Project Leader I

Project Leader I

Zurich North America is hiring a Project Leader I to join our team! We are open to hiring talent in the Schaumburg location.

Purpose :

This position focuses on projects of small to moderate size and complexity. Leading the project team, defines the business problem and formulates the project / systems scope and objectives. Utilizes a detailed understanding of insurance, processes, and business systems to drive the research and analysis of the defined problem, design the recommended solution, and implement the solution, addressing associated change management. Specific consulting responsibilities include facilitating operational transformation via strategic / industry perspectives acting as a thought partner with key business leaders, defining and structuring opportunities / projects to deliver the transformation strategy, leading these process reengineering and continuous improvement projects, e.g. LEAN / Six Sigma. Business systems integration responsibilities include leading the project team to deliver the business requirements and functional design of the system solution, full testing strategy and execution, vendor management, and serving as trusted business advisor between business and IT.

Key Accountabilities :

Core :

1. Delivers solution for low / small to moderate size and complexity projects.

2. Defines business problem and accompanying business case / benchmarking.

3. Understands customer's processes, products, services, and systems in order to make educated recommendations for improvements; possesses resident domain knowledge (e.g., underwriting, claims, distribution); understands interdependencies between core processes. 4. Builds and owns relationships with management and business partners as appropriate throughout the project cycle.

5. Leads and executes the solution design (including metrics and measures) and implementation, including associated change management activities.

6. Maintains project records in accordance with TZW of Project Management standards.

7. Leads post-implementation review and share findings for continuous improvement.

8. Establishes project direction, defines key results, develops plans, establishes goals, and identifies critical success factors.

9. Develop / review and monitor business case, CBA, risk assessment, and project plan, working with Sponsor.

10. Supervises project team and mentors consultants.

11. Engages and consults with appropriate parties (both internal and external) throughout the project.

12. Provides common business design, links common threads, and manages interdependencies across projects.

13. Communicate to key stakeholders regarding project updates and issues and manages escalation appropriately.

14. Eliminate roadblocks, resolves issues, and aligns people and the organization in the overall effort.

15. Ensures specific metrics and measures are incorporated into solutions enabling continuous improvement.

16. Manages strategic go / no-go decisions.

Strategic Operational Consulting :

1. Partner with key business leaders to develop the operational transformation strategy.

2. Provides thought leadership in area of expertise (e.g., underwriting) to develop strategy.

3. Develops overall hypothesis for recommendations and identifies required analysis for support and validation.

4. Reviews resulting analysis (financial, operational, process) and validates hypothesis.

5. Finalizes and socializes recommendations for improvements with supporting detail based upon analysis.

6. Leads and drives future state design.

7. Acts as a business improvement SME to the enterprise.

Business Systems Integration :

1. Leads overall team to develop the user requirements and functional design, use cases, and testing scenarios and conduct testing.

2. Ensures accurate and timely creation of all project deliverables from the SDLC.

3. Reviews and approves testing strategy and results for implementation approach.

4. Approves phase deliverables throughout project lifecycle.

5. Ensures compliance to the system change process.

6. Manages vendor engagements.

7. Participates and guides business in prioritization of system enhancements.

8. Manages prioritization of process / system issues working with business and partners on the solutions.

Business Travel, as required

Extended Hours during Peak Periods / Shift Work, as required

Regular Predictable Attendance

Visibility in the Office, as required

Basic Qualifications :

• Bachelors Degree and 6 or more years of experience in the Communications or Project Management area OR
• High School Diploma or Equivalent and 8 or more years of experience in the Communications or Project Management area AND
• Experience in strategic and operational consulting or business systems integration

Preferred Qualifications :