IT Project Manager

PST.AG; Auckland; On-site; NZD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

A leading project management firm in Auckland is seeking a Project Manager to manage cross-functional IT projects and teams. The ideal candidate will possess strong project management and people management skills, with extensive experience in Waterfall methodology. This role demands excellent organizational leadership, accountability, and a proactive approach to project execution.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in Project management.
• 3+ years in team/organizational leadership.
• Strong background in project management methodologies.

Responsibilities

• Own and lead projects and operational initiatives end-to-end.
• Monitor project progress using 'Plan vs. Actual' analysis.
• Provide organizational and disciplinary leadership to the team.

Skills

Project Management

Waterfall methodology

Team leadership

Organizational leadership

Risk management

Education

Bachelor’s degree in relevant fields

Tools

OpenProject

Gantt charts

Mattermost

Job description

Overview

We are seeking a Project Manager with Organizational Leadership experiencence to manage cross-functional IT projects and teams. The ideal candidate will have a strong background in project management methodologies, operational processes, and team leadership, with a focus on structured planning and accountability

About The Candidate – Successful Candidate Must Have The Following

• Strong Management experience
• Proven People Management and Organizational background
• Assertive
• Proactive
• Expertise in Waterfall methodology
• Must be amenable to work CEST

Key Responsibilities

• Project Management — Own and lead projects and operational initiatives end-to-end within the Operations, Support, and IT Administration domains.
• Apply classical (waterfall) project management methodologies, with clearly defined phases: conception, planning, execution, and closure.
• Create and manage project baselines including detailed work breakdown structures (WBS), Gantt charts, and specification documents.
• Monitor project progress rigorously using “Plan vs. Actual” analysis and proactively manage deviations.
• Identify and manage project risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Coordinate internal resources and third-party vendors for the flawless execution of projects.
• Implement structured change request processes for any scope, timeline, or budget adjustments post sign-off.
• Maintain high standards of documentation and ensure strict adherence to organizational processes and project standards throughout the lifecycle.

Organizational Leadership

• Provide organizational and disciplinary leadership to the operations/support/IT admin team.
• Manage team capacity, roles, and performance evaluations.
• Oversee team functions, ensuring consistent delivery of assigned tasks and alignment with business objectives.
• Understand employees’ roles and responsibilities well enough to support, guide, and optimize performance – without requiring hands-on technical execution.
• The person will concentrate on managing the tasks and workloads, keeping the IT personnel accountable for following internal SLA’s and deadlines etc.
• Process and Meeting Management

Process and Meeting Management

• Establish and maintain a clear and efficient meeting structure to manage team activities.
• Ensure high-quality meeting documentation, including decisions, next steps, and task allocations.
• Develop and maintain central tools such as checklists, taskboards and to-do lists to standardize and streamline team processes.

Requirements

Required Skills

• Expertise in classical project management methodologies is essential, with a proven track record in:
• Waterfall and Hybrid project lifecycles.
• Detailed upfront planning using Work Breakdown Structures (WBS), Gantt charts, and Critical Path Method (CPM).
• Formal project control techniques, including baseline management, Earned Value Management (EVM), and rigorous change control processes.
• Practical experience with open source project management suites (e.g., OpenProject, ProjectLibre) for creating project structure plans, detailed Gantt charts, and milestone tracking.
• Confident use of collaboration tools such as enterprise wikis (e.g., DokuWiki, BookStack) for central documentation and Mattermost for structured communication.
• Very good knowledge of visualizing processes and workflows with tools such as draw.io.

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in one of the following or related fields: Business Administration, Management, Industrial Engineering, Information Systems, Operations Management, Project Management
• 5 + years experience in Project management, including 3 + years in team/organizational leadership.
• Proven experience in structured project management, especially in risk-based planning, resource allocation, and budgeting.
• PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent project management certification is an advantage but not required.
• Proven and demonstrable expertise in the core principles of classical project management (as outlined in the PMBOK Guide) is required
• Strong capabilities in upfront planning, including scope definition, scheduling, and documentation.
• Familiarity with IT-related topics is an advantage.

Personal Competencies

• Excellent written communication and documentation skills.
• High level of logical reasoning and structured thinking.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to convey complex topics clearly and concisely.
• Reliable, organized, and accountable with a proactive and pragmatic leadership style.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and stakeholders.
• Strategic thinking and a proactive mindset.
• Able to motivate and push the teams to reach expected outcomes.
• Comfortable presenting to executives and collaborating with other departments.