Project Manager

Job Title: Project Manager (cohort-based programs)

Job Location: Columbus, IN, 47201 (Hybrid, mostly Remote)

Duration: 12+ months (High Chances of extension)

Payrate: $31 per hour on W2

Overall Goal

Lead the end-to-end operational planning and execution of enterprise technical capability development programs, with primary responsibility for the global Systems Engineering Certificate Program (SECP).

This role translates program strategy into disciplined execution by establishing and managing the integrated plans, processes, controls, communications, financial activities, systems, and stakeholder coordination required to deliver high-quality programs consistently across regions.

The Project Manager serves as the operational hub connecting program leadership, participants, instructors, regional partners, Finance, HR, vendors, and other stakeholders. The role requires strong independent judgment, proactive problem solving, rigorous follow-through, and the ability to anticipate and resolve issues before they affect program delivery.

Major Duties & Responsibilities

Program & Project Management

• Develop and maintain integrated project plans for global cohorts, modules, and program activities.
• Translate program milestones into detailed tasks, dependencies, owners, due dates, and deliverables.
• Monitor execution against plans and proactively identify schedule, resource, financial, or delivery risks.
• Drive follow-up and accountability for open actions across program stakeholders.
• Maintain program risk, issue, decision, and action tracking.
• Escalate issues requiring program leadership intervention with clear context and recommended actions.
• Coordinate multiple concurrent cohorts and workstreams across regions and time zones.
• Establish repeatable operating processes, checklists, templates, and controls that enable programs to scale globally.

Cohort Planning & Delivery

• Manage end-to-end operational readiness for each cohort and module.
• Coordinate facilities, room reservations, catering, supplies, AV/technology, participant materials, shipping, and other delivery requirements.
• Establish and maintain detailed regional readiness plans.
• Coordinate participant and instructor travel requirements and readiness.
• Ensure required materials, resources, systems, and support are available before each delivery milestone.
• Conduct readiness reviews and proactively resolve gaps before program delivery.
• Coordinate post-module closeout activities, retrospectives, lessons learned, and follow-up actions.

Participant Lifecycle Management

• Manage participant processes from application through program completion.
• Maintain accurate participant rosters, application status, waitlists, attendance, completion requirements, and program records.
• Coordinate participant onboarding, confirmations, pre-work, travel guidance, reminders, and completion communications.
• Track attendance, assessments, required documentation, certificates, and other completion criteria.
• Monitor participant questions and issues and ensure timely resolution or escalation.
• Support a consistent, high-quality participant experience across regions.

Instructor Coordination & Development Support

• Maintain instructor assignments and availability across cohorts and modules.
• Coordinate instructor planning meetings, preparation activities, travel, materials, and delivery readiness.
• Maintain the instructor development pipeline, including candidates, development stages, observation and co-instruction opportunities, and future assignments.
• Coordinate instructor resources and collaboration through SharePoint, Teams, Microsoft Loop, and other program systems.
• Capture instructor feedback, lessons learned, and improvement recommendations.
• Ensure instructor-related actions and dependencies are incorporated into program plans.

Financial Management & Cost Recovery

• Maintain detailed program budgets, forecasts, commitments, actual expenses, and projected costs.
• Coordinate purchase orders, invoices, vendor payments, travel expenses, procurement activities, and other program financial processes.
• Manage participant cost-recovery and cross-charge processes in partnership with Finance.
• Track financial transactions through completion and proactively resolve exceptions or delays.
• Maintain accurate documentation and controls supporting program financial activities.
• Prepare financial su…