IT Portfolio Delivery Team Manager

King County; Seattle (WA); Hybrid; USD 150,000 - 190,000; Full time

Job summary

King County IT is seeking an IT Portfolio Delivery Team Manager to lead a team of IT program and project managers within KCIT's PMO. The role focuses on delivering complex, high-impact technology projects for county departments and agencies.

The position requires expertise in IT program/project management, Agile and traditional methodologies, and mentoring senior professionals. The hybrid role reports to the Principal IT PMO Manager and supports enterprise portfolio delivery.

Qualifications

• 5+ years managing IT Program/Project Managers as direct reports.
• Experience delivering IT programs and projects using multiple delivery methodologies (waterfall, Agile/Scrum, hybrid).
• Experience leading vendor sourcing, negotiations, and contracting activities in IT projects.
• Ability to build and maintain relationships with executives, partners, and stakeholders.
• Ability to plan work with conflicting priorities and manage risks and issues.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams focused on customer service and delivery excellence.
• Seasoned people manager and coach with strong communication and mentorship skills.
• Ability to assess situations quickly and resolve conflicts using facts and diplomacy.

Responsibilities

• Project Delivery - Measure and enable execution; optimize portfolio management reporting and KPI visibility.
• Oversee risk/issue management and advise PMs on mitigation.
• Define and manage PM allocations to meet project requirements.
• Promote growth, development, and continuous improvement of PMs and processes.
• Support KCIT portfolio of active and planned projects including CapEx/OpEx.
• Assist KPI reporting to provide a prioritized view of portfolio performance.
• Support rollout and optimization of Project and Portfolio Management tool (Planview PPM Pro).
• Develop processes for enterprise-wide project prioritization.
• Collaborate with KCIT Customer Success to align projects with business priorities.

Skills

IT program management

Leadership

Agile methodologies

Waterfall

Hybrid delivery

Vendor management

Communication skills

Cross-functional collaboration

Coaching / mentoring

Customer service

Tools

Planview PPM Pro

Job description

Yes, this is government, but we'll surprise you in how we break from the stereotypical mold. King County is driving to become the best run government in the country. For King County Department of Information Technology (KCIT) that means pushing the County forward through innovation and optimization. We’re committed to helping our customers and our constituents get solutions that help them do their job or do life easier. That's where you come in.

King County Department of Information Technology (KCIT) is seeking an IT Portfolio Delivery Team Manager to lead a team of IT program and project managers in our Portfolio/Program/Project Management Office (PMO). The ideal candidate has expertise in IT program and project management and the delivery of outcomes through Agile and traditional methodologies; coaching and managing the performance of senior technical professionals; and providing exceptional customer service. This position will report directly to the Principal IT PMO Manager in Business & Operations Services and will assist in the management of KCIT’s enterprise portfolio of technology programs and projects. We partner with all of the Executive-branch departments and separately-elected agencies within the King County government in executing and successfully delivering complex, high-impact projects and technology solutions that provide value to the community we serve.

• Project Delivery - Measuring and Enabling Execution: Ensure project teams provide adequate visibility of their progress (e.g. through optimization of Portfolio Management software and KPI reporting). Audit project data to uncover issues and challenges and make recommendations to increase efficiency and ensure successful project delivery. Oversee risks and issues and assist PMs in addressing them.
• Resource Management: Define PM allocations to meet project requirements at any stage. Ensure the proper, ongoing management of project resource allocation, including adjustments based on emerging business or technical opportunities and challenges.
• Growth, Development, Continuous Improvement: Identify professional development requirements for PMs and work on a plan to address them. Measure and report the progress of teams and individuals in meeting their goals and provide feedback. Contribute to improvements of organizational processes.
• Support the management of KCIT’s portfolio of active projects, planned projects, and managed work efforts (CapEx and OpEx)
• Support performance objectives, KPIs/metrics, and Visual Management to drive employee engagement, customer satisfaction, time to release and productivity
• Support KPI reporting to track and communicate overall portfolio performance and status, providing a comprehensive and prioritized view of managed work efforts
• Support the rollout, configuration, effective use, and continuous improvement of Project and Portfolio Management tool (Planview PPM Pro)
• Support the development of processes to manage project prioritization for the enterprise
• Work with KCIT Customer Success Managers to share information, ensure project alignment with business priorities, capabilities, and resources, and elicit feedback for continuous improvement
• Support the application and continuous improvement of KCIT’s Project Management Delivery Framework
• Ensure that IT project managers deliver all projects and managed efforts in alignment with KCIT’s Project Management Delivery Framework in order to meet governance obligations and maintain focus on delivering successful project outcomes transparently and predictably for our business partners.
• Support the optimization of project planning, vendor management, resource engagement, project risk identification and control, decisions and issue resolution
• Support raising the maturity level of the Project Management organization by mentoring, guiding, and driving continuous improvement
• Support an environment of collaboration, successful delivery and continuous improvement
• Act as point of escalation and clear impediments for project/program teams
• Recruit and onboard new PMO team members.
• Supervise, mentor, and develop project managers.
• Determine, track, and report individual and unit performance goals.

• 5 or more years managing IT Program/Project Managers as direct reports
• 7 or more years as an IT Project/Program Manager (or equivalent experience) demonstrating experience leading IT-related projects
• Advanced knowledge of project management principles and techniques
• Experience leveraging multiple project and program delivery methodologies and frameworks, including waterfall, Agile/Scrum, and hybrid
• Experience leading vendor sourcing, negotiation, and contracting activities (including competitive procurements), managing vendor performance, and controlling contracted deliverable quality and formal acceptance processes during an IT project
• Demonstrated ability to establish and maintain effective relationships with direct reports, senior leadership, business partners, and other stakeholders
• Ability to develop and oversee implementation of work plans with competing project priorities, anticipating and adjusting for risks and issues
• Ability to work collaboratively, maneuvering through complex situations effectively
• Strong written and verbal communications skills
• Demonstrated experience working with and/or leading cross-functional teams focused on excellence in customer service; engaging, educating and exciting staff with passion and commitment
• Skilled people manager and coach with strong communication skills, able to listen to direct reports and help them to perform and grow
• Ability to read situations quickly; resolving conflicts using facts and diplomacy

Desirable Qualifications

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP) or Portfolio Management Professional (PfMP) certification
• Scrum (CSM, CSPO, PSM) or other Agile certification
• Change Management experience, expertise and/or certification
• Lean Six Sigma certification (Green Belt or higher)
• Prior experience in public sector/government IT organizations

Hybrid Work

The work associated with this position will be performed through a combination of onsite work and telecommuting. Employees will have access to shared workspaces at various King County facilities. Employees must reside in Washington state and within a reasonable distance to their King County worksites to respond to workplace reporting requirements. King County has a robust collection of toolsandresources to support when working remotely.

Classification: IT Manager - Senior

Union: This position is represented by Teamsters 117 IT Managers & Supervisors

Work Schedule: The normal work week for this position is Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. Alternative work schedules may be considered. This position is FLSA Exempt and is not eligible for overtime pay.

Contact: If you need this announcement in an alternate language or format, or you would like to request accommodation or assistance in the application or assessment process, please contact Robert James at [e-mail].

King County's Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values unite us.

King County serves residents with a relentless sense of urgency, delivering on commitments with transparency and accountability. We are action-oriented, creative problem solvers who collaborate across roles, engage directly with communities, and challenge the status quo to achieve meaningful impact. As a unified team, we uphold high ethical and stewardship standards, embrace change, stay curious, and continuously improve. Across all interactions, we listen first, act quickly, and stay aligned as a team to earn and sustain public trust. Learn more about our Vision, Mission, and ACTIVATE Values here and visit our Why work at King County page here.

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