JOB PURPOSE
Under the general direction of the Senior Director, Planning Performance & Project Development, the Director, Project Development & Conceptualization is responsible for the management of the Project Portfolio of the Ministry with the objective of ensuring all projects are delivered according to project management principles, best-practices and to plan, coordinate, and manage the design process of projects and activities from concept to approval. The Director must ensure that projects are developed within the agreed scope, time, cost and quality. This role will oversee a portfolio of organizational projects, and provide expert knowledge, support, monitoring and reporting on the status of the portfolio. The Director is expected to provide strong leadership in a matrix environment to promote best practices in developing interrelated projects and programmes to ensure successful delivery. This role will also ensure project resources have the correct toolsets, adequate processes are in place, and that all relevant staff are trained and equipped to deliver successfully.
KEY OUTPUT
- Project Planning and Management Standards & Procedures developed and maintained;
- Project Management Life Cycle directed and managed;
- Project Development Governance Processes developed and implemented;
- Project Risks identified, recommendation provided and managed;
- Project Status and Progress Communicated;
- Project Management Training Initiatives developed and implemented;
- Corporate, Strategic and Operational Plans, and Budget prepared;
- Annual/Quarterly/Monthly/Periodic Reports prepared and submitted;
- Advice, Recommendations and interpretations provided;
- Individual Work plans developed;
- Staff appraisals conducted;
KEY RESPONSIBILITY AREAS
Technical/Professional Responsibilities
- Develops, establishes and maintains Project Management standards and procedures in the Ministry of Health and Wellness;
- Leads and directs all the components of the project development life cycle to include the following: planning, scheduling, resourcing, risk assessment, cost/benefit analyses, change management, monitoring and evaluating, and establishing milestones/final deliverables and overall costs;
- Leads the implementation of effective governance processes for acceptance of projects based on sound business cases;
- Employs the use of historical, political and broader contexts to inform project directions and mitigate risks;
- Develops mechanisms to obtain the commitment of key stakeholders in pursuing project strategies, including cross-organizational initiatives;
- Provides on-going communication to relevant target audiences in relation to project activities;
- Ensures the appropriate and relevant level of testing is in place for all projects e.g. system, regression, UAT with stakeholder sign-off;
- Ensures that project risks are managed effectively and appropriate strategies are in place to respond to variances;
- Implements systems for monitoring and evaluating project performance and outputs;
- Provides effective management of project budgets, expenditures and resources, to achieve Ministry’s goals;
- Ensures that project plan goals are clear and appropriate, including contingency provisions;
- Anticipates and assesses the impact of changes, such as government policy/economic conditions, on project plans and initiatives, and responds appropriately;
- Tracks, monitors, and communicates project progress against the project plans, requirements, quality measures, standards, processes, and milestones;
- Considers the implications of a wide range of complex issues, and adjusts project priorities when necessary;
- Initiates and develops short, medium and longer-term goals and plans to guide the work of the project team in line with organizational objectives;
- Allocates resources to ensure achievement of business outcomes according to plan, and contributes to wider workforce planning;
- Devises systems, tools and techniques to ensure that all decisions are based on a sound understanding of business principles applied in a public sector context;
- Monitors performance against predetermined standards and recommend timely corrective actions accordingly;
- Keeps key stakeholders (sponsors, executive/senior management, staff, etc.) informed about project progress and performance outcomes;
- Develops plans to transition the Ministry through change initiatives and evaluates progress and outcomes to inform future planning;
- Represents the Ministry in negotiations, including those that are cross-ministerial and international, to achieve effective solutions in challenging relationships, ambiguous and conflicting positions;
- Practices conflict resolution techniques to diffuse tensions or misunderstandings with staff or other internal as well as external stakeholders, towards an effective resolution;
- Provides leadership and direction to the functional team so that tasks and activities are coordinated for project scope control, quality control, communication management, change control management, risk management and issue management;
- Oversees the PPM central repository of documentation and processes, including the Project Management Toolkit and other resources;
- Leads the development of professional Project Management Training initiatives for key MOHW stakeholders;
- Establishes and maintains a Project Management Community that fosters the continuous development of the profession and practices;
- Keeps current with the latest tools/techniques in Project Management and Development determines what new solutions and implementations will meet MOHW business requirements;
PERFORMANCE STANDARDS
- Project Management standards and procedures are methodical, meet agreed guidelines and timeframes;
- Project Management Cycle directed in accordance with relevant standards, regulations and timeframes;
- Project Plans, tools and techniques are aligned with Ministry’s mandate and are carried out in agreed standards and timeframes;
- Project Risks managed according to agreed standards and timeframes;
- Project Management Governance processes are in keeping with relevant standards and timeframes;
- Technical advice and recommendations provided are sound and supported by qualitative/quantitative data;
- Corporate, strategic and operational plans developed and implemented within established guidelines, resources and timeframes;
- Work plans conform to established procedures and implemented accorded to establish rules;
- Reports are evidence-based and submitted in a timely manner;
- Staff managed according to GOJ HR and other established practices and performance appraisals and reviews done and submitted in accordance to agreed timeframe and standards;
- Confidentiality, integrity and professionalism displayed in the delivery of duties and interaction with staff.
- with staff.
MINIMUM REQUIRED EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Master’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Management Studies, Public Administration or a related discipline;
- PMI Certification;
- Five (5) years related experience, with at least three (3) years in a senior management capacity in a Project Management environment directing or establishing a PPMO.
OR
- Bachelor’s Degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Management Studies, Public Administration or a related discipline;
- PMI Certification;
- Eight (8) years related experience, with at least six (6) years in a senior management capacity in a Project Management environment directing or establishing a PPMO.
- Risk management training or certification would be a plus.
Applicants are asked to kindly submit a cover letter and resume along with the names, telephone numbers, and email addresses of two (2) references, one of whom must be a former or current supervisor. The position for which they are applying must be included in both their cover letter and the subject line of their email.
Interested persons are invited to submit their applications with résumés no later than
Friday, January 10, 2025, to:
Senior Director
Human Resource Management & Development
Ministry of Health & Wellness
40 Knutsford Boulevard
Kingston 5
Email: jobs@moh.gov.jm
The Ministry of Health & Wellness thanks all applicants for their interest, but only those shortlisted will be contacted.