CENTER PROJECT MANAGER JOB DESCRIPTION

When project budgets drift and delivery timelines slip without accountability, the damage lands on customers and revenue alike. The Center Project Manager exists to prevent exactly that - owning the plan, the budget, and the team coordination that keeps complex initiatives on track. This role sits within a Program Management Office or equivalent operations function, reporting upward to director-level leadership across service or commercial environments. PMP or Prince2 certification is a common expectation, signaling the structured discipline this work demands.

As the Center Project Manager, you are accountable for delivering multiple concurrent projects on time, within budget, and to defined quality specifications, serving as the primary point of contact between program leadership, cross-functional teams, and external stakeholders. You operate within a structured PMO environment, coordinating resources across manufacturing, operations, or commercial functions while keeping senior leadership informed on status, risk, and performance.

Career Impact: Managing enterprise initiatives under a structured methodology such as PMP or Prince2 builds the kind of cross-functional delivery credibility that advances careers toward senior program director and operations leadership roles.

Business Impact: The projects this role governs determine whether new products reach customers on schedule and whether operational change initiatives deliver their promised returns.

Growth Opportunity: Exposure to enterprise business systems implementation, change management methodology, and Lean Six Sigma practices expands the skillset needed to move into VP-level program leadership within 3 to 5 years.

• Own the end-to-end project plan, including schedule, budget, and resource allocation, from initiation through delivery.
• Monitor project milestones and timelines across concurrent initiatives to ensure on-time completion within approved budgets.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams by assigning and prioritizing tasks aligned to delivery goals and stakeholder requirements.
• Evaluate all project initiatives for feasibility, cost-benefit rationale, and strategic value, generating reporting for leadership review.
• Identify project risks and issues early, develop mitigation plans, and escalate unresolved blockers to director-level sponsors.
• Direct project team members with operational and technical guidance throughout each project phase, ensuring adherence to internal policies.
• Produce progress reports, status documentation, and executive presentations for senior leadership and program sponsors.
• Partner with functional leaders across manufacturing, service, or commercial operations to align project priorities with organizational goals.

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 5 or more years of project or program management experience, with demonstrated success leading complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
• PMP, Prince2, PMBOK, or SAFe/Agile certification, or active progress toward one of these credentials.
• Proven ability to manage project budgets, control costs, and perform variance analysis against financial plans.
• Strong understanding of project management processes, scheduling methods, and structured delivery frameworks.
• Ability to identify issues, interpret performance data, and develop actionable solutions under time pressure.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to produce clear documentation and present to senior audiences.
• Ability to work extended hours and travel as required by project delivery commitments.

• Experience implementing Enterprise Business Systems within service, commercial, or manufacturing operations environments.
• Lean Six Sigma or Continuous Improvement certification, with applied experience reducing process inefficiency on active projects.
• Familiarity with Change Management methodology and its application during organizational or technology-driven transitions.
• Subject matter depth in product development phases including requirements generation, design controls, verification, and validation.

• On-time delivery rate across managed projects, measured against approved baseline schedules.
• Budget variance percentage, reflecting cost control accuracy across the active project portfolio.
• Number of unresolved risk items at any given reporting cycle, tracking proactive issue management.
• Stakeholder-reported schedule adherence score from director-level sponsors across quarterly reviews.
• Change order frequency and resolution time, indicating how well scope is defined and controlled upfront.
• Typical tools: Project scheduling platforms (commonly MS Project or Smartsheet) and ERP environments (commonly SAP).

• Base Salary Range: $90,000 to $125,000 per year depending on seniority and industry sector.
• Bonus: 8 to 15 percent annual performance bonus tied to project delivery metrics.
• Equity: stock options or RSUs common at mid-to-large employer level.
• Health Benefits: medical, dental, and vision coverage with employer contribution.
• PTO: 15 to 20 days annually plus standard federal holidays.
• Common Perks: Professional certification reimbursement, remote or hybrid flexibility, and travel allowance.

Figures are estimates based on general US market benchmarks and may be outdated. Adjust based on location, company size, and seniority level.

Work authorization in the United States is required for all applicants. All qualified candidates will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected under applicable federal, state, or local law. Reasonable accommodations are available to individuals with disabilities throughout the application and employment process upon request. Employment offers are contingent on successful completion of a background check consistent with applicable law.

The Center Project Manager owns end-to-end delivery of construction projects, managing pre-construction planning, subcontractor procurement, change orders, and cost control to meet budget, schedule, and quality targets. Working closely with owners, architects, consultants, and field superintendents, this role ensures consistent communication and compliance with company standards from project inception through completion.

Key Responsibilities

• Conduct pre-construction planning and mobilization functions, organizing and coordinating projects with field supervision and providing constructability reviews and scheduling information.
• Write correspondence and agendas, hold weekly meetings with owners and architects, and ensure open communication throughout the entire project from inception to completion.
• Review revisions, additions, and deletions to projects, contact subcontractors for pricing, write change orders, obtain owner approval, and maintain logs of change orders and delays.
• Work with the Estimating Department to secure total project procurement including specialty materials and subcontractors, and write scope of work required by subcontractors.
• Maintain cost control throughout projects, perform weekly and monthly reviews of job cost reports, prepare monthly profitability analyses, and review and approve invoices.
• Provide training and support to Project Engineers and other staff as required.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Construction Management, Engineering, or a related field, or equivalent work experience.
• 3 to 5 years of construction and project management experience.
• Knowledge of construction practices, project management methodology, and local, state, and federal construction regulations.
• Ability to read plans and estimates to schedule and manage a variety of construction projects.
• Strong mathematical, organizational, and multitasking skills with the ability to adapt to changing priorities.
• Proficiency in document management, project management, and scheduling software applications.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills with the ability to build effective working relationships with owners, subcontractors, consultants, and staff.

Embedded within the program management office, the Center Project Manager oversees the operational aspects of multiple projects spanning manufacturing, software, and services, serving as the primary customer contact and liaison across program management, functional organizations, and line management. Working closely with the Director, Product Lines, and upper management, this role ensures projects are completed on time, within budget, and to customer-satisfaction goals.

Core Functions

• Assist with development of project plans and manage resources to ensure project schedule, budget, quality, and specification goals are attained.
• Monitor project schedule, timelines, and milestones from initiation to delivery to meet delivery goals.
• Coordinate departmental and cross-functional teams to assign and prioritize tasks focused on delivering new or upgrading existing products and services.
• Monitor work of project management staff, providing technical support and direction when necessary.
• Create progress reports, requirements documentation, and presentations, and present results to project staff when necessary.
• Communicate effectively and routinely with the Director, Product Lines, and upper management to keep them informed on the status of relevant projects.
• Identify and assess project issues and develop solutions to meet productivity, quality, and customer-satisfaction goals and objectives.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of sensitive information.

Qualifications and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Business Administration or a related discipline.
• 6 years of progressively complex experience in project administration.
• Good understanding of project management processes, planning and scheduling methods, and budget management.
• Knowledge of manufacturing programs and enterprise resource management tools such as SAP.
• Ability to initiate, plan, and manage projects, identify issues, analyze data, and develop solutions.
• Strong communication, documentation, presentation, and interpersonal skills with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Ability to work extended hours and travel as required.

Reporting to senior leadership, the Center Project Manager leads predictable, on-time, on-quality, on-budget delivery across a North America Market Operations roadmap, formulating project plans and controlling budgets across large, complex programs. Partnering with cross-functional teams, this role drives continuous performance improvement, risk mitigation, and adherence to structured methodologies such as PMP, Prince2, or SAFe/Agile.

Primary Duties

• Lead predictable and flawless execution of Projects and Initiatives.
• Formulate project plans in accordance with goals and timing set by management.
• Control project budgets and evaluate all project initiatives for feasibility, costs, benefits, and contributed value, taking corrective actions when necessary and generating adequate reporting.
• Lead projects within budget and program strategy in terms of quality, money, time, information, and organization, monitoring progress and managing external resources.
• Actively evaluate projects for opportunities to improve performance and continuously monitor and mitigate risk.
• Direct project team members and provide operational guidance throughout the project, both technically and organizationally.
• Ensure team members adhere to internal policies and procedures.

Skills and Qualifications

• Bachelor of Science in Business or Engineering.
• PMP, Prince2, or SAFe/Agile certification, with Change Management methodology experience preferred.
• 5 or more years of experience successfully leading large, complex programs, projects, and initiatives using a structured approach.
• Subject matter expertise in all phases of development, launch, and maintenance including voice of the customer, requirements generation, design controls, verification, validation, and support-readiness.
• Lean Six Sigma or Continuous Improvement experience preferred.
• Experience leading implementation of Enterprise Business Systems within Service or Commercial Operations.
• Strong presentation, communication, and interpersonal skills with proven ability to lead teams through complex and ambiguous situations.

Sitting at the intersection of client services and agile software delivery, the Center Project Manager facilitates discovery sessions, organizes deliverables into software releases, and tracks progress to ensure client expectations are met across web application projects for a firm serving clients such as Starbucks and the US Green Building Council. Operating across UX, design, and engineering disciplines, this role builds long-term client relationships and translates feedback into actionable development plans.

Duties

• Facilitate discovery sessions with clients to gather and document requirements, scope, effort, and priority of each deliverable.
• Incorporate UX, design, and engineering into the discovery process.
• Participate in creating and reviewing development plans with clients.
• Organize deliverables into software releases in support of the development plan.
• Track and communicate progress on software releases with clients.
• Participate in testing all software releases to ensure client expectations are met with respect to designs and specifications.
• Gather and document client feedback from deliverable reviews and determine how best to incorporate feedback into the development plan.

Experience and Qualifications

• 3 to 5 years of project management or analyst experience in an agile software development environment.
• Strong understanding of web application development.
• Strong organizational, interpersonal, problem-solving, presentation, and facilitation skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.
• Demonstrated use of project management techniques and tools.

A key member of an award-winning design agency team, the Center Project Manager manages workflow across print and digital projects including annual reports, rebrands, and web design, owning specs, budgets, and stakeholder communication throughout the full project lifecycle. Collaborating across creative, production, and client-facing functions, this role ensures all projects run efficiently, on budget, and to a high standard of quality.

Functions

• Manage agency workflow for print and digital projects, keeping all stakeholders up to date and on track.
• Plan and manage agency resources and staffing throughout the project lifecycle.
• Own project specs, scope, retainers, finances, budgets, estimates, and invoicing approvals.
• Lead proactive stakeholder management throughout the project lifecycle, including running status meetings and maintaining project documentation.
• Own creative development phases including leading kick-off meetings, creative reviews, and integrated production meetings.

Position Requirements

• Minimum 2 years of project management or account management experience, ideally with some background in corporate reporting.
• Background in branding, design, or communications.
• Knowledge of print production, including writing print specs for cost estimation.
• Knowledge of web project coordination and working with developers.
• Familiarity with WordPress and content management systems preferred.
• Strong attention to detail with excellent communication skills and a client-facing orientation.

Delivering profitable ERP implementations depends on the Center Project Manager, who manages and delegates projects across the SYSPRO ERP division, applying Prince2 methodology to drive on-budget, outcomes-based delivery for each client. Based within a consulting environment, this role establishes and maintains strong customer relationships while leading project teams through the complexities of custom business system implementation.

Accountabilities

• Manage and delegate projects and project duties effectively to improve profitability in alignment with budget, project plan, and delivery.
• Follow and implement Prince2 methodology on multiple projects within a fast-paced, outcomes-based environment.
• Facilitate, troubleshoot, and mediate problems arising from implementing complex business systems.
• Establish and maintain excellent customer relationships, influencing and managing client expectations.
• Lead project team members by fostering a positive, energetic environment and clearly defining expectations and tasks.

Professional Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Industrial Engineering.
• Prince2, PMP, or PMBOK certification.
• 5 or more years of experience in a similar project management role.
• Experience in consulting or ERP systems implementation is essential.
• Knowledge of SYSPRO, Advanced Excel, Business Process Mapping, and SQL.
• Strong leadership, influencing, and organizational skills.

As the Center Project Manager, this role manages simulator projects from scoping through delivery for Cruden, a manufacturer of professional driving simulators serving the automotive, motorsport, and marine industries, estimating resources, scheduling milestones, and tracking deliverables using Cruden administrative tools. The engineering team relies on this work to ensure project expectations are communicated clearly and that timelines and budgets remain on track.

Job Functions

• Manage projects from beginning to end, defining detailed scope, goals, and deliverables based on commercial information.
• Estimate the resources needed to achieve project goals.
• Plan and schedule project timelines and milestones using Cruden administrative tools.
• Track project milestones, deliverables, and resources spent.
• Communicate project expectations effectively to team members.

Background and Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering or equivalent.
• Minimum 2 years of experience in a project management capacity preferred.
• Commercial understanding and knowledge of PCs and networks.
• Ability to conform to shifting priorities, demands, and timelines and respond to project adjustments promptly.
• Dutch language proficiency required, with good command of English.
• Valid driving license required.