Business Consulting Project Manager

About The Role:
This person will serve as a trusted partner managing expectations at an executive level and with key stakeholders across the enterprise by building strong, credibility based relationships, facilitating productive dialogue, and respectfully challenging assumptions to drive sound decision making. The Project Manager is a key driver of success for high profile, business critical projects.  The ideal candidate will have success in managing and delivering multiple projects within a complex and rapidly changing environment and the ability to provide business consulting services including systems and data conversions that result from mergers and acquisitions. The ideal candidate is an expert in the following areas: Relationship Management, Project Management and Leadership.  

The Impact You'll Make:
Relationship Manager: 

• Serve as relationship manager and point of escalation for Baird’s back-office technology provider.  Facilitate the resolution of issues and prioritize Baird’s needs with this technology partner. 
• Develop and maintain thorough understanding of the back-office platform and how it is utilized across Baird Operations and branches.
• Influence the vendors’ roadmap so that it aligns with Baird’s long term strategic roadmap. 
• Ensure firm users stay abreast of system enhancements and modifications. 
• Facilitate and coordinate industry testing and partner with business users related to work requests. 

Project Management:

• Engage with project sponsors and owners to clearly define business objectives, project deliverables, project structure, and milestones. 
• Work with the leaders across the organization (within our businesses and corporate resource groups) to define project teams, including the formation of relevant working groups and oversight committees that support each initiatves. 
• Leverage professional skills and best practices (e.g., project & presentation tools, project methodologies) that help align team members around a common vision.  Facilitate the creation of business scenarios, process flow mappings, project requirements, test plans, trainings, and procedures.  Provide business and technical expertise to ensure execution aligns with business needs. 
• Identify and communicate project risks and impediments and proactively work with other members of the team to complete high-value deliverables as identified by business partners and leadership. 
• Ensure the project teams make decisions that align with Baird’s firm culture and client-centric focus.   
• Leverage business expertise to facilitate effective dialog to ensure leaders and project team members understand cross functional perspectives. Ensure project teams maintain focus on the client and business priorities, and ensure representation is given to Legal, Compliance, Risk, Technology, and Operational concerns.  Engage leaders at Baird’s third-party vendors to define expectations and deliverables, where needed. 
• Partner with the Strategic Change Office and other Project Managers within Baird and outside of Baird as needed. 

Business Consultant: 

• Drive business outcomes and make recommendations that both deliver on project objectives and strengthen existing business objectives. 
• Consult with Baird and industry peers as well as branch associates as needed to ensure we obtain the best outcome. 
• Ensure new recurring responsibilities created from projects are clearly identified and owned by the right teams across the organization. 

Leadership: 

• Exhibit extensive knowledge of current and emerging project management practices and apply them in projects. 
• Evaluate the project structure of external partners and influence/adapt as needed to ensure a successful outcome. 
• Evoke creative and innovative thinking from team members and mentor and coach project participants to build knowledge and skills. 
• Acts as a role model in developing relationships across the organization, our external partners, and industry peers. 
• Actively participate in team building efforts within the Enterprise Initiatives Department. 

 
What You'll Bring To Baird:  

• A minimum of ten years of relevant experience and a proven track record of delivering substantial business results. Experience should cover areas of project management and financial services. 
• Bachelor’s degree is required. 
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification and/or Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) is preferred. 
• Proficient in data solution tools and concepts including data querying tools (such as SQL Server Management Studio, Power Pivot, Power Query, & PowerBI), data warehouse concepts, data Management, and reference data. 
• Prior experience working on firm (system) conversions is preferred. 
• Advanced analytical skills with the ability to perform complex problem solving.  
• Excellent interpersonal, negotiation and influencing skills leading to trusting relationships with business partners and leadership.  
• Demonstrates ability to handle multiple/simultaneous projects on an ongoing basis. 
• Detail-oriented and possess exceptional organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving skills. 
• Demonstrated relationship builder; able to establish both internal and external working relationships to identify and implement strategies for business growth. 
• Change agent who can work effectively and collaboratively in a team environment and with associates at all levels and in all areas of the firm. 
• Experience in various project methodologies and project lifecycle. 
• Thorough working knowledge in Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Project, SharePoint, and Visio. 

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Baird is committed to diversity and provides employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, pregnancy, citizenship, national origin, age, disability, military service, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, genetic information, or any other status protected by law.