IT Project Manager -Waterfall

PST.AG; Pretoria; On-site; ZAR 600 000 - 850 000; Full time

Job summary

A leading technology firm in Pretoria is seeking a skilled Project Manager and Organizational Leader to oversee cross-functional IT projects. The successful candidate will possess a strong background in project management methodologies and leadership, focusing on structured planning, risk management, and effective team coordination. The role requires a bachelor's degree in IT or equivalent, and at least five years of project management experience. Experience with project management tools and methodologies is crucial for success in this position.

Qualifications

• 5+ years experience in Project management.
• 3+ years in team / organizational leadership.
• Proven experience in structured project management.

Responsibilities

• Lead projects and operational initiatives end-to-end.
• Create and manage project baselines and documentation.
• Monitor project progress and proactively manage deviations.

Skills

Strong Management experience

Proven Organizational Management experience

Expertise in Waterfall methodology

Experience with project management tools

Familiarity with AI and LLM integration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science or Information Technology

Tools

OpenProject

ProjectLibre

draw.io

Job description

We are seeking a Project Manager and Organizational Leader 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 Organizational Management experience
• Assertive
• Proactive
• Expertise in Waterfall methodology

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

• 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.

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.
• Experience with AI and LLM and integrating it into project management process.

Professional Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Computer Science , Information Technology or any similar discipline.
• 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.
• Previous software development experience ( Java ) is a Huge advantage