Senior Project Manager

At Topstep, a Senior Project Manager is responsible for coordinating large-scale projects and cross-departmental initiatives, ensuring they align with the company's goals. You'll lead scoping, budgeting, scheduling, and develop robust project plans while conducting regular stakeholder meetings to maintain alignment and satisfaction. Essentially, you're the glue that holds the project components together, ensuring the team stays on track and meets deadlines.

Candidates for the Senior Project Manager position at Topstep should possess 4-5 years of project management experience, along with a PMP certification. Strong communication skills across various organizational levels, the ability to manage upwards, and experience in resource planning and risk mitigation are essential. An ideal candidate will also have a knack for anticipating potential blockers and coming up with actionable plans to unblock them swiftly.

Topstep is committed to the growth of its employees, including Senior Project Managers. We offer a professional development budget for training, workshops, and continuing education. Additionally, you have access to senior management and mentoring opportunities, which is an invaluable resource for career growth and expanding your industry knowledge.

At Topstep, the work culture for a Senior Project Manager is vibrant and inclusive, promoting collaboration, openness, and continuous improvement. We believe that diverse perspectives lead to better business outcomes, so you will thrive in an environment that encourages sharing ideas and innovating together. Expect a supportive atmosphere where feedback is welcomed, and personal accountability is a key driver of success.

Senior Project Managers at Topstep enjoy a competitive salary along with bonus incentives, comprehensive health and dental insurance, flexible PTO, and a 401(k) with matching contributions. Additional perks include monthly stipends for internet and groceries, professional development budgets, generous family leave, and unique opportunities like vacation bonuses and company events, creating a well-rounded benefit package.

It's essential to highlight specific projects you've successfully managed, focusing on how you scoping, budgeting, and scheduling. Use numbers to quantify your accomplishments, such as project budgets managed or team sizes. Discuss the methodologies you employed, like Agile or Waterfall, and how these methodologies contributed to your success.

Be prepared to outline your systematic approach to risk assessment. Discuss how you identify potential risks, develop mitigation strategies, and monitor them throughout the project lifecycle. Providing an example of a specific project where you effectively managed risk will demonstrate your capability in this area.

Discuss your techniques for monitoring progress, such as using project management tools and regular check-ins with your team. Mention your ability to prioritize tasks, manage scope creep, and address any blockers promptly. Be sure to share examples of how your proactive management has led to timely project completions.

Effective communication is key in project management. Discuss your approach to establishing clear communication channels, setting expectations with stakeholders, and providing updates. It may be helpful to share an example of a challenging stakeholder interaction and how you navigated it.

Discuss your leadership style and strategies for fostering growth within your team. Mention practices like regular performance reviews, mentorship, and supporting their professional development through training opportunities. Anecdotes where you witnessed tangible growth in your team will strengthen your answer.

When answering, focus on the steps you took to reevaluate the situation, communicate with the team, and implement corrective measures. Emphasizing your adaptability and ability to learn from failures will resonate well, especially in a culture that values resilience and continuous improvement.

Mention specific project management software tools you have experience with, like Asana, Trello, or Microsoft Project. Discuss how these tools have helped you in planning, tracking progress, and enhancing team collaboration. Your familiarity with these tools is crucial, especially in a remote working environment.

Talk about your process for evaluating change requests, assessing their impact on scope, budget, and timeline. Discuss how you communicate these changes to stakeholders, and document the necessary approvals. Delivering a methodical approach to managing change will showcase your organizational skills.

Acknowledge the complexity of managing multiple stakeholders, project priorities, and team dynamics as significant challenges. Emphasize your approach to navigating these challenges, perhaps through fostering open communication and building a strong team culture.

Express your enthusiasm for Topstep's mission and culture, highlighting how your values align with theirs, particularly regarding diversity and collaboration. Discuss how your skills can contribute to empowering traders and enhancing the project management processes at Topstep.