Project Manager

Location: Indianapolis, IN

Contract Project Manager

Position Summary

We are seeking a highly capable Contract Project Manager with strong enterprise experience to plan, execute, and deliver complex initiatives across cross functional teams. The ideal candidate brings a solid grounding in PMI / PMP project management methodologies, hands on experience managing enterprise scale projects, and the ability to communicate clearly and confidently at all organizational levels, including executive (C suite) leadership.

This role requires a balance of delivery rigor, stakeholder leadership, and practical execution in environments where scope, priorities, and constraints may evolve over time.

Key Responsibilities

Project Planning & Execution

• Lead end to end project delivery using PMI aligned methodologies (Initiating, Planning, Executing, Monitoring & Controlling, Closing)
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, schedules, milestones, and dependencies
• Define project scope, success criteria, and deliverables in partnership with business and technical stakeholders
• Proactively manage project constraints including scope, schedule, cost, risk, and quality
• Ensure projects are delivered on time, within approved scope, and to stakeholder expectations

Stakeholder & Communication Management

• Serve as the primary point of contact for project stakeholders across technical, operational, and business teams
• Communicate project status, risks, issues, and dependencies clearly and effectively at all levels of the organization
• Prepare and deliver concise, executive level updates for senior leadership and C suite audiences
• Facilitate meetings, workshops, and working sessions to drive alignment and decision making
• Manage stakeholder expectations and resolve conflicts through clear communication and structured escalation

Risk, Issue, and Change Management

• Identify, assess, and actively manage project risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies (RAID)
• Develop mitigation and contingency plans for high impact risks
• Manage scope changes through formal change control processes, assessing impact and gaining appropriate approvals
• Ensure transparency and accountability for risk ownership and resolution

Governance & Reporting

• Establish and enforce appropriate project governance, cadence, and reporting standards
• Provide accurate and timely project status reports, dashboards, and metrics
• Ensure documentation is complete, current, and auditable throughout the project lifecycle
• Support portfolio level reporting and leadership reviews as required

Collaboration & Leadership

• Work effectively with distributed, cross functional teams including engineering, operations, vendors, and business partners
• Influence without authority by building trust, credibility, and strong working relationships
• Coach team members on project expectations, timelines, and deliverables
• Promote a culture of accountability, transparency, and continuous improvement

Required Qualifications

• 5+ years of project management experience in an enterprise environment
• Strong working knowledge of PMI / PMP project management methodologies (certification preferred but not required)
• Demonstrated ability to manage complex, cross functional projects
• Proven experience communicating effectively with:
  • Individual contributors
  • Managers and directors
  • Senior leaders and C suite executives
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational, planning, and time management capabilities
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities and manage ambiguity in fast paced environments
• Proficiency with modern project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Smartsheet, Jira, MS Project, or similar)

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience delivering projects within large, matrixed organizations
• Familiarity with infrastructure, IT, managed services, or technology driven initiatives
• Experience producing executive dashboards and status reports
• Background working in contract or consulting engagements
• Strong facilitation and presentation skills
• Ability to deliver projects from inception to closure

Key Competencies

• Strategic thinking with strong execution discipline
• Stakeholder leadership and influence
• Problem solving and analytical thinking
• Attention to detail with big picture awareness
• Professional confidence and executive presence
• Calm, structured approach under pressure