IT Project Manager (Project Manager III)

MISSION: The Texas Education Agency (TEA) will improve outcomes for all public-school students in the state by providing leadership, guidance, and support to school systems.

Core Values: 
•  We are Determined: We are committed and intentional in the pursuit of our main purpose, to improve outcomes for students. 
•  We are People-Centered: We strive to attract, develop, and retain the most committed talent, representing the diversity of Texas, each contributing to our common vision for students.
•  We are Learners: We seek evidence, reflect on success and failure, and try new approaches in the pursuit of excellence for our students.
•  We are Servant Leaders: Above all else, we are public servants working to improve opportunities for students and provide support to those who serve them.

New hires, re-hires, and internal hires will typically receive a starting salary between the posted minimum and the average pay of employees in their same classification. Offers will be commensurate with the candidate’s experience and qualifications and will thoughtfully consider internal pay equity for agency staff who perform similar duties and have similar qualifications. The top half of the posted salary range is generally reserved for candidates who exceed the requirements and qualifications for the role. The maximum salary range is reserved for candidates that far exceed the required and preferred qualifications for the role.

This position is funded through December 30, 2026. Continuation of the position beyond that date is contingent on available funding.

About Office of IT

The Office of Information Technology works closely with all agency divisions to implement innovative technology solutions in a cost-efficient manner that supports the goals and priorities of the Texas Education Agency. The Office of IT provides efficient technology solutions and stellar customer services to internal staff, 20 Educational Service Centers, and 1,200-plus public-school districts and charter schools. The following services are provided by IT: leadership on IT initiatives; guidance on security/policy issues; new application development/enhancements; software acquisition; technical support; assistance with technical sections of purchasing documents such as Request for Information (RFI), Request for Offers (RFO), Request for Proposals (RFP); and oversight on the data collection process which helps to support and improve outcomes for all of Texas’ 5 million-plus students.

Position Overview

The IT Project Manager will report to the PMO Supervisor of the Information Technology (IT) Program Management Office (PMO). The IT Project Manager role is essential in supporting the IT PMO’s function by providing administrative, documentation, and coordination support to the Senior Project Managers.

You will be responsible for managing small to medium-sized projects or sub-projects independently, and assisting Senior Project Managers with administrative tasks, scheduling, documentation, budget tracking, and monitoring of large, complex Agile software development projects.

This role demands strong organizational skills, attention to detail, communication skills, and foundational knowledge of Agile and project management methodologies. The Project Manager will collaborate with project team members and stakeholders, requiring independent judgment and initiative to ensure processes are followed, and project documentation is accurate and current.

This role may require working outside of regular hours as needed to support project needs. As business needs evolve, the responsibilities and focus of the IT Project Manager role may shift. This role calls for adaptability and a willingness to embrace change, with the assurance that any adjustments will remain within the scope of the job classification.

Please note that a resume and cover letter are required attachments for applying to this position. Incomplete applications will not be considered. Applicants who are strongly being considered for employment must submit to a national criminal history background check.  

Essential Functions
Job duties are not limited to the essential functions mentioned below. You may perform other functions as assigned. 

1. Process Consistency: Support senior project managers in directing, developing, and evaluate processes used by application project teams to ensure the teams are adhering to procedures consistently and confirm scope and schedule changes are documented, approved, and understood by stakeholders and project team members. Develop project budgets, schedules, work plans (including release and sprint plans), resource requirements, communication plans, RACI, leadership updates, stakeholder reporting, and risk register.

2. Deliverable Quality: Track and report on key quality metrics for projects, such as defect reduction rates and QA pass rates. Assist Senior PMs in monitoring and measuring the quality of applications and identifying continuous improvement areas. Verify that project deliverables are correctly documented, stored, and verified. Coordinate production support tracking and triage.

3. Stakeholder Satisfaction: Administer and coordinate routine communication to project team members and stakeholders.  Schedule and facilitate project status meetings and Agile ceremonies.  Actively solicit, track, and document stakeholder and project team feedback for review by the Senior PM.

4. Leadership: Track and document problem management, issue resolution, and risk identification/mitigation efforts, escalating critical items to the Senior Project Manager. Maintain team boards and task assignments to ensure work is correctly tracked, and capacity is considered.

5. Vision: Support the PMO and Senior Project Managers by maintaining and updating application and technology roadmaps in project management tools (e.g. Jira Advanced Roadmaps), project health status, and sprint and release burndown Assist in gathering and organizing information to coordinate the initiation and planning of smaller projects.

Minimum Qualifications
• Education: Graduation from an accredited four-year college or university
• Experience: At least four (4) years of experience in working with software application teams, using the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), the Project Management Life Cycle (PMLC), and Agile Scrum Methodology
• Substitutions: Each additional year of related experience above the required minimum may substitute for education on a year-for-year basis

Other Qualifications

• Share the belief that all Texas students can achieve at high levels and are able to succeed in college, career, or the military
• Knowledge of or experience in state government is preferred but not required
• Knowledge and appreciation of project management theories and practices applied to complex projects
• A strong customer-service mindset focused on meeting the needs of stakeholders
• Skill in coordinating and organizing complex documentation and meetings for diverse stakeholders
• Demonstrate critical thinking abilities by asking questions, synthesizing, and analyzing information to make decisions
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and the ability to connect with a variety of audiences
• A desire to self-reflect, give/receive feedback, and continuously improve
• Proficiency with project management software (e.g, Jira, Microsoft Project) and productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Office Suite)
• Willingness and availability to work outside the regular work hours, as needed, to support project needs
• Willingness and ability to adapt to unexpected tasks, as assigned

As an equal opportunity employer, we hire without consideration to race, religion, color, national origin, sex, disability, age or veteran status, unless an applicant is entitled to the military employment preference.

To review the Military Occupational Specialty (MOS) codes from each branch of the U.S. Armed Forces to each job classification series in the State’s Position Classification Plan (provided by the State Auditor's Office), please access the Military Crosswalk (occupational specialty code) Guide and click on the military “occupational category” that corresponds with the state classification in this job posting title.

This position requires the applicant to meet Agency standards and criteria which may include passing a pre-employment criminal background check, prior to being offered employment by the Agency.

To learn more about working at TEA, including hiring timelines, process details, and candidate resources, please visit the Employment at TEA page.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted. Please add "capps.recruiting@cpa.texas.gov" and "@tea.texas.gov" to your safe senders list to ensure you receive email notifications from our talent acquisition team and/or hiring division regarding your candidacy.