Project Manager

Northern Illinois Food Bank

Job Title Description:  Project Manager

Classification: Exempt

Reports To: Chief Financial Officer

Date Updated: November 2024

Summary/Objective 

Oversees projects varying in size and complexity in adherence with deadlines and within budget. This includes coordinating the efforts of Northern Illinois Food Bank colleagues and third-party contractors and consultants in order to deliver the project.

Projects will include implementations of new policies, theories, methods, procedures, programs, software, and infrastructure improvements related to operations across the Food Bank.  The PM provides vision and design leadership in the planning and implementation of projects that serve the organization’s strategic priorities.

The Project Manager will also help to develop the tools needed to support management and change-management related to projects being pursued by the organization, as well as the reporting tools to keep management abreast of progress against project goals.  The PM provides technical guidance in program-led discussions and business analysis to determine the appropriate workflow and areas for automation including possibilities and limitations of technology solutions

The ultimate goal is to establish a PMO for Northern Illinois Food Bank to keep key projects on track and support cross-functional collaboration in driving positive change at the organization.  

Essential Functions: 

Project Planning and Execution 

• Provide vision and leadership to project teams and align stakeholders and team members by ensuring a common understanding of expectations in the project plan
  1. Lead efforts to develop project plans in collaboration with key stakeholders and leadership across multiple functions
  2. Ensure projects are properly managed from requirements gathering to design to implementation to launch, including any change management efforts needed
  3. Review project resources and ensure tasks can be completed as planned
• Ensure project requirements are documented, and approved, and changes to requirements are controlled
• Develop project plans and collaborate with cross-functional team members to achieve specific goals, schedule tasks, identify risks, develop contingency plans, and allocate resources in order to advance the mission of the organization
• Coordinate, manage, and complete projects on time, within budget, and within scope
  1. Identify and communicate any issues with on-time and on-budget project completion, and communicate to executive and project leadership
• Refine project scope and evaluate functional and operational requirements
• Work to implement approved actions and workarounds to mitigate risks
• Conduct project retrospectives to identify key learnings and areas for team improvement
• Provide oversight of key projects ensuring consistency of approach – mentors and coaches as necessary
• Ensure projects maintain the Northern Illinois Food Bank's commitment to our mission, organizational culture and human-centered design

Stakeholder Management and Communication Planning

• Actively participate as a team member to move the team toward the completion of goals
• Responsible for maintaining effective communication and expectations, including Management and Board level communication, as necessary
• Establish a culture of accountability
• Ensure relevant solutions are fully informed by Food Bank capacities and perspective, with a focus on benefit to Mission
• Report project status to Executives / Senior Leadership at regular intervals, including informing management on issues and seeking their counsel as required

Required Education, Skills, and Experience 

• Minimum 5 years of project management experience, including leading cross-functional teams, defining project requirements, scope, and objectives, and deploying project management tools
• BA/BS or relevant experience
• Project management certification is highly desired
• Strong familiarity with project management software tools, methodologies, and best practices
• Committed to the organizational mission of providing nutritious food and resources for our neighbors, with dignity, equity, and convenience, through partnerships and innovation
• Committed to a workplace that values Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion in different backgrounds and life experiences and allows everyone to bring their authentic self to work. Builds equity into structures, systems, and processes for our employees and the communities we serve 

Key Competencies

• Experience seeing the project through the full life cycle
• Ability to prioritize and manage work against critical project timelines in a fast-paced environment 
• Demonstrated proficiency in facilitating a diverse set of teams and groups
• Ability to manage up and down within the organization
• Ability to see the big picture and understand the perspectives of multiple functions
• High level of analytical skills with a propensity to make data informed decisions
• Ability to provide direction, solve a diverse range of issues and problems and meet real deadlines
• Ability to see the big picture and understand the perspectives and orthodoxies of multiple functions
• Ability to coach others in using project management
• Professionalism, emotional maturity and the ability to use diplomacy in working relationships to deal with conflict and to arbitrate solutions successfully
• Ability to communicate effectively verbally and in writing across all levels of the organization
• Ability to negotiate and persuade other leaders to adopt ideas

Supervisory Responsibility

This position has no supervisory responsibility.

Work Environment

This job operates in a professional office environment. This role routinely uses standard office equipment such as computers, phones, photocopiers, filing cabinets and fax machines.

Physical Demands
 While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to communicate. This is largely a sedentary role; however, requires regular meeting attendance. 

Position Type and Expected Hours of Work
 This is a full-time position. Days and hours of work are Monday through Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 5 p.m. Some flexibility in hours is allowed, but the employee must be available during the "core" work hours of 8:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. and must work 40 hours each week to maintain full-time status.

Remote Work

Based on the Northern Illinois Food Bank’s Remote Work Policy and position evaluation, this position is eligible for hybrid remote work.

Position Location and Travel

This position is based out of our West Suburban Center (Geneva) location. Travel to other Food Bank branches may be required.

Our Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion (DEI)

Northern Illinois Food Bank will embrace opportunities to stand in solidarity with our community and center the voices of those most impacted by systematic injustices. We affirm our commitment to anti-racism, gender equity, allyship, and to fairness as we work towards a hunger-free future and to create a better and more just world. 

Background Check

All applicants who are offered employment with the Northern Illinois Food Bank will be subject to a background investigation. Offers of employment are contingent on the successful completion of a background investigation and drug test conducted in accordance with Northern Illinois Food Bank policy and state law.

Equal Opportunity Employment 

Equal employment has been, and will continue to be, a fundamental principle at Northern Illinois Food Bank where employment is based upon personal capabilities and qualifications without regard to race, creed, color, marital status, sex, religion, national origin, class origin, nationality, age, physical or mental disability, military status, sexual orientation, or any other legally protected class.

Other Duties

Please note this job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee for this job. Duties, responsibilities, and activities may change at any time with or without notice.

Salary Information

Department: 12

Pay Grade: 17