Project Manager

Summary of Role

We are seeking a highly experienced Senior Project Manager - IT Infrastructure to lead complex, large-scale infrastructure transformation projects. This role is suited to a seasoned professional who thrives under pressure, takes ownership, operates independently, and can confidently manage executive stakeholders, challenging clients, and critical project escalations.

Responsibilities

• Lead the end-to-end delivery of complex IT infrastructure projects.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, schedules, and resource allocations.
• Manage multiple project workstreams simultaneously while ensuring delivery against agreed timelines and budgets.
• Drive project governance, reporting, and stakeholder communications at executive level.
• Identify, assess, and proactively manage project risks, issues, dependencies, and change requests.
• Oversee project financials, including budget management, forecasting, and cost control.
• Lead project recovery initiatives where delivery is at risk.
• Manage client engagements and escalations through to successful resolution.
• Facilitate governance forums, steering committees, and executive stakeholder meetings.
• Ensure successful coordination across technical, operational, and business teams.

Qualifications

• Matric and a relevant tertiary qualification in Information Technology, Computer Science, Information Systems, Engineering, Project Management, or a related field.
• Project Management certification such as PMP, PRINCE2 Practitioner, AgilePM, or equivalent will be advantageous.

Experience

• Minimum 8 years of Project Management experience within IT Infrastructure environments.
• Demonstrated experience delivering projects in:
• Enterprise Network Refreshes
• Campus LAN/WAN Deployments
• Wi-Fi Implementations and Upgrades
• Network Security Projects
• Large-Scale Infrastructure Transformations
• Proven experience managing projects valued at ZAR 5 million or more.
• Experience working in client-facing environments with multiple stakeholders and complex delivery requirements.

Technical Skills

Project Planning & Delivery

• Exceptional planning and organizational skills.
• Ability to build, manage, and maintain detailed project plans.
• Strong forecasting, scheduling, and resource planning capabilities.
• Effective risk, issue, and dependency management.
• Ability to manage multiple workstreams concurrently.
• Strong financial management and budget control skills.
• Excellent change control management.
• Ability to recover distressed projects and drive delivery under pressure.

Critical Thinking & Problem Solving

• Strong analytical and critical thinking abilities.
• Ability to assess complex situations quickly and make informed decisions.
• Ability to challenge assumptions constructively and professionally.
• Strong root cause analysis capabilities.
• Proactive identification and mitigation of project risks.
• Ability to make sound decisions with incomplete information when required.

Stakeholder Management

• Executive-level communication and presentation skills.
• Ability to manage demanding or difficult stakeholders effectively.
• Strong conflict resolution capabilities.
• Confidence in leading governance and steering committee forums.
• Ability to challenge and push back professionally when necessary.
• Strong negotiation, influencing, and relationship management skills.

Personal Attributes

• Highly accountable with a strong sense of ownership.
• Self-directed and capable of operating independently.
• Resilient and composed in high-pressure environments.
• Results-driven with a strong focus on execution and delivery.
• Comfortable managing competing priorities and aggressive deadlines.
• Excellent leadership and decision-making capabilities.

Working Environment Expectations

• Regular after-hours work and overtime may be required.
• Critical project milestones may require evening or weekend support.
• Client-facing engagements can be highly demanding.
• Escalations and urgent issues must be owned through to resolution.
• Project schedules can be aggressive and fast-paced.
• The ability to perform consistently under pressure is essential.