WHAT DOES A SENIOR IT PROJECT MANAGER DO?

Published: Nov 13, 2025 - The Senior Information Technology (IT) Project Manager develops detailed IT plans, schedules, estimates, and reports, interfaces with senior leaders, and drives process improvements. This role integrates strong technical and project leadership to align solutions with business objectives and guide junior analysts. The senior manager also performs advanced analysis, influences stakeholders through clear communication, and ensures strong risk management and compliance.

A Review of Professional Skills and Functions for Senior IT Project Manager

1. Senior IT Project Manager Duties

  • Project Leadership: Manages very large, complex projects across multiple teams and stakeholders.
  • Status Reporting: Delivers project status and summary project information to all levels of the business including the executive level.
  • Dependency Analysis: Identifies interdependencies in projects across the department and guides project management processes and procedures.
  • Process Improvement: Derives and executes project management improvement efforts.
  • Feature Analysis: Participates in project definition activities including feature analysis and system tradeoffs.
  • Solution Design: Develops reliable solutions to complex problems that require the regular use of ingenuity and creativity.
  • Documentation Management: Develops and maintains all project documentation.
  • Team Motivation: Motivates and drives accountability of project teams and stakeholders to ensure the successful delivery of projects.
  • Resource Coordination: Coordinates resources assigned to projects for which he/she is responsible without direct authority.

2. Senior IT Project Manager Details

  • Project Management: Independently manages assigned projects to ensure outcomes match agreed-upon customer expectations and outcomes.
  • Stakeholder Communication: Effectively communicates project information to stakeholders through agreed-upon channels and timelines.
  • Executive Communication: Communicates with multiple levels of the organization including Senior and Executive leaders.
  • Requirements Facilitation: Guides and facilitates stakeholders throughout the organization in establishing detailed requirements for complex projects.
  • Project Planning: Independently plans and organizes projects.
  • Scope Definition: Defines the scope and objectives of assigned project(s).
  • Timeline Planning: Determines time frame, funding limitations, and procedures for accomplishing the project.
  • Milestone Scheduling: Identifies and schedules project deliverables, milestones, and required tasks.

3. Senior IT Project Manager Responsibilities

  • Mentor Support: Serves as a mentor to more junior project managers.
  • Quality Planning: Establishes the project quality plan, including the application of Portfolio and Process Management Office testing standards.
  • Risk Planning: Independently establishes the project risks and mitigation plans.
  • Process Compliance: Adheres to standards and procedures for project initiation, planning, execution, control, monitoring, and closure defined by the Portfolio and Process Management Office.
  • Budget Authorization: Prepares the Authorization for Expenditure (AFE) for the project and assists IT Financial Analyst(s) with the approval process.
  • Financial Management: Manages Purchase Orders and invoices throughout the project life cycle.
  • Cost Closure: Closes all project expenditures at the end of the project.
  • Process Improvement: Proposes opportunities to improve the Portfolio and Process Management Office and leads improvement initiatives by planning, implementing, and ensuring adoption.
  • Career Development: Proactively manages own professional development and completes Individual Development Plan (IDP).

4. Senior IT Project Manager Job Summary

  • Obstacle Management: Drives through obstacles and time constraints to successfully deliver a project to completion.
  • Consensus Building: Delivers solutions through building consensus in business, technical, and vendor perspectives.
  • Team Coordination: Manages a project virtual team through creation, coordination, and motivation.
  • Budget Management: Manages the project budget end-to-end including estimation and sourcing.
  • Schedule Management: Oversees the project schedule including WBS creation, task coordination, and tracking.
  • Scope Management: Manages project scope through requirement clarification, build, and operationalization.
  • Innovation Support: Encourages innovation, adoption of cutting-edge technologies, teamwork, self-organization, and diversity.
  • Lifecycle Communication: Clearly communicates and documents each stage of the project lifecycle process.
  • Risk Evaluation: Evaluates project performance and identifies potential risks.
  • Decision Facilitation: Provides direction and facilitates information to drive the team decision-making process.

5. Senior IT Project Manager Accountabilities

  • Work Planning: Develops detailed IT work plans, schedules, project estimates, resource plans, and status reports.
  • Executive Liaison: Interfaces with senior project staff and client senior management teams regarding the status of projects.
  • Process Improvement: Recommends and oversees process improvements.
  • Leadership Expertise: Provides expertise in the area and an advanced understanding of the principles of IT project leadership.
  • Cross-Functional Insight: Possesses a comprehensive understanding of how own area and others (e.g., architecture or infrastructure) collectively integrate to contribute toward achieving business objectives.
  • Strategic Impact: Directly impacts the business by influencing strategic functional decisions through advice, counsel, or provided services.
  • Mentorship Coaching: Acts as an advisor or coach to new or lower-level analysts and allocates work.
  • Analytical Thinking: Provides in-depth and sophisticated analysis with interpretive thinking to define problems and develop innovative solutions.
  • Stakeholder Influence: Persuades and influences others through comprehensive communication and diplomacy skills.
  • Risk Assessment: Appropriately assesses risk when business decisions are made, demonstrating particular consideration for the firm's reputation and safeguarding Citigroup, its clients, and assets.
  • Compliance Governance: Drives compliance with applicable laws, rules, and regulations, adheres to policy, applies sound ethical judgment, and escalates, manages, and reports control issues with transparency.
Relevant Information
What Does An Senior IT Manager Do?