Project Management Level 3 - Strategic Management

Learning Objective

Manage large-scale initiatives coordinating multiple interdependent projects with complex resource allocation decisions, develop and implement strategic planning processes that connect the offseason (recruitment, training, process improvement) to the compressed build season, conduct competitive analysis and make data-driven decisions, establish performance management systems with key performance indicators and continuous improvement processes, and lead organizational change initiatives. This level typically takes a full season and centers on a capstone project reviewed and signed off by a mentor -- for example, independently building and defending a full kickoff-to-ship schedule with contingency plans for a competition date that cannot slip -- this is where students move from following a plan to building and defending one independently.

Prerequisites

• Project Management Level 2 - Team Coordination
• Business Level 2 - Strategic Planning
• One technical Level 2+

Primary Resources

• FIRST: Team Management Resources (Build Season Timeline, budget & business plan templates)
• Atlassian Agile Coach: Agile Project Management

Tasks

1. Program Management

   • Coordinate multiple related projects
   • Manage complex interdependencies
   • Allocate resources across projects
   • Lead cross-functional teams of 10+ people
   • Capstone project: independently build and defend a full kickoff-to-ship schedule with contingency plans, given a competition date that cannot slip

2. Strategic Planning

   • Develop long-term strategic plans
   • Align project activities with strategic goals
   • Plan the annual offseason-to-build-season cycle (recruitment, training, and process improvement feeding into the compressed build season)
   • Conduct competitive analysis and benchmarking
   • Make data-driven strategic decisions

3. Performance Management

   • Establish key performance indicators
   • Monitor and analyze performance metrics
   • Implement continuous improvement processes
   • Create performance reporting systems

4. Change Management

   • Lead organizational change initiatives
   • Manage resistance to change
   • Implement new processes and systems
   • Build organizational capabilities

Level 3 Completion Requirements

• Mentor-reviewed capstone: an independently built and defended kickoff-to-ship schedule with contingency plans for a fixed competition date
• Successfully manage multiple interdependent project initiatives
• Implement an effective performance management system with real KPIs
• Lead a real organizational change or process-improvement initiative

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