Head of PMO

Job Description

We are looking for a seasoned project/program manager with retail experience to lead the IT delivery function across our Stores Technology, Enterprise Applications, and Infrastructure teams. This person will report directly to the CIO and be responsible for establishing a PMO function within the IT department. The PMO will be responsible for providing project governance, timeline management, budget management, and coordination across all strategic projects and initiatives.

These projects will range from store technology implementations (e.g., POS enhancements, payment technologies, self-checkout deployments) to enterprise applications implementations (e.g., merchandise planning, WMS, Finance, HR systems) and infrastructure projects (e.g., new office and DC infrastructure build outs, new store openings, and infrastructure upgrades).

You will be responsible for strategic planning, managing project scope, developing and maintaining master schedules, budget management, issue and risk management, producing executive status reports, and conducting post-change analysis. You will lead IT project teams to successfully roll out solutions while collaborating closely with business teams (e.g., Merchandising, Supply Chain, Marketing, Finance, Store Operations) and store management.

You will have the exciting opportunity to work on strategic projects, such as:
 

• Company-wide system implementations (e.g., NextGen analytics, Cloud Merchandising and Warehouse Management Systems, and Finance systems)
• Self-checkout and store infrastructure projects.
• Autonomous stores (Amazon Just Walk Out technology)
• POS system upgrades and integrations with emerging technologies
   

• Support cross-functional teams by coordinating all aspects of project delivery (e.g., blueprinting, solutioning, fit/gap analysis, and change management).
• Work closely with the CIO and IT leadership team to support the formulation and execution of strategic plans, ensuring alignment with company goals and objectives
• Lead and manage key strategic projects and initiatives, from inception to completion. Coordinate and communicate project timelines, deliverables, and progress across relevant teams.
• Prepare and deliver executive-level presentations, reports, and updates.
• Support teams to conduct fit/gap assessments, document business requirements, and advise the business on technology solutions.
• Create and maintain project documentation, such as project charters, project plans, project proposals, project schedules, and risk management plans.
• Work closely with business sponsors and application owners to ensure business needs and solutions are well aligned and projects are delivered on time/on budget.
• Schedule meetings with project teams, stakeholders, and other participants; prepare agendas; capture discussion points and action items.
• Lead budget and benefit realization and track return on investment.
• Ensure project schedules are followed and that the needs of the project are appropriately communicated and escalated where appropriate.
• Provide project management guidance, leadership, and direction to IT team members and project managers/leads to nurture a project management culture.
• Manage scope and project approach to deliver maximum value in the shortest time.
• Develop weekly and monthly status reports to provide updated project timelines, status on deliverables and milestones reached, and raise awareness on issues/risks
  
   

• Bachelor’s degree in technology, engineering or related field and/or equivalent work experience.
• 5-10 years of experience as a project manager of large and cross-functional projects, preferably in retail, fashion, and/or the hospitality industry.
• Proficient in Microsoft Project, PowerPoint, Teams, Excel, Word, Visio, and other similar software commonly used to budget, plan, track, present, document, and manage projects (e.g., Smartsheet, Asana, Jira, etc.).
• Broad understanding of project and program management methodologies.
• Ability to build and maintain effective partnerships among diverse groups of people at all levels in an organization.
• Ability to recognize and work constructively with key stakeholders and develop tactics to effectively implement change.
• Authentic curiosity and learning ability to deeply understand business needs.
• Desire and ability to mentor staff and project teams.
• Experience partnering with multiple 3rd party vendors concurrently.
• Ability to facilitate workshops, develop business case scenarios with ROI, and present findings and solutions to key stakeholders.
• Team player mentality with the ability to work within a matrix organization.
• Independent, self-motivated and detailed oriented.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills.
• Excellent organizational, resource planning, and time management skills.

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Program Management Professional (PgMP), PMI-Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP) and/or equivalent certification.
• Experience delivering retail technology systems and solutions in a complex, multi-brand environment (e.g. fashion, food & beverage (QSR), souvenirs, sundries, and licensed stores).
• Experience in retail environments with technologies such as Oracle Xstore, Aptos Retail, MSFT Dynamics POS/ERP, and/or similar technologies.

• Six Sigma, ITIL, COBIT, or similar certification is a plus!