Senior Project Manager - Master Data Stream

Job Title: Senior Project Manager - Master Data Stream
Location: Columbus, OH (Open to non-local candidates with bi-weekly travel)
Work Model: Hybrid for local candidates (3 days onsite); bi-weekly travel for non-local candidates
Rate: $80-$90/hour
Contract Length: August 1, 2026 - December 31, 2026
Extension: Strong possibility of extension
Employment Type: W-2 Only
Work Authorization: U.S. Citizens Only | No visa sponsorship available

Position Overview

We are seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager - Master Data Stream to support a major Customer Transformation Program for a utilities client. This role will lead the project management and coordination of the Master Data workstream, ensuring planning, execution, stakeholder alignment, and delivery across all master data-related activities tied to the broader transformation effort.

The ideal candidate will bring strong experience leading complex project workstreams in enterprise transformation environments, with specific experience overseeing master data initiatives, coordinating cross-functional teams, and driving progress across business and technology stakeholders. This individual will play a key role in managing timelines, risks, dependencies, issue resolution, and executive reporting for a high-visibility workstream that is critical to overall program success.

This role is well suited for a project manager who is highly organized, proactive, and comfortable operating in a matrixed environment where data, systems, process, and stakeholder alignment must come together to support program objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Project Leadership & Workstream Management

• Lead the Master Data workstream within a large customer transformation program.
• Develop and manage detailed project plans, milestones, deliverables, dependencies, and workstream timelines.
• Coordinate day-to-day execution of master data activities across business, technology, and program teams.
• Ensure the workstream remains aligned with overall program goals, delivery timelines, and governance expectations.
• Drive accountability across stakeholders to ensure deliverables are completed on time and issues are escalated appropriately.

Master Data Coordination

• Lead a team supporting the master data stream, ensuring clear priorities, ownership, and execution across all related activities.
• Coordinate master data planning, data readiness, process alignment, and execution activities across impacted functions.
• Partner with business and technical teams to support data requirements, data governance, data dependencies, and readiness milestones.
• Ensure master data work is integrated effectively with other program workstreams, including customer, process, technology, testing, and deployment teams.
• Monitor master data risks, quality concerns, and dependencies that may impact downstream program activities.

Stakeholder Management & Cross-Functional Alignment

• Partner closely with program leadership, business stakeholders, IT teams, data leads, vendors, and other project managers to drive alignment.
• Facilitate meetings, working sessions, and decision-making discussions related to the master data workstream.
• Provide clear communication and status updates to stakeholders, including leadership and program governance groups.
• Build strong working relationships across a complex utility environment and help ensure cross-functional coordination remains strong.

Risk, Issue & Dependency Management

• Identify, track, and manage workstream risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies.
• Escalate risks or delivery concerns in a timely and solution-oriented manner.
• Proactively drive issue resolution and coordinate with impacted teams to maintain progress.
• Support mitigation planning for data-related, schedule-related, and stakeholder-related challenges.

Reporting, Governance & Delivery Support

• Prepare status reports, dashboards, RAID logs, milestone updates, and executive-ready presentations.
• Support program governance, steering committee materials, and leadership reporting as needed.
• Ensure workstream documentation is current, organized, and aligned with PMO/program standards.
• Track progress against key deliverables and support informed decision-making through clear reporting and analysis.

Day-to-Day Responsibilities

• Lead master data workstream meetings and coordinate actions across project teams.
• Track progress against milestones, deliverables, and key dependencies.
• Partner with business and technical teams to resolve issues and clarify priorities.
• Prepare status updates, leadership materials, and workstream reporting.
• Escalate risks, delays, or decisions needed to maintain project momentum.
• Coordinate with other program leads to ensure master data activities remain integrated with the broader transformation effort.
• Support planning for readiness, testing, deployment, and downstream business impacts tied to master data.

Required Qualifications

• 7+ years of experience in project management, with experience leading complex enterprise workstreams or transformation initiatives.
• Proven experience managing or leading a master data stream or similar data-focused project workstream.
• Experience leading cross-functional teams in large, matrixed program environments.
• Strong experience with project planning, milestone management, risk management, issue resolution, and stakeholder communication.
• Ability to manage competing priorities and coordinate across business and technical teams.
• Strong facilitation, organizational, and communication skills.
• Experience preparing leadership-ready reporting and presentations.
• Ability to operate effectively in a complex, fast-paced transformation environment.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience within the utilities industry strongly preferred.
• Experience supporting customer transformation, ERP, data transformation, or related enterprise programs preferred.
• Familiarity with master data governance, data quality, data conversion, or enterprise data management concepts is a plus.
• Experience working in PMO-driven or highly governed program environments preferred.
• PMP or similar project management certification is a plus.

Core Competencies

• Project Management
• Workstream Leadership
• Master Data Coordination
• Stakeholder Management
• Risk & Issue Management
• Cross-Functional Team Leadership
• Program Governance
• Executive Reporting
• Data Readiness Coordination
• Utilities Transformation

Ideal Candidate Profile

The ideal candidate is a strong project leader who knows how to manage a critical workstream within a large transformation program. They bring structure, follow-through, and strong stakeholder management skills, along with experience leading teams and coordinating master data-related activities across a complex organization. Utility experience is strongly preferred, and prior experience leading a master data stream is especially important for success in this role.