This position is responsible for the implementation and ongoing management of Pearson VUE EMEA client engagements from an operational perspective, including (but not limited to) the implementation and management of client projects based on the Pearson VUE service offering, ensuring timely delivery of contractually agreed services and solutions to quality and within budget.

Project Managers also play a significant role during the business development phase - contributing expertise and support for the sales effort, assisting as required in pre-sales activities, proposal development and bid projects to ensure ‘deliverability’ of proposed projects, and managing bid project activities as required. They also play a key role in the ongoing management of the Pearson VUE relationship with prospects and clients.

The Project Manager is responsible for the planning and management of projects on behalf of Pearson VUE, meeting identified business needs, acquiring and utilising the necessary resources and skills, within agreed parameters of cost, timescales and quality. The origin of projects may be either internal or external and is regularly using PRINCE 2 methodology.

Managing projects for Pearson VUE includes development and implementation of customer schedules, deliverables, customer relations and expectations, suppliers, customer and internal reviews/reports, change management and deployment over the project lifecycle.

It involves capturing and clarifying client requirements, setting-up timelines and implementation plans, negotiating priorities and contribution from other teams within the Pearson (VUE) organisation(s), managing and coordinating contribution from 3rd party vendors and suppliers, meeting company and client quality standards, and communicating and reporting both internally and to the client. This is a very hands-on broad role that requires a keen commercial and operational mind. 

The Project Manager must maintain ownership of all project documentation and must retain a constant control of it throughout the life of the project.
 

• Programme Manager/Head of Project Management

• Contribute product and service expertise during the business development effort – occasionally including involvement in sales calls and presentations - be a full and credible partner in solution definition and validate Pearson VUE’s capability to deliver.
• Manage bid projects; coordinate the activities of other Pearson VUE operational staff to ensure quality and timely delivery of proposals or similar activities.
• Contribute to project estimation and costing discussions, ensuring that realistic estimates of costs, timescales and resource requirements are agreed.
• Be a good sparring partner for the Account Executive/Business Development representative.
• Build relationships with prospects and clients and pro-actively manage expectations.
• Assumes full responsibility for the delivery of high-profile projects, establishing and maintaining the appropriate structures and controls to achieve delivery to agreed timelines, within budget and to quality.
• Clarify (future) client requirements (Scope of Work,) establish and maintain comprehensive project, quality, and risk plans for projects.
• Communicate and negotiate with the client as needed to establish realistic timelines and deliverables within contract specifications.
• Manage Pearson VUE’s relationship with, and the contribution from, 3^rd party vendors or sub-contractors during multi-vendor projects. Negotiate, agree and plan any contribution that is required from other teams at Pearson VUE in order to meet agreed deliverables and timescales.
• Identify, manage and monitor all contract or Scope of Work changes, and communicate such changes.
• Proactively manage all project risks and issues and establish procedures to ensure quality standards are being met for project deliverables.
• Monitor progress against project schedules to ensure timely completion of project activities in accordance with project timelines and initiate corrective actions when and where necessary.
• Effectively partner and communicate with the Account Executive in relation to client communications.
• Understand the business of assessment and testing in general and the products and solution offering of Pearson VUE in particular.
• Provide timely and quality reports to management, the Account Executive, the client, and other stakeholders.
• Ensure that projects are formally closed and, where appropriate, subsequently reviewed, and that lessons learned are captured and actioned. Produces appropriate documentation to support these processes.
• Takes responsibility for the definition, documentation and safe execution of complex projects, directing and advising project team members and clients/users as necessary on all phases.
• Leads the project team; allocating and monitoring tasks, motivating team members and appraising individual performance.
• All employees have a responsibility to co-operate in promoting and maintaining a safe and healthy working environment, and to take reasonable care of their own health and safety at work and that of all other staff that may be affected by their acts or omissions. Line Managers have specific responsibility for the health and safety of their direct reports and other team members for which they have general management responsibility.
• All employees are also responsible for supporting and implementing the company’s policies and procedures around the Health and Safety, Security, Quality and Business Continuity arrangements that apply in your role/work function.  Full details of these policies and procedures can be found on EQMS.  Further advice/clarification can be obtained from your Line Manager.

• Contribute to project costing and estimation discussions;
• Undertake specific project work as directed by line manager.
• Prepares and maintains realistic and robust project, quality, and risk plans, including plans incorporating sub-projects, and monitors and controls team performance against each plan, providing reports to client/user management and senior management as required;
• Monitors and controls allocated human and material resources, associated revenue costs and all capital costs against the project budget. Ensures that a change control procedure is in place, and actively used to assess the effect of changes to the projects on costs, timescale and/or resource needs and reports these to project sponsors;
• Management and control of external and internal project teams;
• Building and maintaining relationships with both existing and future clients through regular client liaison communication;
• Communicating and negotiating with clients to establish realistic timelines and deliverables within contract specifications;
• Establishing and maintaining project documentation over the life of the project;

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience, plus a minimum of 3 years Project Management experience;
• Experience of working in accordance with project management methodology, with a project management qualification preferably PRINCE 2 (or equivalent);
• Must have strong communication and client relationship management skills;
• Experience of leading cross-functional teams;
• Must have successful led implementations of medium to large cross functional complex projects;
• Should have an understanding of P&L structure, familiarity of cost analysis/pricing and the impact of project actions/decisions on the business;
• Excellent working knowledge of MS Project;
• Proficient in the application of methods and techniques for reporting progress and financial compliance against an agreed plan;
• Must be familiar with methods and techniques associated with planning and monitoring progress of projects. i.e. product/work breakdown structures, critical path analysis, earned value, resource analysis, conflict resolution;
• Must be proficient in the identification, assessment and management of project risks, which could result in time or cost over-runs, or failure to deliver products which are fit for purpose;
• Good problem solving skills;
• Efficient negotiation, listening and influencing skills to create and maintain successful business relationships;
• Strong commercial sense coupled with common sense as well as a balanced and pragmatic approach;
• Clean driving license and valid non-restricted passport.

Monday to Friday 09:00 to 17:30 hours, with a commitment to peak time requirement as may be required to fulfil project needs. There is a requirement to travel both within the UK and internationally, to fulfil project demands.