Project Manager, IT (ESD)

Chicago Public Schools (CPS) is a district on the rise, serving over 320,000 students in 500+ schools and employing over 44,000 people, most of them teachers. CPS has set ambitious goals to ensure that every student, in every school and every neighborhood, has access to a world-class learning experience that prepares each for success in college, career, and civic life. In order to fulfill this mission, we make three commitments to our students, their families, and all Chicagoans: academic progress, financial stability, and integrity. Six core values are embedded within these commitments – student-centered, whole child, equity, academic excellence, community partnership, and continuous learning.

The Office of Information and Technology Services (ITS) works to build the capacity of schools to use information and technology, maintain network infrastructure, security standards, and support other departments to meet district goals. ITS provides innovative technology solutions that improve the quality of education for students, reduce the administrative burden on educators, facilitate parent interaction, increase community engagement, and support CPS’ mission of transparency by focusing on the ease and equity of access to information.

Job Summary:

Reporting to the Manager, IT Project Portfolio in the Enterprise Solution Delivery organization of Information Technology Services, the Project Manager is responsible for leading and managing the full lifecycle of IT projects, ensuring successful execution from initiation to closure. This is a full-time exempt position that will be paid for time worked on a salary basis.

This position will be held accountable for the following responsibilities:

·       Oversee multiple projects, ensuring alignment with priorities, timelines, and budgets

·       Develop and maintain project plans, manage scope, and monitor performance

·       Coordinate cross-functional teams and facilitate Agile ceremonies when needed

·       Proactively identify risks, manage changes, and resolve conflicts to keep projects on track

·       Ensure clear and regular communication with leadership and key stakeholders, providing project updates

·       Drive high-quality outcomes while managing project constraints

·       Other related duties as assigned

In order to be successful and achieve the above responsibilities, this position must possess the following qualifications:

Education Required:

·       Bachelor’s degree from an accredited college or university in Business, IT, or a related field is required

·       PMP, CAPM, CSM, ACP, SAFe, or other relevant project management certifications is preferred.

Experience Required:

·       Minimum of five (5) years of experience in IT project management, preferably in a large complex organization is required, including the following:

·       Minimum of two (2) years of experience with Agile project management methodologies 

·       Experience in Education (K-12) project or program work is preferred

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

·       Strong project management skills across Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid methodologies.

·       Proficiency in JIRA, Service Now, Azure DevOps, Smartsheet, or other project tools.     

·       Excellent stakeholder management and written and verbal communication skills.

·       Ability to identify risks, manage change, and drive project success.

Conditions of Employment

As a condition of employment with the Chicago Public Schools (CPS), employees are required to:

·       Establish/Maintain Chicago Residency - Employees are required to live within the geographic boundaries of the City of Chicago within six months of their CPS hire date and maintain residency throughout their employment with the district. The Chicago residency requirement does not apply to temporary/part-time positions, however, all CPS employees must be residents of Illinois.