Trans Skills is an HRIS solutions business offering services from hiring to payroll processing and payments. Founded in 2008 and headquartered in Dubai, we offer a comprehensive suite of products and services to help businesses source, onboard, ensure compliant global employment and payroll, and facilitate salary and statutory payments in over 140 countries. Trans Skills is also a global EOR provider with specialty recruitment and staffing solutions across the Middle East and Africa. We have a global network of 32 offices serving clients in more than 40 countries worldwide.
- Minimum 10 years of hands-on experience as Technology Project Manager.
A Technology Project Manager (TPM) is responsible for overseeing and guiding technology-focused projects from inception to completion, ensuring that they meet both technical and business objectives. The role requires a combination of project management expertise, technical knowledge, leadership, and communication skills. Below is a comprehensive breakdown of the key skill set required for a Technology Project Manager:
Project Management Skills
• Project Lifecycle Management: Expertise in managing the entire project lifecycle, from initiation and planning to execution, monitoring, and closure.
• Agile Methodology: Experience working with Agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, or Lean) to manage projects, particularly in tech environments.
• Waterfall Methodology: Familiarity with the traditional Waterfall approach, especially in larger, more structured environments where defined phases and clear deliverables are needed.
• Hybrid Methodologies: Ability to blend Agile and Waterfall practices to suit the needs of specific projects.
• Risk Management: Identifying, assessing, and mitigating risks that might impact project timelines, quality, or costs.
• Resource Management: Skill in managing resources, both human and material, and ensuring that the project has the necessary personnel and tools to succeed.
• Budget and Financial Management: Ability to develop project budgets, track expenses, and ensure that the project stays within financial constraints.
Leadership & Team Management
• Team Leadership: Leading and motivating cross-functional teams, including software developers, designers, engineers, and business stakeholders, ensuring collaboration and alignment.
• Conflict Resolution: Addressing team conflicts or challenges that may arise during the course of the project, ensuring a productive and cooperative environment.
• Delegation: Assigning tasks and responsibilities based on team members' strengths and capabilities to ensure project progress.
• Stakeholder Management: Communicating effectively with key stakeholders (e.g., clients, executives, team members) to keep them informed of project progress, risks, and successes.
• Mentoring and Coaching: Supporting the professional development of team members and encouraging skills growth.
Technical Knowledge
• Understanding of Technology: A solid understanding of the technologies being used in the project (e.g., software development, cloud computing, data analytics, AI/ML, cybersecurity).
• Technical Communication: The ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and non-technical stakeholders by translating complex technical concepts into understandable terms.
• Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC): Familiarity with the stages of SDLC (e.g., planning, design, development, testing, deployment, maintenance), particularly in Agile and DevOps environments.
• Cloud Technologies and Platforms: Knowledge of cloud computing platforms (e.g., AWS, Microsoft Azure, Google Cloud) and how they impact project design and deployment.
• Infrastructure & Networking: Understanding basic concepts of IT infrastructure, networks, and systems (e.g., databases, servers, APIs, networking protocols).
• Cybersecurity Basics: Awareness of security best practices, particularly when managing technology projects that involve sensitive data or have security implications.
Agile & Scrum Expertise
• Agile Project Management Tools: Proficiency in tools like Jira, Trello, Asana, Monday.com, or VersionOne for managing tasks, sprints, and product backlogs.
• Scrum Master Experience: Familiarity with the Scrum methodology, including organizing and facilitating Scrum ceremonies (e.g., sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, retrospectives).
• Product Backlog Management: Working closely with product owners to ensure that the product backlog is clearly defined, prioritized, and updated as the project evolves.
• Kanban or Lean: Familiarity with Kanban boards and Lean principles for optimizing workflow and managing project tasks.
Communication & Interpersonal Skills
• Stakeholder Communication: Ability to keep both technical and non-technical stakeholders informed, managing expectations and ensuring alignment with project goals.
• Presentation Skills: The ability to create clear, concise, and impactful presentations and reports to update stakeholders on progress and key milestones.
• Negotiation Skills: Ability to negotiate with clients, vendors, and team members to ensure that project requirements, timelines, and budgets are met.
• Documentation & Reporting: Strong skills in writing detailed reports, project plans, and status updates that are both technically accurate and easily understandable by non-technical stakeholders.
• Collaboration: Experience in fostering a collaborative environment among different departments (e.g., IT, marketing, operations, sales) to ensure the successful delivery of projects.
Risk and Issue Management
• Risk Assessment: Ability to proactively identify risks (technical, financial, operational) and mitigate them before they impact the project.
• Issue Resolution: Experience in quickly addressing any problems or challenges that arise during the project, from technical hurdles to team dynamics.
• Contingency Planning: Developing contingency plans for potential risks and issues to ensure minimal disruption to the project.
Time Management & Prioritization
• Timeline Management: Developing realistic project timelines, tracking milestones, and ensuring that the project progresses according to schedule.
• Task Prioritization: Identifying and prioritizing tasks based on their impact on the overall project, ensuring that the most critical tasks are completed first.
• Deadline Management: Ensuring that project deadlines are met while maintaining quality and minimizing scope creep.
Quality Assurance & Testing Knowledge
• Quality Standards: Understanding quality assurance processes and ensuring that the final deliverables meet the defined quality standards.
• Testing Frameworks: Knowledge of various testing phases (e.g., unit testing, integration testing, user acceptance testing) and methodologies.
• Defect Management: Ability to track, prioritize, and resolve issues or bugs that are identified during the testing phase.
Problem-Solving & Decision-Making
• Analytical Thinking: The ability to assess complex problems and break them down into manageable parts, making data-driven decisions.
• Decision-Making: Ability to make informed decisions quickly, especially when facing tight deadlines or unforeseen challenges.
Continuous Improvement & Learning
• Feedback Loops: Actively gathering feedback from stakeholders and teams to continuously improve processes, communication, and project outcomes.
• Post-Project Analysis: Conducting post-mortem analyses to understand what went well and what could be improved for future projects.
• Certifications: While not always required, certifications such as PMP (Project Management Professional), Scrum Master, Prince2, or certifications related to specific technologies or methodologies (e.g., Agile) are often valuable. Soft Skills
• Adaptability: The ability to adapt to changing environments, project scopes, and technologies.
• Emotional Intelligence: Managing one’s own emotions and understanding others' emotions to build strong relationships and foster collaboration.
• Empathy: Being empathetic towards team members, stakeholders, and clients, understanding their needs, and fostering an inclusive and supportive environment.