Senior Project Manager "Goods Traffic Management Platform"

Port of Antwerp Authority and Infrabel SA are committed to doubling the current rail share ( 7% ) in port transport by 2030. To this end, a joint programme has been launched with the objective of increasing the attractiveness and efficiency of rail transport in the port area. A crucial part of this programme is the development of an IT-Rail platform for smooth mutual information exchange between all parties involved (Port of Antwerp, Infrabel, freight railway operators, terminals, companies, ...).

The first phase is the in-depth AS-IS analysis of the operation of an essential solution, written in the past by a partner, "the TrieerHeuvel solution". This allows managing the organisation of individual wagons in complete goods trains, multi-customer/multi-destinations on the same route, with the concept of optimal organisation for easy disconnection at the different stops of the convoy, as well as a number of other constraints. And then propose a TO-BE, more current, integrable and optimised to achieve the above objectives.
For the first phase of AS-IS "TrieerHeuvel", you will be supported by an external company capable of translating the content of the source code in terms of functional features currently available, as well as the developed business rules. A functional analyst is quickly added to assist you.

What follows applies to the overall approach to the IT track platform, and should already be achieved (at least in part) in the "TrieerHeuvel " framework.
As senior IT Project leader, you will shape the realisation of this unique project.
In consultation with the programme manager and the steering committee, you will manage the project from start-up to effective realisation in respect of the agreed objectives and priorities.
You will work diplomatically with all the involved business stakeholders and IT services for the elaboration of the IT Rail Platform functionalities.
After refining the scope and drafting a project plan, you will assemble and manage a new team, responsible for the realisation and evolution of the IT Rail Platform.
Together with your team, you will also coordinate and realise the initial and regular integration of information exchange of the IT Rail Platform with the various dependent applications of Port Of Antwerp and Infrabel.
You ensure the alignment of the priorities of your scope with the priorities of the stakeholders' programmes, you monitor, negotiate and, if necessary, challenge them in full transparency with your Business Owners and their peers within the stakeholders.
During the full progress of the project, you report on a regular basis with a proactive manner to the concerned stakeholders for a clear status and decision making.

() At the start of the project, you will have to move regularly between the Infrabel offices in Brussels (in the Brussels-South campus) and the headquarters and ICT services of the Port Of Antwerp in Antwerp. At a later stage of the project, a fixed workplace will be determined but travel between Antwerp and Brussels will always be necessary.
() As the working environment is mainly Dutch-speaking, you will be bilingual NL-FR by mastering all the nuances of NL communication.

Tasks

• Defining and clarifying the needs and requirements of the "TrieerHeuvel" in dialogue with Program managers of Port of Antwerp and Infrabel. (The IT railway platform will be supported at a later stage)
• Outlining and refining the full scope based on the needs and analysing its impact and risks within the current processes and dependent applications in both organisations. Including, structuring and proposing the resources and processes to ensure the realisation of this Risks & Mitigations plan.
• Defining and elaborating the different steps for transforming the elaborated business requirements into the functionalities to be realised.
• Drafting an overall project plan based on the different activities according to their priority and dependencies and respecting the scope, schedule and budget. Including, the structuring and proposal of the resources and processes to ensure the realisation of this global approach plan.
• The construction and proposal for ratification of an Approval Grid of the realisations follow the different requirements and general quality criteria.
• Determining the necessary profiles, number of employees and different recruitment momentum to form the ideal team. Proposing ratification of this study. The effective Recruitment and composition of a competent and balanced project team according to the needs of the objectives to be realised and the available budget
• Realisation of the "TrieerHeuvel" application, either through development by an IT team (internally or via outsourcing) or through procurement, customisation and integration of external package. (The IT track platform will be supported at a later stage)
• Determine and document the different Business Processes needed AS-IS / TO-BE / steps to go / impacts - alternatives
• Determine the differences E2E flows / use cases and the dependent validation scenarios
• Define and propose the different measurements / statistics / health reporting / alerts / instrumentations / logging ... provided for each aspect of the realisations
• Defining, proposing and discussing the necessary different architectures, designs, technology stacks, communication means, documentation means ... and using the related standard processes
• Aligning and coordinating during preparation and realisation with the various teams of Port of Antwerp and Infrabel, who are responsible for supplying and taking down information to be exchanged.
• Monitoring and steering the daily activities of your team, according to the priorities and the outlined project plan, in order to achieve the objectives within the deadlines, the budget and according to the expected quality level.
• Be a point of contact for the various stakeholders and any suppliers in the project with the objective of answering their information needs and facilitating the overall progress of the project.
• Consult with the programme manager and steering committee in case of any ambiguity or difference of opinion with the aim of finding an optimal solution in respect of the project objectives.
• Report project progress to the programme manager, steering committee and other stakeholders (Business and ICT services of Port of Antwerp and Infrabel) to inform them clearly and on a regular basis.
• Continuously use a background of business analyst approach and computer technology culture, to understand and challenge your interlocutors with common sense, based on the full picture of the context (full big picture).

Technical skills

• You have a university degree and at least five years' experience in people management and project management.
• You can boast relevant project management experience for an IT project of a large size (> 5M €) and with a duration of several years.
• You have already led projects with different supplier companies and Business entities (within a company and between companies).
• You have experience in managing teams with Agile/Scrum methodology and are familiar with project management methodologies.
• You have a good general knowledge of IT.
• You are diplomatic, assertive, growth and service minded, team player but objective oriented, fluent in clear communication, pragmatic, win-win-win oriented.
• Interest, experience and passion for the field of transport and railways are a plus.

Soft skills

• You have a sense of responsibility and are customer- and result-oriented.
• Thanks to your strong personality and your solid negotiation and communication skills, you are able to lead, motivate and support a team.
• Your work is methodical and organised, you know how to set priorities and you can coordinate the different parties involved in a project.
• Your listening skills and understanding of business needs are your greatest assets.
• In case of differences of opinion, you enter into a dialogue with all parties involved to find the best possible solution in all objectivity.
• Analysing problems
• Strategic thinking
• Dealing with change
• Showing learning ability
• Negotiating
• Presenting
• Documenting
• Planning and organising

Languages

• Dutch, French & English

Notes

• As the working environment is mainly Dutch-speaking, you are bilingual NL-FR by mastering all the nuances of NL communication.
• You are bilingual (NL & FR) in terms of listening, speaking and writing.
• Preferably, you already have work experience in a Dutch-speaking environment.
• You also have a sufficient command of English (listening, speaking and writing).

Other requirements

• On-call duty: is always per week, frequency approximately once every 4 weeks