WHAT YOU'LL DO

The Strategic Project Manager will serve as a high-level resource to expertly navigate the critical strategic initiatives that accompany continued, consistent and disciplined growth within the Busey organization. This position will direct projects and integrations aligned with the organizational strategic initiatives. This position will provide organization and structure to projects and implementations, seek out ways to improve existing strategic initiatives and serve as a high-level resource to streamline processes/operations and structure within the organization. In addition, will assist with M&A related integrations, including preparation, organization, and facilitation of enterprise-wide integration efforts. This position will have exposure to all lines of business, leading cross-functional teams on key prioritized projects. This role will report to the Director of Strategic Projects and Integration.

Additional Duties:

• Continually assess strategic growth needs of FBC and work together with executive management in the development, implementation, measurement and continuous refinement of First Busey Corporation's overall corporate strategy and the resultant strategic initiatives, focusing on profitability, strategic positioning and refinement of specific business lines, regions and entities. This includes planning, monitoring and budgeting of the organization's strategic projects.
• Assemble and coordinate project team members associated with the strategic initiative; assign individual responsibilities.
• Organize and manage all phases of the projects and integrations to ensure on-time and on budget completion.
• Manage and report on project milestones with appropriate communication to eTeam, Steering Committees, leadership and other stakeholders; escalate issues as needed to remove roadblocks.
• Support and communicate eTeam decisions to expand, contract, pivot or cancel initiatives as appropriate.
• Manage inventory of ongoing, future and completed projects with proper documentation, analysis and metrics, and related reporting summaries.
• Utilizes consumer insights and business/market intelligence, syndicated data, sales analysis and corresponding research to identify and capitalize on the most advantageous business opportunities and strategies.
• Identifies process improvements to enhance efficiency and effectiveness across Busey operations.
• Collaborates with appropriate groups across Busey to implement workable solutions in support of One Busey and a seamless customer experience.

WHAT YOU'LL BRING

Knowledge of:

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Strong interpersonal, organizational, analytical, presentation, and critical thinking skills
• Comprehensive knowledge of the overall departmental function, including a working knowledge of Busey's lines of business
• Experience with project management, collaboration, and presentation tools and methods

Ability to:

• Work efficiently and strategically with senior management at all levels
• Make recommendations/decisions while considering long-term implications
• Establish and maintain collaborative partnerships at all levels throughout the organization; work with diverse groups to initiate, plan, execute, monitor/control, and close projects as well as to develop and implement metrics to measure project success
• Must be able to operate well under ambiguity

WHY IT MATTERS

As Busey looks toward $25+ billion in the next five years, strategic project management will be critical in ensuring the organization can remain agile in continued growth mode. The Project Management Office, and its Project Managers, are providing leadership and vision, motivation, the ability to remove roadblocks, coach, and ensure clear lines of accountability to achieve high standards on project deliverables for the Bank's internal customers.

EDUCATION & TRAINING

Strategic Project Manager I:

• Bachelor's degree required; PMP certification a plus
• Knowledge of the financial services industry and its key business functions required.
• Experience excelling in a highly matrixed environment with ability to work across business lines and units.
• Requires strong knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Strategic Project Manager II:

• Bachelor's degree required; PMP certification a plus
• 3 years' experience as a Project Manager with progressively responsible experience that demonstrates growth and/or advancement in complex or difficult operating environments, or through the achievement of and increasing level of responsibility; specifically, managing a portfolio of multi-faceted strategic programs and projects with successful outcomes. This includes the organization of diverse project teams, development of robust scope documents/project plans/budgets, facilitation of meetings and the submission of timely dashboards/status reports to leadership throughout the life cycle to keep them informed about progress.
• 1+ years' experience in the financial services industry and knowledge of its key business functions required.
• Experience excelling in a highly matrixed environment with ability to work across business lines and units.
• Requires knowledge of Microsoft Office.

Busey believes that diversity and inclusion among our teammates is critical to our success as a company, and we seek to recruit, develop and retain the most talented people from a diverse candidate pool.

Equal Opportunity Employment is a priority for Busey and all qualified applicants will receive consideration regardless of race, color, religion, national origin, genetic information, sex (including pregnancy), age, sexual orientation, gender (including gender identity and expression), marital status, military status, veterans status, citizenship status, disability, order of protection or any other characteristic protected by applicable law or other non-merit based factors.