The Contract Project Manager is responsible for leading the successful delivery of complex, cross-functional initiatives that support the organization’s strategic priorities. This role manages multiple concurrent efforts spanning areas such as digital transformation, AI enablement, content strategy, and strategic partnerships.
Reporting to the Sr. Director, PMO, the Contract Project Manager operates with minimal oversight and is trusted to drive outcomes, coordinate stakeholders, and ensure initiatives remain aligned with organizational goals.
ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Leadership & Delivery
- Serve as project manager for assigned strategic initiatives, driving scope, schedule, deliverables, and outcomes from initiation through completion.
- Translate strategic objectives into clear project deliverables, milestones, and success metrics.
- Lead cross-functional teams comprised of internal staff, senior leadership, and external partners to achieve project goals.
- Proactively identify dependencies, risks, and constraints that may impact delivery and escalate as appropriate.
- Ensure smooth transition of project outputs to staff for ongoing operational ownership.
· Governance, Risk & Issue Management
- Establish and maintain core project artifacts, including:
- RAID logs (Risks, Actions, Assumptions, Issues, Decisions)
- Project schedule, dependencies, and roadmaps
- Ensure risks, issues, and decisions are clearly documented, monitored, and communicated to key stakeholders and steering committees.
- Support effective governance by coordinating steering committee materials, agendas, and action follow-up.
Stakeholder Engagement & Communication
- Facilitate and participate in recurring and ad hoc project meetings, including operational working sessions and leadership-level reviews.
- Capture decisions, action items, and escalation points; ensure accountability for follow-through.
- Consolidate input from stakeholder groups into clear recommendations and deliverables.
Metrics, Reporting & Decision Support
- Coordinate the collection of project metrics and performance indicators.
- Develop and maintain dashboards and summary materials to support leadership decision-making.
- Provide status reporting focused on outcomes, risks, and alignment with strategic goals.
Strategic & Analytical Support
- Lead or support structured discovery and analysis efforts, such as:
- Requirements gathering and scoping discussions
- Process mapping and current-state assessments
- Gap analyses and improvement recommendations
- Assist with evaluation of tools, technologies, and process improvement opportunities, including emerging and AI-enabled solutions.
- Support planning and execution of change enablement activities such as training plans, communications, and adoption tracking.
PMO & Organizational Support
- Ensure assigned projects comply with PMO standards, methodologies, and documentation requirements.
- Provide ad hoc project management support for additional digital transformation or strategic initiatives as organizational priorities evolve.
JOB REQUIREMENTS
Required:
- Minimum of 5 years of experience as a project manager leading complex, cross-functional initiatives.
- Bachelor’s degree in business, project management, or a related field. Five additional years of experience can substitute for bachelor's degree.
- Demonstrated ability to operate independently and manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
Strongly preferred:
- PMP or similar project management certification.
- Experience working in a nonprofit or association environment.
- Experience partnering with external vendors, consultants, or strategic partners.
SKILLS AND KNOWLEDGE
· Expert-level project management, organization, and prioritization skills.
· Strong facilitation, communication, and stakeholder management capabilities.
· Ability to synthesize complex information into clear, actionable insights.
· Proficiency in project management tools (Smartsheet familiarity a plus).
· Comfortable working in ambiguous, evolving environments.
- Ability to learn quickly and take on operational responsibilities in addition to traditional project management responsibilities
· High degree of professionalism and discretion when working with sensitive or proprietary information.