Project Manager, Instructional Design

Business/Strategic Management Career Level:   Experienced (Non-Manager) Company:   ACS inc We motivate. We empower. We lead. We follow. We laugh. We succeed. ACS offers innovative and effective outsourcing solutions for clients around the world. We deliver higher quality, increased productivity, and lower costs. Can we do that for you? Sure we can. For business process outsourcing (BPO) and information technology outsourcing (ITO), ACS is not a product, we're services. We're people making technology work. We'd be glad to demonstrate the ACS advantage. Let us tell you about our world-class people, our company, and the "can-do" attitude that motivates us to deliver nothing less than the very best. Project Manager, Instructional Design Job Description:Affiliated Computer Services, Inc., ACS, is a global FORTUNE 500 company with more than 55,000 plus people working together to support client operations in nearly 100 countries. By providing business process outsourcing, human resources outsourcing and information technology solutions to world-class commercial and government clients, ACS offers its associates vast opportunities to succeed. Recognized worldwide for generating possibilities and creating solutions, ACS welcomes you to become part of our growing team. Join our mission and vision for the future. Thank you for your interest!Job Summary: The Project Manager will be responsible for managing a full project lifecycle for a single or multiple customer project(s).Project complexity spans across the entire design and development lifcycle--touching at least one solution element from custom content development, technology implementation and integration, advisory services and/or off-the-shelf integration. This individual will manage the project profitability targets, delivery of project on time and on budget, project resources (including forecasting), customer satisfaction, billing preparation, and status reporting.This job will require demonstrated knowledge of the e-learning industry as well as instructional design knowledge. The Project Manager will be required to manage customer expectations and facilitate customer interactions building an effective customer relationship. Planning, organizing, managing budgets are necessary for the individual to work through the full lifecycle of the project(s). Key Responsibilities:Project Management · Manages full project lifecycle for multiple customer project(s) with a value ranging from $100K - $1M each.· Manages project profitability targets, on time, on budget delivery, project timelines, project resources, (including forecasting), exception rate adjustments, customer satisfaction, billing preparation, and status reporting.· Manages daily project team activities including customer interaction, status meetings, team daily activities, progress, and issues resolution and issue escalation to the Account Manager and Program Manager.· Manages customer’s expectations and establishes the project team expectations: defining scope, role responsibilities and resource utilization targets of project team members.· Builds project plan to accommodate staffing and staffs project to maximize leverage of all team members (e.g., competency, experience, markets).· Develops/executes project strategy & approach and work plan according to pre-defined methodology adapting to customer specific needs.· Accountable for design, development, and delivery of all project deliverables (i.e., project charter, content outlines, design documents, storyboards, pilot strategy, course development, design session summaries, etc.)· Reviews/finalizes deliverables; monitors deliverable quality; ensures QA materials are prepared for QA project audit. · Manages project budget; identifies and mitigates risk (e.g., reuses knowledge and leverages what company has done in past on similar engagements, encourages others to do so as well).· Develops, implements and manages scope change process.· Monitors hours and expenses of project team, ensuring accurate and timely Time & Expense submission while promptly providing corrections and modification input to Account Manager for billing.· Identifies, initiates and develops innovative solutions for customer learning needs.· Tracks, analyzes, and makes recommendations on status reports, issue resolution, and program actual against budget to customeraccount managerprogram manager.· Defines business requirements of learning solution per customer needs and requests· Identifies and implements learning solutions to business requirements developed during the design/development of the learning system.· Develops presentations, leads meetings, facilitates design session and prepares and advises customer counterpart to effectively address Senior Management on project status, concerns, questions, scope changes and risks.Teaming & People Management & Self Development · Manages, coaches, trains, staffs and evaluates teams consisting of 2 to 15 people of which 1 to 3 may be project managers leading a sub-component of the overall project.Provides effective and structured timely feedback on “project” performance.· Creates supportive project infrastructure allowing for staff development, which may include time for initiatives and activities, such as training, job satisfaction and morale, retention, and work environment (PCs, space, tools).· Communicates, collaborates and completes work jointly with 1-3 customer project manager(s).· Teams with other project managers on customer engagement to ensure consistent and seamless project delivery.Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:· Bachelor’s degree is required. In lieu of degree, four years equivalent experience and personally acquired knowledge is required. Four or more years of experience in Learning industry, providing exemplary customer service to individuals and organizations, equivalent customer service experience consideration. · Demonstrated experience managing online and classroom learning design and development.· Four or more years of experience in project management within the learning industry, technology industry or comparable industry. Managing teams of 4 or more people in all phases of the project life cycle (initiate, perform, close, and operate). Thorough understanding of customer service concepts and implementation techniques. · Demonstrated management of engagement management including but not limited to budget to actual comparisons and calculations. Thorough understanding and usage of all communication techniques· Proven record of providing superior customer service to individuals and organizations. Demonstrate ability to add value to customer interactions· Demonstrated ability to develop team members through coaching and mentoring. Develop effective relationships with customers and members of other internal departments. Demonstrated leadership abilities. Ability to make sound decisions.· Demonstrated knowledge of instructional design and adult learning principles within the learning industry.Instructional design experience preferred.· PMI Certification recommended but not required.Additional responsibilities may be required that are not described in the above job description. The following is a description of the expected performance measurements and includes differentiators. The differentiators are samples of the types of activities that would distinguish an individual who has done more than is expected/required for the position. Note: The list of discriminators offers suggestions and is not inclusive of all activities that would distinguish an individual for a higher rating.Nor does this list suggest that demonstrating a couple of these discriminators will automatically result in a higher rating. Results Expected: Instructional Design & Learning· Maintains a current knowledge of instructional design principles and theories· Articulate the basic concepts, terms and theory of instructional design to customers and project teams· Identifies the necessary phases and supporting tasks of the design process and the importance of each· Differentiates between the basic types of learning common to blended solutions, the advantages and disadvantages of each within different client technical and cultural environments Identifiesthe strengths, weaknesses, and limitations of each learning program element, understand how to combine elements into an integrated whole Describe the considerations in designing for a computer screen. List considerations specific to the computer as a delivery platform and how that technology impacts the design (interaction speed, bandwidth, plug-ins, browser types/characteristics/versions, page weight/footprint, compression, streaming, connectivity issues, size of RAM, individual files, and auxiliary storage) Explain the impact of learning relative to organizational change Demonstrate the link between the learning solution and the business outcomes that are needed by the client and specifically how the solution is intended to impact those outcomes Apply principles of adult learning-to-learning design and solution to solve the customer's business needs.· Articulate learning solution to customer with supporting details on the choices made to develop the most effective solutionDeveloping Others· Provides timely and constructive performance feedback to project staff through the ACS performance management process and adheres to the intent of the performance management process.· Mentors/develops new team members (e.g., new hire, staff from another location) to ease their transition into the new project team or new work environment.Leading Others · Effectively manages project team to ensure team satisfaction while achieving project goals (e.g., effectively delegates work assignments).· Creates an environment that fosters creativity, supports accomplishment of team goals and enables team members to work effectively.· Monitors and acts upon developmental and personal expectations of team members throughout the course of the project assignment (e.g., accommodates needs for flexible scheduling, allows continuous education inside or outside of ACS, allows exposure to multiple areas of project.· Acts as a positive and enthusiastic role model promoting ACS values (e.g., proactively helps colleagues through stressful times; provides “outlets” for creative energy; creates a positive work environment; motivates others; builds morale).· Demonstrates integrity and ethics in dealings with others (e.g., employs honesty, trust, and absence of hidden agendas; fulfills obligations/commitments, maintains presence and professionalism).· Values and treats others with respect, fairness and courtesy; values the ideas of others and capitalizes upon individual differences to create a work environment that better represents ACS and serves our customers. · Drives teamwork across projects. Integrates with other project managers.Account Development/Relationship Building· Establishes and maintains relationships with appropriate levels of key customer contacts.· Works effectively with others (e.g., within team, across teams, with customers) to provide seamless service to customers (e.g., shares methodologies, collaborates /communicates effectively).Service Delivery· On time, within budget delivery of service.· Resolves deliverable quality concerns or questions; structures/formats deliverables that specifically meet customer needs and expectations by eliminating non value added material and time; and prepares final draft quality deliverables.· Manages engagement risk through reaffirming customer expectations, managing scope, and taking early action to resolve problems.· Demonstrates evidence of achieving highest level of customer satisfaction (e.g., references, add-on work, and/or an average of 4s and 5s (team goal) in customer satisfaction survey).· Assists Program Manager and Account Manager in monitoring and achieving planned engagement /project profitability +/- 5%.· Manages project revenue of$100K to $10M.· Develops clear and concise status reports.· Creates deliverables that specifically meet customer needs and expectations by eliminating non-value added material and time; and prepares final draft quality deliverables.ACS is an Equal Employment Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, age, gender, marital status, disability, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by Federal or State law or local ordinance.Job Experience:Please see job description aboveMinimum Education Required: BachelorYears of Experience Required: 3-5 YearsExpected Travel Time: About 25%