IT Infrastructure Project Manager-Irvine, CA

We are a world-class international consulting company looking for a Senior Consultant I to join our team. We offer a supportive company culture with positive energy, forward momentum, flexibility, and inclusiveness. Responsibilities will focus on planning, organizing, and integrating cross-functional IT initiatives such as MDF/IDF upgrades, network remediation, and wireless installations, while liaising with other technical groups. The ideal candidate for this position is a self-starter who can work well in a fast-paced environment. The candidate should have strong knowledge of server teams, VM teams, cloud deployments, load balancers, etc. We encourage any professional who meets the criteria above to apply.

The Senior Consultant I (IT Infrastructure Project Manager) at Thinkbox Technology Group is a professional that possesses the typical project management skillsets while acquainted with modern IT technologies

This position will consist of periodic domestic travel as per client demand. The role calls for great communication and analytical skills, with the ability to bridge to gap between the business and IT. 

Job Responsibilities:

Project Planning:

• Identify and sequence core project activities while compiling the details into a document (schedule)
• Explain implications of changes to project scope and/or objectives to the client and the project team
• Lead the team to prioritize signed off project work based on analysis of strategic importance, tasks outstanding, obstacles or barriers, budgets, resources, and deadlines
• Manage the client stakeholders, team members, or contract personnel to design a solution and establish associated project timelines and budgets that allow for the delivery of the most strategic function within the project constraints
• Establish and maintain a usable and well-communicated schedule for all phases of a project

Budget Tracking:

• Fundamental understanding of cost management
• Accurately forecast project financials, utilization, and cost performance
• Manages project budget
• Follows up with clients, when necessary, regarding unpaid invoices

Technical Consulting:

• Sufficient proficiency in the following suite of technologies to hold conversations with experts, identify actions in meetings, and articulate meaningful updates to clients using the appropriate technology terminology. Examples of subject matter below
• Infrastructure cabling within MDFs, IDFs, Small Office Buildouts, and Data Centers
• Electrical requirements for MDFs, IDFs, and Data Centers in order to support always-on devices
• Exposure to HVAC and power requirements
• Understanding of wired LAN networks and all the necessary devices/components that such networks are comprised of
• Understanding of site-to-site and client-to-site connection strategies
• Fundamental understanding of concepts of IP schemas, VLANs, and routing protocols
• Fundamental understanding of QoS within a network
• Understanding of wireless LAN (WLAN) solutions including Wireless Access Points (WAPs), Wireless Lan Controllers (WLCs), common wireless installation processes, common wireless survey methods, and common wireless validation methods
• Familiar with dealing with service providers and carriers
• Capability to interpret wireless, cabling, elevation, HLD, and logical network designs or work with client SMEs to decipher relevant components
• Ability to put together equipment BOMs and track quantities of materials as per design specifications articulated by the customer
• May be responsible for obtaining entry-level technical certifications at the client’s request for emerging technologies
• Responsible for research on modern technical concepts and methodologies to present to clients and mentor teams
• Responsible for interpreting technical language into business-level/user-level terminology to streamline communications

Project control:

• Manage scope creep through client change orders, internal change orders, phased delivery, or other methods to ensure projects deliver on timeline, scope, budget, and strategy expectations
• Evaluate all key project deliverables, as well as a final product to ensure traceability of requirements, high quality, and client acceptance. Responsible for formal sign off on all project deliverables; this will often include coordinating input and involvement from the account director and client
• Ensure project meets internal and client expectations with respect to quality, budget, delivery timelines, and strategy
• Identify, track, manage and mitigate risk on specific client engagements. Escalate these issues when necessary to ensure minimal impact on quality, budget, and timeline
• Where project control is in jeopardy, create contingency plans with appropriate input from key team members and implement a revised project schedule, scope or budget in a timely manner

Project Communication:

• Work with the account director to ensure clients achieve an understanding of expectations, deliverables, dependencies, risks, progress, and the bright works development process
• If needed, create customized reporting for the client or team with account management and/or team leads, to secure sign off on deliverables or documentation
• Use sound judgment in all project communication and ensure that key stakeholders including the team, client, and management are apprised of project activities in a timely manner
• Communicate progress, risks, expectations, timelines, milestones, and other key project metrics to clients and team members

Resource Management:

• Determine project roles of team members based on project requirements, time frames, and budget
• When necessary, work with external contractors in addition to internal resources
• Define skill sets (competencies) required for the project based on project specifications and requirements
• Determine resource requirements (including staffing, software, hardware, and facilities) of projects, based on project specifications

Client management:

• Continually seeks opportunities to increase customer satisfaction and deepen client relationships
• Builds a knowledge base of each client’s business, organization, and objectives
• Manages day-to-day client interaction
• Sets and manages client expectations
• Develops lasting relationships with client personnel that foster client ties
• Communicates effectively with clients to identify needs and evaluate alternative business solutions

Supervisory Responsibility:

• This position has training responsibilities. Sr. Consultants are responsible for training and development of team members assigned to projects they are supporting or managing
• Consultants will assist VPs in identifying ways to expand in current clients as well as assist in developing new business leads as opportunities present themselves
• Consultants may be asked to perform additional assignments and responsibilities as assumed or requested by management

Position Type/Expected Hours of Work:

This is a full-time position. Senior Consultants work a standard work week but may be required to work evenings and weekends to monitor project activities and participate in cutovers or other project efforts. 

Travel:

Some travel may be required.

Qualifications:

Experience and Education:

• One of the following:
• 3-5 years of IT Project Manager experience with a heavy focus on technical consultation
• 5-8 Years of Project Manager experience; 2-3 years of hands-on technical experience
• PMP Certification Highly Preferred
• Agile Certifications (CSM, PMI-ACP, etc.) Highly Preferred
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent is Highly Preferred

Skills and Abilities:

• Networking certifications (CCNA, CCDA, MCSE, etc.) are a plus
• Cloud certifications (AWS, Azure, etc.) are a plus
• Excellent client-facing and internal communication skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Solid organizational skills including attention to detail and multi-tasking skills
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office, Project, and Visio 
• Organized with attention to detail
• Result oriented, highly analytical, able to be a strategic and creative thinker
• exceptional problem-solving skills
• Ability to create and maintain strong, meaningful, and lasting relationships
• Customer service oriented
• Advanced document management skills
• High level of oral, written, and computer software communication skills
• Efficient and able to prioritize tasks
• Self-starter, proactive
• Ability to work according to tight deadlines and under pressure
• Creative and problem-solving thinking
• Ability to work independently with little to no supervision as well as work as part of a team