the Project Manager provides support for project work delivered to IMEC’s clients. This role serves as the primary point of contact for projects to which they are assigned.

The Project Manager is responsible for managing client project(s) that span across one or more departments. The position provides oversight for project resources and schedules while leading activities for reporting and ensuring solid project performance. This includes management of issues, risks and project change requests to ensure successful and on-time project delivery.

The ideal individual will have the ability to exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and program management organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. This individual will have the ability to work independently on projects, from project start to completion. The candidate must be able to work with team members throughout the organization, under pressure at times, to handle a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

Essential Responsibilities

• Work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment demonstrating teamwork, innovation and excellence
• Act as an internal quality control check for the project and participate in problem resolution
• Provide project leadership for IMEC Team to accomplish project milestones and goals
• Identify and develop trusted adviser relationships with client, project and program stakeholders
• Manage all aspects of project related activities to ensure the overall project is aligned to and directly supports the achievement of the project plan
• Implement project plans consistent with designated requirements and guidelines
• Lead efforts to continue to improve IMEC’s current project management process
• Provide project oversight to ensure high quality performance
• Maintain good records and use of Customer Resource Management System (CRM) Lead regular interactions with the client and with the solution providers
• Manage special initiatives, as needed
• Monitor financial status of project to mitigate risks
• Identify project plan deficiencies and coordinate corrective action plans
• Schedule and organize complex project activities
• Coordinate day-to-day project activities with required resources
• Provide status reporting on project milestones, deliverables, risks and issues to the appropriate levels in the organization
• Ensure all project materials are procured and provided as specified in the project
• Coordinate with managers to ensure adequate resources are available to achieve on time project completion
• Other duties, as assigned

Qualifications:

• Strong organizational skills that reflect ability to perform and prioritize multiple tasks seamlessly with excellent attention to detail
• Very strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build relationships with staff, clients, external partners and stakeholders
• Excellent leadership, communication (written, verbal and presentation) and interpersonal skills both written and oral with technical and non-technical staff, all levels of management
• Strong project management skills
• Demonstrated proactive approaches to problem-solving with strong decision-making capability
• Emotional maturity
• Highly resourceful team-player, with the ability to also be extremely effective independently
• Proven ability to handle confidential information with discretion, be adaptable to various competing demands, and demonstrate the highest level of customer/client service and response
• Demonstrated ability to achieve high performance goals and meet deadlines in a fast paced environment
• Forward looking thinker, who actively seeks opportunities and proposes solutions
• Strong leadership and motivational skills including the ability to lead up, across and down the organization
• Proven ability to work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment demonstrating teamwork, innovation and excellence
• Experience drafting and submitting budget proposals and recommending subsequent budget changes where necessary
• Experience in successfully leading projects and programs to on-time, on-schedule and within budget
• Adept at conducting research into project-related issues and products
• Ability to work with a geographically disburse telecommuting team through in person interactions and electronically

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree required
• Strong work tenure: three to five years of related experience preferred, preferably in a non-profit organization
• Experience and interest in internal and external communications and Project Management skills- must be extremely organized.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and Power Point), Adobe Acrobat, Sales Force and Social Media web platforms.
• 5+ years of project management experience including tracking and planning projects
• 1+ years of previous experience with gathering requirements from the client / business and documentation

Virtual or Hybrid work environment. Requires sitting for extended periods of time, standing, visual acumen, manual dexterity and fingering for working with computer key boards. Willingness and ability to undertake occasional travel as needed.

Please submit an electronic application, including (1) cover letter, (2) resume, and (3) the names and contact information for three references. Northern Illinois University conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of contingent offer of employment. Background checks will be performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act. IMEC and its Subrecipient organizations, including Bradley University, SIU, NIU, and UIC are EOE/AA/M/F/Disabled/Veteran Employers.

About IMEC

IMEC is a team of improvement specialists dedicated to providing manufacturers in Illinois with the tools and techniques to excel and compete globally. The experienced hands-on team at IMEC works closely with its clients to plan critical business improvements in all areas of their organization from: Leading their Company, Planning for Success, Growing their Business, Improving their Operations, Focusing on their People, and Deciding with Data.

With more than 50 full-time staff and partners positioned statewide, IMEC delivers the local expertise to not only plan and strategize, but to implement and evaluate the effectiveness of client improvements. In fact, IMEC assists more than 1,500 companies each year with successful business improvement projects.

As a result, IMEC has demonstrated a return on investment that exceeds 19:1. This is made possible as organizations become more effective and efficient.

IMEC team members enjoy their jobs because of the challenge in working with a variety of organizations in a broad range of industries. They also gain satisfaction from providing assistance and advisement to help organizations succeed in a demanding marketplace. Click HERE to learn more about IMEC.