IT Project Manager

Overview

Vaco is helping a reputable financial services organization in Northern Cincinnati hire an experienced IT Project Manager for a consulting assignment. This position requires onsite in Northern Cincinnati five days per week. We are looking for Senior Project Manager with recent financial services or banking industry experience, along with a strong background in IT initiatives and M&A-related projects. This individual will lead high-impact, enterprise-level strategic efforts and support critical business and technology initiatives.

The Project Manager will oversee complex, cross-functional initiatives aligned with enterprise strategy, ensuring successful delivery within scope, timeline, budget, and quality standards. This role requires strong adherence to PMI best practices and the ability to effectively lead both business and technical stakeholders.

The ideal candidate brings hands-on experience within a financial institution and has successfully delivered IT-driven projects, including those associated with mergers and acquisitions.

• Lead enterprise initiatives through all phases of the project lifecycle (initiation, planning, execution, monitoring/controlling, and closing)
• Manage project scope, schedule, cost, and quality objectives
• Coordinate internal stakeholders and external vendors/consultants
• Develop and maintain comprehensive project documentation (charters, project plans, risk registers, issue logs, stakeholder communications)
• Partner with business and IT leaders to define requirements and ensure alignment
• Proactively manage risks, issues, change control processes, and executive reporting
• Facilitate cross-functional meetings and drive accountability
• Mentor and support junior project managers as needed
• Contribute to process improvement within the project management function

• Minimum of 10 years of experience managing complex projects in mid-to-large corporate environments
• Recent financial services or banking industry experience (required)
• Strong IT project management background, including enterprise systems implementations
• Direct experience supporting or leading M&A initiatives
• Advanced knowledge of PMI methodologies, PMBOK, Agile frameworks, and SDLC
• Experience managing vendors, RFP processes, Statements of Work (SoW), and project budgets
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to lead cross-functional teams and manage stakeholder expectations
• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience

• Experience with in a community bank or similar financial institution
• Experience working within or alongside a PMO
• Background managing CRM, ERP, digital transformation, change management, or innovation initiatives
• Familiarity with portfolio/project management (PPM) tools
• PMP or PRINCE2 certification preferred

• Fully onsite in Northern Cincinnati (5 days per week required)
• Must be comfortable leading meetings and working extensively in Microsoft Office applications

If you are an experienced IT Project Manager with recent financial services expertise and a track record of leading complex enterprise and M&A initiatives, we would love to connect.