Project Manager, Program ​/ Project Manager, Operations Manager

Description

Remote | Must be within driving distance of RI

The Engineering & Research (E&R) Department is seeking a Program Manager. This position reports to the Staff SVP of Research, though will support the overall E&R leadership and portfolio, providing expertise in managing medium and large initiatives to drive strategic outcomes and realize value through the department. They are responsible for defining and implementing new project management processes, supporting business leads in strategy development, and leading the day‑to‑day execution of projects.

Throughout the initiative execution process, the Program Manager coordinates with stakeholders to plan key milestones and monitors and reports progress, with an emphasis on business objectives and value delivery. They also ensure efficient resource deployment, dependency management, and risk and issue management to mitigate program volatility with respect to scope and quality changes. This role will also be responsible for some change management activity as the department transitions to a new operating model with new processes.

We are looking for someone who is innovative, self‑driven, process‑oriented, and excited to help define and implement the necessary processes and structures to support a new operating model.

Due to client requirement, applicants must be willing and able to work on a w2 basis. For our w2 consultants, we offer a great benefits package that includes Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits, 401k with company matching, and life insurance.

Pay: $75 - $80/hr W2

Project Leadership, Planning and Strategy:

• Establish a robust program/project structure with clear ownership and accountability, which facilitates organizational alignment, streamlined decision‑making and effective communication.
• Cultivate strong relationships with leadership, portfolio program manager, and other internal stakeholder to define, clarify and control project scope, objectives and resolve conflicts.
• Develop, maintain, and manage comprehensive project plans in Workfront for each of the department‑level projects, including timelines, detailed work breakdowns and dependencies.
• Develop and integrate methods to track and report key performance indicators (KPIs) within planning and execution activities to assess benefit realization and project success.
• Partner with the Finance Business Partner and Portfolio Program Manager to track and report project budgets and expenses.
• Oversee the overall governance and structure of the department portfolio, ensuring that all work aligns with strategic priorities. Prepare and coordinate with other governing groups to ensure alignment of work with broader business strategy.
• Facilitate cross‑departmental and initiative collaboration and planning to ensure effective execution of department priorities including all process, people, and technology changes.
• Provide regular transparent and accurate updates and status reports on project progress, changes, decisions needed, risks, or issues.

Change Management:

• Develop and implement an overall change strategy and plan to drive readiness and adoption of the new operating model.
• Lead change management activities with a focus on leadership enablement, training, communications, implementation planning, and resistance management.
• Gather feedback from impacted audience to diagnose issues with change execution and inform corrective actions.

Team Leadership and

Coaching:

• Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and accountability within the project team, decision makers and related initiatives.
• Lead, coach, and inspire project teams, fostering an environment of continuous improvement, psychological safety and development.
• Implement performance metrics to monitor team efficiency and project outcomes, ensuring alignment with project goals.

Risk and Issue Management:

• Identify, analyze, and mitigate project risks proactively to minimize their impact on project timelines and outcomes.
• Drive processes to track, elevate, and resolve issues promptly to ensure minimal disruption to project progress.
• Develop and implement contingency plans to address potential project challenges and ensure continuity.

Evaluatio…