Senior Manager, Strategy and Project Management Office (SPMO) - MIT Lincoln Laboratory

Who are we?

MIT Lincoln Laboratory is a Federally Funded Research and Development Center (FFRDC) whose mission is research in support of National Security.

• Mission - The Security Services Department’s (SSD) overall mission is to identify and counter security threats to the MIT Lincoln Laboratory’s mission of development of game-changing technology in support of national security, including guarding against compromise by foreign intelligence agencies and insider threats.
• Culture – We foster an inclusive, opportunity-filled environment of empowered team members from diverse backgrounds.

What will you do?

• Provide strategic leadership to the Strategy and Program Management Office (SPMO) staff consistent with best practices models.
• Manage SSD’s portfolio of large, high-profile, multi-year, cross functional, complex Security and Digital Enterprise Transformation (DET) projects.
• Manage project managers within the SPMO.
• Direct the development and enhancement of project management methodologies, standards, templates and tools.
• Oversee the execution of projects and ongoing portfolio prioritization processes; and ongoing reporting of SSD and DET project activities.

What will you do/Continued

• Leadership of SPMO:
  • Ensure the SPMO’s strategy, goals and objectives are aligned with the strategy and goals of the Department and the Laboratory.
  • Manage the SPMO staff with a consistent methodology (including fulltime employees and contingent workers)
  •  Advise project managers according to best practices
  •  Manage performance appraisals and address any issues
  •  Support professional development for all SPMO staff
  • Oversee the hiring and onboarding of new SPMO staff
  • Oversee demand and capacity management and salary decisions for the SPMO staff
  • Facilitate governance for SSD-led projects; ensure portfolio is prioritized using resource management plans, and facilitates risk mitigation strategy across the portfolio
  • Participate in key SSD leadership teams to help drive strategy decisions 
  • Participate as a senior leader in the development and implementation of the SSD’s strategic plan

What will you do/Continued

• Provide project stewardship for the SSD portfolio of projects:
  • Direct and control the delivery of programs and projects across the SSD portfolio, ensuring end to end program and project delivery; Work closely with the PMs, key stakeholders and Department leadership to ensure timely and effective project execution, leveraging consistent methodology, organizational change management plans, quality product delivery, budget and spend plan tracking, mitigation of critical issues and risks. Projects may include significant business process and/or technology changes.
  • Own the portfolio reporting, providing a portfolio view of all major programs and projects in the pipeline, gathering valuable insight into portfolio challenges, risks and key metrics to measure performance and outcomes.
  • Coordinate and support development of the DET and SSD Portfolio and project prioritization with the Department Office and DET leadership team.
  • Partner and engage with Laboratory stakeholders, including operational departments and research divisions resources for executing cross functional projects, including executives and stakeholders from all levels.
  • Collaborate with other strategy offices and Project Management Offices across the Laboratory as well as peer organizations to leverage mutual experiences, lessons learned, technology expertise, roadmaps and to gather appropriate team resources.
  • Identify appropriate Laboratory stakeholders, providing regular communications.
  • May lead status meetings for major programs and project steering team discussions, facilitates risk mitigation and managing the resolution of complex issues.

What will you do/Continued

• Oversee the continuous improvement of security project management methodologies:
  • This includes enhancing schedule and resource estimations, enhancing Cost Benefit Analysis, adoption of consistent tools and processes, on schedule delivery and ability to deliver in agile fashion to meet the needs of the Laboratory community in timely fashion.
  • Lead and manage the process of generating and reviewing monthly project scorecards with SSD leadership and SPMO teams. Lead project review and evaluation process to approve projects for execution

How will you grow?

 You will find significant opportunities to do meaningful work in an environment intentionally designed to be one where you will learn, thrive and belong.
•    Leadership: Room to advance on your team or to lead cross-functional projects.
•    Growth Opportunities: Potential for lateral and vertical movement.
•    Education/Trainin Management training, mentorship, in-house and external courses.
•    Exposure: Engagement with sponsors, stakeholders, Laboratory leadership and other Departments and Divisions.
•    Community: Participation is encouraged for Laboratory social events, Employee Resource Groups (ERGs), clubs and study groups, volunteering and community service projects.
 

What you need/Requirements:

 To work with MITLL, all employees must meet certain basic requirements.

• ***A Bachelor’s degree in project management, or related field 
• ***A minimum of twelve years relevant work experience as program/project manager building, deploying, and supporting enterprise security or technology efforts within a high functioning project management office with at least five years in a PMO leadership role or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
• ***A PMP certificate.
• Proficiency in various project management methodologies (Agile and Waterfall) and their appropriate applications.
• Knowledge and experience with project management governance processes and functions.
• Knowledge and use of project portfolio/management software tools.
• Excellent leadership with a proven track record of successful high level of influence across the organization.
• Experience supervising in a matrix organization.
• Successful experience and outcomes leading a Project Management Office.
• Documented experience and evidence of improving project management processes.
• Stellar organizational skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to manage stress in a professional manner.

What you need/Requirements Continued:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with the ability to present to all levels of the organization including stakeholders across Departments and Divisions and Senior Department and Laboratory management.
• Self-motivation, the ability to work independently as well as effectively collaborating with diverse teams.
• The ability to build both formal and informal professional networks, and extend these networks within, across and external to organizational boundaries.
• Act as the organizational change agent for improving PPM maturity and practices, in support of business/agency goals and strategy.
• Communicate ideas or positions in a persuasive manner that builds support, agreement or commitment.
• Take actions that directly or indirectly influence others to create buy-in, gain trust and motivate actions in others.
• Facilitate win-win solutions when conflicts emerge.
• Influence key stakeholders through persuasive negotiations and building effective relationships.
• Mobilize others within the Security Services Department to support and enable change efforts within individual initiatives and inside business and operations units.

Ideally, you will have:

The Laboratory values experiences from diverse backgrounds and occupations. The most successful candidates will have the following skills and qualifications.

• A Master’s degree in project management, or related field with familiarity and experience in industrial security, computer science or computer information systems.
• Additional project management certifications such as PMI’s Disciplined Agile Scrum Master (DASM) Certification, Disciplined Agile Senior Scrum Master (DASSM) Certification, PMI Agile Certified Practitioner (PMI-ACP)® Certification , Scrum Master Certificate, PRINCE2 or SAFe.
• Experience with formal organizational change management or transformation models (Prosci, CMI, CCMP, etc)
• A 'Can Do' attitude and a sense of ownership.
• A drive and passion to make the SSD PMO a 'great place to work.’
• The ability to inspire, motivate and guides team members.
• The ability to foster commitment, team spirit, pride and trust.
• The ability to collaborate with stakeholders across the enterprise at every level.
• The ability to set and accomplish challenging goals, compete resourcefully and take calculated risks to achieve results.
• The ability to demonstrate “patient perseverance” and understands when to push an initiative forward and when to step back and incorporate feedback.
• The ability to procure and maintain support from key stakeholders in the enterprise to evolve and advance the SPMO.
• Significant line management experience to lead, manage and continually develop staff and to ensure they have the appropriate skills, attitudes and motivation to deliver.
• The willingness to lead change leveraging relationships.