Solutions Architect/Project Manager

Company Description

Vestcom is the industry leader in technology-driven shelf-edge solutions for Retailers and CPGs. Our data-integrated media solutions drive sales and loyalty, engaging shoppers where it matters most – the point of decision. Our patented innovation has been trusted by top retailers for more than 30 years to drive productivity and profitable growth. For our growing team of over 1000 employees, Vestcom offers the stability of an established company with the entrepreneurial spirit and fast-paced environment of a start-up.

Vestcom’s core values are at the heart of our organization, representing our fundamental beliefs and serving as our guiding light in for how we conduct business and interact with each other.

• OUR TEAMS - Our colleagues and our client define our team.
• OUR INTEGRITY - Our colleagues and clients rely upon us to deliver.
• OUR INGENUITY - Our colleagues and clients look to us for unique solutions.
• OUR PERFORMANCE - Our colleagues and clients team with us to win.

Vestcom is a standalone business unit of Avery Dennison, a Fortune 500 leader in materials science and packaging materials. Learn more at www.vestcom.com.

Job Description

Opportunity

The Solutions Architect Project Manager (SAPM) is a technical project manager and an integral part of the Solutions Project Management Organization (SPMO) team in Vestcom.  The Solutions Architect Project Manager is responsible for the development of the overall vision that underlies the projected solution and transforms that vision throughout the planning, execution, and delivery processes.   The SAPM team acts as a focal point for the management, implementation, tracking, updating and logistics between current client accounts/prospects and other internal departments, for business development and all project work associated with new business pilots and new revenue on-boarding. A SAPM drives and leads the overall project activities and is the primary conduit between project designers, solution specialists, developers and the requirement providers, ensuring the information required to complete the highest quality solutions and service is exchanged within scheduled timelines. 

A SAPM is responsible for building processes and procedures to allow cross-functional coordination of Sales, Client Services, IT, Production, and other departments involved in the implementation of the projects. A SAPM is responsible for managing resources, time, and scope for all projects assigned. This position is also responsible for managing project plans, project tasks, business requirements, deliverables, milestones, and keeping key individuals informed of progress. Additional responsibilities include issue resolution and risk management as well as maintaining cross-functional business expertise within Vestcom.

In addition, the role has a wider meaning in relation to solving problems by outlining solution designs and driving their implementation and governing the execution.  This role is the primary coordinator of the client side requirement providers to ensure the information required to complete the project yields the highest quality solutions within scheduled timelines.  The SAPM will drive project tasks, clarity of business requirements, deliverables, milestones, and keeping key individuals informed of progress. 

►    Key Areas of Responsibility

• Lead: The project team leader serves as the project manager and team leader throughout the implementation of client-related new business project.
• Integrate:  The Solutions Architect/Project Manager integrates the solution for the particular project with the business domain, enterprise concerns, industry standards, established patterns, and best practices and acts as a bridge between a given project or design and how that project fits into the broader context of process and application delivery to clients. 
• Inquire: Initiates projects with the goal of solving specific problems. Gets to the core of the problem and documents both the technical and business requirements and provides direction to the client and project team of any identified project issues with the goal of solving specific problems with the given project timeframe.
• Analyze:  Analyzes the information once the project requirements have been collected and the integration is assessed and proactively identifies issues and promotes new technical and non-technical solutions.
• Conceptualize: Once the overall integrated problem is understood the role creates a conceptual vision of the solution: a conceptual diagram, a drawing of the system and associated subsystems it has to interact with, and the functions and data integration required.
• Communicate: The project leader communicates the solution, importance, and value throughout the organization.  Also, communicates project status, design requirements, and other relevant details to various internal and external stakeholders clearly and succinctly.
• Coordination:  Serves as the project manager in gathering detailed technical and business requirements. Provides direction and leadership for all aspects of the project to the project team. Provides support to sales opportunities and the commercial team regional VPs in client engagements. Collaborates with the developers in architecting and designing the processes necessary to drive solutions to meet these requirements and documenting the design plans in cases of complex multi-faceted functionality.
• Implementation Planning: Takes ownership of designated opportunities solution architecture. Develops and executes a solution strategy and plan that supports product/application on-going processes. Shapes, designs, and plans specific services associated with new solution offering. Spearheads education of product marketing team on solution development.
• Subject Matter Expertise:  Acts as visionary and strategist for solutions in product/application area.  Surveys internal processes and industry process landscape for solution insights, direction, vendors, and methods. Provides expertise to identify and translate system requirements into software design documentation. Validates solution process, conforms to enterprise process standards and commonality.

Qualifications

►   Key Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree in Information Technology or Engineering or related field required and 4+ years’ of Project Management experience including implementing new processes, systems and initiatives in an Information Technology Industry.
• PMI Project Management Professional (“PMP”) certification a plus. 
• Previous experience with project management tools such as Microsoft Project for project tracking and resource scheduling required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and change management skills.  Must be able to effectively inform/update internal and external stakeholders regularly on status and immediately on any issues.
• Demonstrated track record of successful project management and change management initiatives in mid-cap ($200+ MM) companies including the ability to identify and implement long-term projects.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs including, but not limited to: Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Outlook.  
• Teamwork skills – ability to work with diverse teams across the organization and dealing with ambiguity:   changing project conditions may require operating and functioning with limited knowledge and incomplete picture.
• Must be able to prioritize project according to the needs of the customer.
• Drive for Results – beat implementation budget; enable high customer satisfaction.
• Ability to embody and reflect Vestcom’s core values

Additional Information

The salary range for this position is $69,525-$115,875/ year.
The hiring [base salary / wage rate] range above represents what Avery Dennison reasonably expects to pay for this position as of the date of this posting. Actual salaries will vary within the range, and in some circumstances may be above or below the range, based on various factors including but not limited to a candidate’s relevant skills, experience, education and training, and location, as well as the job scope and complexity, responsibilities, and regular and/or necessary travel required for the position, which may change depending on the candidate pool. Avery Dennison reserves the right to modify this information at any time, subject to applicable law.

►   Additional Requirements

• Compliance with Company policies concerning maintaining a drug free workplace is required
• Compliance with all Company policies is required including all safety policies and procedures

►   Supervisory Responsibilities 

None.

►Management Disclaimer

Vestcom’s Management reserves the right to revise, change or modify the duties and responsibilities of this position at any time to meet business and organizational needs. This position description may not list all duties for this position. The incumbent in this position may be asked to perform other duties. This position description is not a contract for employment and either the incumbent or Vestcom may terminate employment at any time, for any reason.