Exempt/Non-Exempt: Exempt
Employment Type: Full-Time
Location: Sarasota (Corporate)
Department: Information Technology
Description:
The role of the Relationship Manager (RM) is critical to ensuring IT alignment with the business. This role is an extension of the CIO/IT Organization, acting as liaison and bridging/facilitation communication and understanding between the business and IT. The RM is responsible for understanding the overarching business model as well as the intricacies and nuances of their assigned functional business areas. The RM helps their assigned business areas develop business cases that effectively illustrate the value of the need – from cost/benefits to the alignment of the organization’s goals.
The RM helps with prioritization of solution requests and approved projects within the RPM’s portfolio, ensuring that projects align with the technology that best provides maximum return on investment, and helps directs IT strategy in support of the overall business goals.
When effectively implemented, this role blurs the line between the business and IT, creating a seamless ability for the business to leverage the services and expertise of the IT organization to obtain the business automation solutions necessary to ensure mission execution success. An individual successful in this role will be viewed both as a contributing member of the functions they represent and the information technology team.
Duties:
Responsible (Fulfills the task independently)
• Establishes/maintains relationship with internal technology teams and external technology vendors
• Identifies opportunities for operational efficiency
• Facilitates Service Level Agreement (SLA) negotiations for internal and/or external technology deliveries
• Directs Projects towards desired technology strategies
Accountable (Fulfills the task by coordinating others efforts)
• Develop long-range technology strategies
• Initial Business Case/Needs Analysis outlines
• Provides initial project estimates for cost-benefit analysis
• Defines/Develops Functional Specifications
• Overall solution/implementation delivery for projects aligned to their business area
• Project issue resolution
Consults (Advises on the task)
• Participates in technology aspects of the business-sponsored RFIs/RFPs
• Evaluates project objectives
• Project prioritization
• New business initiative analysis
Informed (Is advised on the task)
• Gains understanding of business strategies
• Gathers information on competitor technology
• Stays abreast of industry trends in the business and technology
Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree
• 5+ years project management experience in successfully delivering complex technology solutions within a defined Software/Systems development lifecycle; consulting experience preferred.
o Experience working in a fast paced, cross-functional and cross-team environment and being the Functional go-to person with multiple business partners.
o Experience in project lifecycles from business case development to final delivery, oversight of project teams as they gather functional and technical requirements, project timelines, status reports, issues/risks lists, and deployment.
o PMP® certifications highly valued.
• 3+ years of client relationship management experience with primary accountability for client relationships at the executive level across departments; ideal experience includes external client management (expectations, communications, negotiations, escalation, feedback, etc.). Experience developing relationships with and ensuring the appropriate participation of key client stakeholders and client executives. Experience in developing strategic roadmaps.
o 2 + years of experience conducting Business or Systems Analysis will be considered an asset
• A strong background in both Waterfall and Agile software development methodology is preferred.
• Prior experience overseeing formal cost/benefit analysis
• Experience and interest in supporting new business initiatives.
• Vendor relationship management including completion of RFPs/RFIs (vendor due diligence), negotiating contractual terms, contract execution, oversight of vendor fulfillment of contractual responsibilities, evaluation of policy and procedure adherence, and monitoring service level agreement performance.