Director, Project Manager

Job Title: Director, Project Manager

Department: Information Technology

Reports To: VP, Project Manager

FLSA Code: Exempt

Estimated Salary: $125,000 - $135,000

Job Summary:

The Project Manager, Director is responsible for leading and coordinating IT projects across business units and third-party vendors. This role involves overseeing project planning, requirements gathering, execution, testing, and deployment to ensure successful delivery on time and within budget. The Project Manager serves as a key liaison between IT and business stakeholders, providing subject matter expertise and ensuring alignment with strategic objectives. Strong leadership, communication, and problem-solving skills are essential for success in this role. Cohen & Steers is committed to an inclusive culture, valuing diversity in support of our people and clients.

Major Responsibilities/Activities:

• Lead and manage IT projects by collaborating with business units, IT teams, and external vendors to define project scope, objectives, and deliverables.
• Oversee and facilitate requirements gathering activities, including brainstorming sessions, interviews, focus groups, and workshops, ensuring clear documentation of business and technical needs.
• Ensure project requirements align with business objectives and solution designs, providing detailed specifications for developers and stakeholders.
• Prioritize and organize project requirements to focus efforts on critical business needs, using process modeling and solution function analysis.
• Review and obtain approval from business stakeholders on documented requirements.
• Evaluate IT solution designs to ensure they meet business requirements and project goals.
• Develop and manage use cases and test scenarios, coordinating integration and user acceptance testing (UAT) with business users.
• Capture and track meeting notes, ensuring action items are assigned and followed through to completion.
• Maintain project timelines, monitor progress, and report on project status to senior management.
• Utilize project management tools and document repositories for knowledge sharing and collaboration.
• Update and create project status reports to ensure visibility on progress, risks, and key milestones.

Key Skills:

Technical Skills:

• Project Management Methodologies: Agile, Waterfall, Scrum
• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): Understanding of various stages and processes
• Budget & Financial Management: Cost estimation, financial planning, and resource allocation
• IT Systems & Software Knowledge: Experience with databases, security protocols, and application development
• Tools & Technologies: Microsoft Office, DevOps, Smartsheet, and Visio
• Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating project risks

Soft Skills:

• Leadership & Team Management: Ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage stakeholders
• Communication & Presentation: Clear and effective written and verbal communication skills
• Problem-Solving & Analytical Thinking: Identifying issues and developing strategic solutions
• Time Management & Multitasking: Handling multiple priorities effectively under tight deadlines
• Negotiation & Conflict Resolution: Managing differing stakeholder expectations and project challenges

Minimum Requirements: 

• 10+ years’ experience in project management within the financial services industry, some experience in asset management is required.
• Strong understanding of SDLC and business analysis methodologies.
• Experience conducting cost/benefit analysis and developing business cases.
• Proficiency in documentation techniques such as data flow diagrams, interviews, and walkthroughs.
• Broad knowledge of IT systems, software development, databases, and security techniques.
• Understanding of budget processes and financial management.
• Exceptional problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.
• PMP, Scrum Master, or other relevant certifications are a plus.
• Demonstrates inclusive behaviors in support of a culture that values diverse perspectives
• Is able to abide by the firm’s hybrid work arrangement policy in New York City office (4 days in-office/1 day remote)

This role requires a proactive leader who can drive IT initiatives, facilitate cross-functional collaboration, and deliver high-impact solutions in a fast-paced environment.

Note: This job description reflects management's assignment of essential functions; it does not prescribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. The job title or duties and responsibilities may be changed by the Company at any time.