Project Leader

1. Context of the Mission / Objective(s) of the Job

The candidate will work within the Life Information Systems division, responsible for all Life product-related developments of underwriting applications and claims management systems. Our main partner is BNPPF.

Applications are developed using a Microfocus mainframe emulator in Windows (Cobol/Mix Cobol+.NET), with various frontend technologies (.NET, CRM), printing, integration, and communication tools.

As a large part of our portfolio for the coming years consists of project activities, we need to strengthen our project leadership capabilities.

We are looking for an open-minded, solution-driven candidate with strong leadership skills, capable of managing firm timelines and uniting people from various teams.

2. Mission Period

• Expected Start Date: 01/02/2025
• Duration: 12 months (extension possible)

3. Language Requirements

Language	Speaking	Reading	Writing	Mandatory	Preferable
English	2	2	2	✓
Dutch	3/1	3/1	3/1	✓*
French	3/1	3/1	3/1	✓*

1 = Basic | 2 = Good | 3 = Fluent
*Dutch and/or French: One fluent, the other can be basic.

4. Location

• Brussels Centre: 2 days/week
• Teleworking: 3 days/week

5. Required Education

• Master’s degree in Engineering, Computer Sciences, Sciences, or equivalent

6. Required Knowledge and Experience

Personal Skills (Soft Skills – intangible qualities or traits that enhance our interactions)

Mandatory:

• Good communication skills (adaptable to audience)
• Methodical, structured, and proactive
• Self-driving
• Result-oriented with attention to quality and detail
• Dynamic, analytical, and synthetic
• Quick learner
• Client-oriented

Preferable:

• To-the-point communication
• Strong active listening skills

Business Experience required (work experience) 

Mandatory:

• Confirmed experience in managing IT projects (on application side). During the interview you will be requested to show and discuss project management activities from the past. (Senior 5 – 8y)
• Several projects with more than 1000 Mandays 

Preferable:

• Insurance services experience
• DWH experience

Technical Experience required (hard skills related to physical or digital tools) 

Mandatory:

• Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)

Functional Experience required (job experience in particular industry and in particular function)

Mandatory:

• Prince-2 project management methodology
• Experience with waterfall methodology (Agile/Scrum is a plus)

Preferable:

• Test management principles
• Business analyst

7. Objective of the job

In this context the mission of the candidate project leader will be to drive many different projects in many different technologies.

We expect the project leader to:

• Organize project governance (timing before full autonomy: 1 month)
  • Description
    • Determine project stakeholder and document it explicitly
    • Set up the steering committee and get the involvement of every member
    • Set up the communication plan defining the different decisional platforms and the expected reports
  • Minimal expected outputs
    • Stakeholders matrix
    • Communication plan
• Manage and challenge business requirements (timing before full autonomy: 1 month)
  • Description
    • Together with the architects and the business, determine the best scope for the project (balance value/cost/timing)
    • Identify opportunities
    • Challenge the business to avoid over-engineering
    • Keep a trace of open points and the related decisions/actions
  • Minimal expected outputs
    • Open point log
    • High-level presentation with project goals and business case
• Coordinate architecture activities and outputs (timing before full autonomy: 1 month)
  • Description
    • Identify clearly with the architect the expected outputs and the related milestones
  • Minimal expected outputs
    • Architecture detailed planning
• Set-up project budget and roadmap (timing before full autonomy: 1 month)
  • Description
    • Set-up the product breakdown structure
    • Consolidate project budget thanks to detailed work packages estimations
    • Plan every phase of the project
  • Minimal expected outputs
    • Project roadmap
    • Work-packages detailed plan
    • Project budget forecast in our administration tool
    • Project test plan
• Follow progress of the developments
• Report on progress, timing, scope, quality and budget to the client and the senior managers (timing before full autonomy: 1 month)
  • Description
    • Determine suitable reporting periodicity
    • Report on progress
    • Report on timing
    • Report on scope
    • Report on quality
    • Report on budget
  • Minimal expected outputs
    • Highlight Report (existing template)
• Anticipate risks and issues and propose actions to tackle them (timing before full autonomy: immediately)
  • Description
    • Proactively manage risk and issue on the project (scope, budget, timing, quality)
    • Set-up and communicate action plan for each risk or issue
    • Drive the project to the objectives
  • Minimal expected outputs
    • Risk/Issue/Action log
• Communicate pro-actively to all stakeholders of the project (timing before full autonomy: immediately)
  • Description
    • Implement the communication plan
    • Take initiatives to communicate outside the communication plan when needed
    • Ensure everyone has the level of information he needs when he needs it
• Stimulate the project teams
  • Description
    • Get every project team member involved
    • Stimulate the collaboration between teams and people
    • Encourage initiatives
    • Allow each team member to develop their skills