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Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

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At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career. 

Job Summary
The Cloud Innovation Centre (CIC) Project Manager leads the full lifecycle of multiple concurrent cloud innovation projects, including medium scale and technically complex initiatives involving artificial intelligence (AI), generative AI and Amazon Web Services (AWS). The role translates challenges proposed by community, government, higher education and not for profit organizations into defined projects that deliver proof of concept solutions, demonstrate feasibility and create practical learning opportunities for UBC students.

The Project Manager is accountable for project scope, plans, schedules, resource coordination, delivery risks and agreed outcomes. The position assembles multidisciplinary teams, assigns responsibilities and makes project delivery decisions within the CIC mandate, approved resources and the UBC AWS collaboration agreement. It directly supervises project assistants and leads the project work of developers, consultants, senior solutions architects and student staff. As a member of the CIC management team, the Project Manager contributes to strategic and operational planning and establishes and improves project management practices that support reliable delivery, effective partnerships and student development.

Organizational Status
The position reports to the Director and works closely with UBC and AWS CIC colleagues, senior project sponsors, technical specialists, the Office of the Provost and Vice President, Academic, Faculties, UBC IT and other academic and administrative units. The role provides project leadership across participating organizations and represents the CIC in matters concerning assigned project delivery.

Work Performed

Specific Duties:

• Leads concurrent small and medium scale cloud innovation projects, including complex AI initiatives, from challenge scoping, planning and team formation through development, testing, demonstrations and project closure.
• Works with sponsors, technical leads and subject matter experts to define requirements, success criteria, scope, constraints and deliverables; documents and maintains agreement on project objectives.
• Develops and maintains project plans, schedules, milestones and resource requirements; assembles teams, assigns responsibilities and balances competing demands across assigned projects.
• Evaluates changes to scope, schedules and resources, resolves dependencies and determines corrective action. Makes significant delivery decisions within approved parameters and escalates decisions requiring additional authority or resources to the Director.
• Tracks progress, risks and issues, anticipates delays and addresses barriers to delivery. Leads sponsor reviews of project outcomes and coordinates completion of agreed deliverables and project closure.
• Provides project direction to developers, designers, senior solutions architects and other specialists delivering serverless web applications, AI enabled tools and cloud solutions using AWS, infrastructure as code and related technologies.
• Works with technical leads to translate architectural recommendations and development constraints into delivery plans; manages interdependencies among data preparation, AI integration, application development, testing and release activities.
• Establishes project quality and validation objectives with sponsors and technical specialists. Ensures required architecture, security, development and compliance reviews are incorporated into project work and identified issues are addressed with the responsible specialists.
• Manages requirements validation, testing and pilot activities; coordinates demonstrations, technical and user documentation, and handover of prototypes and supporting materials to sponsors.
• Owns relationships with senior internal and external project stakeholders for assigned projects, clarifies commitments, negotiates feasible delivery expectations and resolves issues affecting scope, timing and outcomes.
• Leads project meetings, sponsor discussions and progress presentations; explains technical considerations, dependencies, risks and options in terms that support informed decisions by technical and non-technical audiences.
• Works with technical and communications colleagues to prepare project summaries, web content and other approved communications; coordinates sharing of project outcomes and open source materials in accordance with CIC practices.
• Selects, adapts and establishes CIC project management methods, procedures, documentation and quality objectives within applicable UBC requirements and the agreed UBC AWS innovation approach.
• Evaluates delivery results, lessons learned and student feedback; implements improvements to project practices, team coordination and the work integrated learning experience.
• Contributes to CIC strategic and operational planning by advising on project capacity, delivery priorities, risks and improvement opportunities. Maintains appropriate professional designations and current knowledge of project management approaches and relevant cloud and AI technologies.
• Mentors student and junior staff, identifies learning needs and ensures access to suitable tools, training and guidance. Balances learning opportunities with project requirements and delivery commitments.
• Addresses performance concerns within supervisory authority and works with the relevant supervisor, the Director and Human Resources on matters requiring formal action.

Core Duties:

• Initiates projects following appropriate project management methodology including gathering and defining project requirements, developing project charters, project plans, budgets and schedules, identifying staffing requirements, and forming project teams.
• Selects and follows project management methods, procedures, and quality objectives, and tracks metrics for assessing progress.
• Balances workload, provides technical and analytical guidance and work direction to project team, including scheduling, assignment of work, review of project efforts and removal of roadblocks which may inhibit project success.
• Ensures that all team members have the tools and training required to perform effectively, and provides the team with constructive feedback as it pertains to project performance.
• Assesses variances from the project plans, budgets and schedules, develops and implements changes as necessary to ensure that the project remains within specified scope and is within time, cost, and quality objectives, and keeps management aware of the situation.
• Conducts formal review with business sponsor at project completion to confirm acceptance and satisfaction.
• Identifies potential areas for improvement in current methodologies and provides guidance to other less experienced project managers.
• Develops and maintains a productive working relationship with project sponsors, vendors and key clients.
• Maintains appropriate professional designations and up to date knowledge of current information technology techniques and tools.
• Performs other related duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
The position exercises professional judgment and works with wide latitude in decisions affecting scope, resources, schedules, quality and stakeholder commitments. These decisions influence project feasibility, CIC resources, delivery outcomes and student learning. Inadequate scoping, coordination or risk management can cause rework, additional costs, missed commitments, unusable deliverables or compliance concerns. Mishandling sensitive information can have legal and reputational consequences and undermine confidence in UBC, AWS and the CIC. The Project Manager anticipates problems, evaluates options and takes corrective action or escalates matters beyond delegated authority.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Director and receives broad direction on priorities and intended outcomes. Works with wide latitude within the CIC mandate, collaboration commitments and approved resources. Work is reviewed against broad project objectives, delivery quality and team leadership. Consults the Director on material changes or matters outside delegated authority, and works closely with technical experts and sponsors.

Supervision Given
Directly supervises project assistants and other assigned staff. Directs multidisciplinary project teams, including senior technical specialists and students, and coordinates work through designated team leads and relevant supervisors. Provides coaching, mentorship and performance feedback.

Minimum Qualifications
Undergraduate degree in a relevant discipline. In-depth knowledge of applications and the business requirements supporting them. Minimum of five years of related experience, or the equivalent combination of education and experience.

- Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one’s own

- Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one’s own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Progressive project and/or technology management experience (or an equivalent combination of education and experience). Experience in a university, higher education, or other public sector environment is highly preferred.
• Proven track record operating in a project manager role specifically managing, designing, developing, and implementing IT systems or processes.
• Experience with technology projects, software development, technical support, and the implementation of medium scale, complex, or enterprise level systems.
• Experience in change management, budget development, financial management, and risk management.
• Managerial experience (or equivalent combination of education and experience) with the ability to mentor and coach staff, act as a resource, and maintain high motivation.
• Understanding of key trends and players in the IT industry particularly regarding mobile applications and digital media, alongside knowledge of IT application development methodologies, best practices, benchmarks, and "rules of thumb."
• A Project Management Professional (PMP) designation is an asset.
• Effective leadership, consulting, consensus building, conflict resolution, negotiation, and team building skills.
• Ability to effectively facilitate groups to achieve appropriate outcomes, as well as develop and deliver effective presentations and workshops.
• Ability to develop and maintain cooperative and productive working relationships with current and potential customers.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple tasks and priorities while working in a fast paced environment.
• Knowledge and experience with project management methodology and structure are important but the role will require being flexible, and not dogmatic.
• Emotional intelligence and elevated relationship management skills are important in navigating the complexity of relationships across a significant corporate sponsor, the high-profile nature of CIC outcomes, faculty, admin and student relationships.
• Working with students is a privilege and a challenge. Experienced PMs will need to exercise management skills that will elevate inexperienced staff while delivering at a high-level.