Project Manager - SME (Subject Matter Expert) - MSON #18

Job Title: Project Manager – SME (Subject Matter Expert)
Location: Toronto, ON
Experience: 9+ Years
Job Type: Contract

Job Summary

We are seeking a Project Manager Subject Matter Expert (SME) with extensive experience leading complex IT initiatives, enterprise application programs, and business transformation projects. The SME will provide strategic and operational leadership across project planning, governance, risk management, stakeholder engagement, financial oversight, and delivery assurance. The candidate must be capable of managing complex dependencies, aligning business and technical stakeholders, and ensuring compliance with applicable OPS I&IT project management methodologies. Experience overseeing Oracle HCM/ERP, Oracle PeopleSoft HCM 9.2, and PeopleTools 8.61.09 initiatives is highly desirable where these platforms form part of the project scope.

Key Responsibilities

• Lead complex projects and initiatives from initiation through planning, execution, monitoring, implementation, transition, and closure.

• Establish project governance structures, delivery frameworks, reporting standards, decision-making processes, and escalation mechanisms.

• Develop and oversee integrated project plans covering scope, schedule, budget, resources, dependencies, milestones, and deliverables.

• Align project objectives with organizational priorities, business outcomes, operational requirements, and strategic commitments.

• Lead project risk management, issue resolution, dependency management, and contingency planning.

• Oversee financial planning, forecasting, expenditure monitoring, resource utilization, and budget variance management.

• Manage executive stakeholders, steering committees, business owners, technical leaders, vendors, and delivery partners.

• Provide executive-level reporting on project performance, risks, financial status, milestones, and critical decisions.

• Lead project recovery and corrective action planning for initiatives experiencing delivery, budget, scope, or resource challenges.

• Establish effective change control, scope management, quality assurance, and project assurance practices.

• Ensure adherence to applicable OPS I&IT project management methodologies, governance standards, documentation requirements, and approval processes.

• Oversee enterprise application programs involving Oracle HCM/ERP, Oracle PeopleSoft HCM 9.2, and PeopleTools 8.61.09, including implementations, upgrades, migrations, and modernization initiatives where relevant.

• Coordinate business process changes, data migration activities, system integration, testing, deployment, and operational transition.

• Manage procurement activities, vendor performance, contractual deliverables, and third-party dependencies where applicable.

• Resolve complex stakeholder conflicts and facilitate decisions involving competing business priorities and delivery constraints.

• Provide strategic guidance to project teams, project managers, and delivery leads on planning, governance, risk management, and execution.

• Establish performance measures, delivery assurance practices, and lessons-learned processes to improve project outcomes.

• Communicate complex project issues, options, risks, and recommendations clearly to senior executives and governance bodies.

Required Skills and Qualifications

• 9+ years of professional experience in project management, program delivery, or complex IT project leadership.

• Extensive experience leading enterprise-scale IT projects, business transformation initiatives, or application modernization programs.

• Advanced knowledge of project management methodologies, governance frameworks, planning, execution, and delivery assurance.

• Proven expertise in project financial management, risk mitigation, dependency management, resource planning, and scope control.

• Demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and manage senior-level stakeholder relationships.

• Experience establishing project governance, executive reporting, escalation processes, and delivery performance measures.

• Strong understanding of implementation planning, testing coordination, deployment readiness, change management, and operational transition.

• Experience managing complex vendor relationships, contractual deliverables, and third-party dependencies.

• Familiarity with OPS I&IT project management methodologies and public-sector project governance requirements.

• Strong strategic thinking, leadership, negotiation, communication, and decision-making skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience leading large-scale Oracle HCM/ERP or Oracle PeopleSoft HCM 9.2 implementation or modernization programs.

• Familiarity with PeopleTools 8.61.09-related technical delivery, upgrades, or platform changes.

• Experience in Ontario public-sector or other highly governed enterprise environments.

• Experience managing multi-workstream programs, complex integrations, data migration, and organizational change.

• Relevant project management certifications or formal training in established project management methodologies.