Supply Chain Project Manager (Contract)

Job Title: Supply Chain Project Manager Location: Columbus, OH Work Model: Hybrid — onsite Tuesday through Thursday; remote Monday and Friday Rate: $60–$67/hour Contract Duration: Through December 31, 2026 Possibility of Extension: To be determined; manager cannot comment on an extension at this time Employment Type: W-2 Only Work Authorization: U.S. Citizens Only | No visa sponsorship available Position Overview We are seeking an experienced Supply Chain Project Manager to lead complex business and technology initiatives supporting a large utility organization’s Supply Chain function. This role will manage cross-functional IT projects, application implementations, infrastructure initiatives, and supply chain improvement efforts from initiation through delivery. The Project Manager will work closely with Supply Chain leadership, business stakeholders, technology partners, vendors, contractors, and other functional teams to translate strategic objectives into structured, executable project plans. The position requires strong formal project management discipline, including experience with Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, and hybrid methodologies , integrated project planning, Work Breakdown Structures, risk and dependency management, financial controls, vendor accountability, PMO governance, and executive reporting. A key component of the role will be developing and managing a two-year technology project roadmap that establishes high-level priorities, milestones, sequencing, and stakeholder expectations across Supply Chain technology initiatives. The ideal candidate is a seasoned Project Manager who can create structure in ambiguous environments, establish accountability across cross-functional teams, communicate effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, and drive complex initiatives through successful delivery. Supply chain and utility experience are highly preferred. Key Responsibilities Project Leadership & Delivery Define project scope, goals, objectives, and deliverables in collaboration with senior leadership and stakeholders. Lead medium-to-large projects from initiation through implementation and delivery. Translate leadership's project vision into actionable project plans and execution strategies. Establish realistic expectations regarding scope, timelines, resources, milestones, and outcomes. Manage projects using appropriate Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, or hybrid methodologies . Navigate ambiguous scope, changing priorities, resource constraints, and skill limitations. Maintain focus on project outcomes and business value throughout the project lifecycle. Drive project teams toward commitments, milestones, and expected results. Ensure deliverables meet established quality standards and stakeholder expectations. Integrated Project Planning Create detailed project plans outlining: Objectives Timelines Deliverables Milestones Dependencies Resource requirements Financial considerations Develop and maintain integrated project plans and Work Breakdown Structures (WBS) . Identify project dependencies and critical paths. Estimate, plan, schedule, and track project timelines, financials, milestones, and deliverables. Maintain accurate schedules as project priorities and conditions evolve. Utilize project management platforms such as: Microsoft Project Jira Asana Trello Similar enterprise project-management tools Maintain comprehensive project documentation with appropriate formality and accuracy. Supply Chain Technology Roadmap Create and manage a two-year technology project roadmap supporting Supply Chain. Establish high-level delivery milestones and implementation sequencing. Translate business priorities into actionable technology initiatives. Maintain visibility into roadmap dependencies, resource requirements, and delivery risks. Manage stakeholder expectations regarding timing and implementation priorities. Coordinate roadmap activities across Supply Chain, IT, vendors, and other business functions. Update the roadmap as priorities and organizational needs evolve. IT & Application Project Management Develop and manage cross-functional IT projects, application implementations, and infrastructure initiatives . Partner with business groups to establish and manage project priorities. Clearly communicate business priorities and expectations to technology partners. Coordinate activities with technology teams to ensure projects are delivered on schedule. Maintain an understanding of enterprise technologies and their relationship to Supply Chain operations. Translate technical issues and concepts into clear language for non-technical stakeholders. Facilitate communication between business and technology teams throughout the project lifecycle. Supply Chain Improvement Support initiatives designed to optimize Supply Chain performance, efficiency, and technology capabilities. Partner with Supply Chain stakeholders to understand operational needs, business priorities, and improvement opportunities. Coordinate initiatives involving processes, technology, systems, infrastructure, and operational practices. Identify opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce unnecessary costs. Support continuous improvement efforts across Supply Chain. Ensure technology initiatives remain aligned with broader Supply Chain objectives. Governance, Risk & Change Control Apply formal project governance to manage: Risk Dependencies Scope changes Issues Financial controls Project decisions Conduct regular project risk assessments. Identify project risks early and develop proactive mitigation strategies. Develop contingency plans for risks that could affect scope, schedule, resources, cost, or quality. Manage changes in project scope and assess downstream impacts. Maintain RAID logs, decision logs, change records, and other governance documentation. Proactively identify and communicate risks to project delivery and schedule. Escalate significant issues and decisions to appropriate leadership. Adhere to established PMO methodologies, governance processes, tools, and templates. Financial & Resource Management Track project financials and monitor performance against established plans. Support project budgeting, forecasting, and financial controls. Identify resource requirements and potential capacity constraints. Assemble project teams with the appropriate skills and capabilities. Assign responsibilities based on team-member strengths and project needs. Identify skill or resource gaps and coordinate appropriate solutions. Maintain visibility into project cost, schedule, scope, resources, and expected value. Team & Stakeholder Leadership Facilitate collaboration across multiple functions, departments, organizational levels, and external partners. Build strong working relationships with business units and technology partners. Facilitate project meetings, planning sessions, decision-making discussions, and leadership reviews. Ensure alignment across stakeholders regarding objectives, priorities, responsibilities, and deadlines. Identify and resolve issues and conflicts within project teams. Challenge ineffective processes, missed commitments, and underperformance when appropriate. Help raise project standards and strengthen team performance. Drive accountability while maintaining productive working relationships. Serve as a role model for teamwork and cross-functional collaboration. Vendor & Contractor Management Liaise with external contractors, suppliers, technology partners, and vendors. Clearly communicate project expectations, technical issues, deliverables, and deadlines. Provide ongoing monitoring of schedules, milestones, and vendor commitments. Hold external partners accountable for project performance. Identify and escalation vendor-related delivery risks. Support negotiations and discussions with suppliers as needed. Identify opportunities to improve efficiencies and achieve economies of scale. Infrastructure & Technology Optimization Support initiatives designed to maximize the availability and effectiveness of IT equipment and infrastructure. Identify opportunities for continuous improvement across technology-supported Supply Chain processes. Evaluate opportunities to improve efficiency and reduce costs. Coordinate infrastructure-related activities with applicable technology teams and vendors. Track infrastructure dependencies that may affect project implementation or operations. Testing & Quality Management Support project quality by coordinating appropriate unit, system, and integration testing cycles . Ensure testing activities align with implementation plans and business expectations. Coordinate testing responsibilities across business and technology teams. Track testing progress, issues, defects, and resolution activities. Ensure deliverables meet defined quality standards. Support implementation-readiness activities prior to deployment. Coordinate resolution of issues that could affect implementation quality or schedule. Business Process Improvement & Change Management Support business-process development and improvement initiatives. Document current-state and future-state processes as needed. Identify opportunities to improve processes, efficiency, and operating effectiveness. Support organizational change management associated with technology and process implementations. Identify stakeholder impacts and readiness requirements. Coordinate with business stakeholders and change-management resources to support successful adoption. Help ensure new technologies and processes are effectively transitioned into operations. Project Reporting & Communication Maintain project performance and value-oriented metrics. Generate regular status reports for stakeholders and leadership. Develop clear, concise documentation outlining processes, problems, decisions, and action plans. Create professional: Presentations Charts Diagrams Roadmaps Process flows Dashboards Other illustrative materials Communicate complicated technical and project concepts clearly to non-technical stakeholders. Coordinate communication channels across departments and project teams. Provide leadership with visibility into project status, financials, risks, dependencies, milestones, and upcoming decisions. Day-to-Day Responsibilities Maintain detailed project plans, schedules, milestones, WBS structures, and dependencies. Meet with Supply Chain, IT, and business stakeholders to review project priorities and progress. Manage cross-functional technology and application initiatives. Maintain the two-year Supply Chain technology roadmap. Track project financials, resources, risks, scope changes, issues, and dependencies. Facilitate project meetings and decision-making discussions. Coordinate project activities with technology partners, vendors, and contractors. Monitor vendor schedules, milestones, and commitments. Prepare project status reports, presentations, dashboards, and leadership updates. Coordinate unit, system, and integration testing activities. Support business-process improvement and organizational change activities. Identify project risks and implement mitigation strategies. Drive open issues and actions through resolution. Ensure project activities comply with established PMO standards and governance requirements. Required Qualifications Bachelor's degree in Supply Chain Management, Computer Science, Management Information Systems, or a related field . 10+ years of overall professional experience . 5+ years of experience leading medium-to-large projects from initiation through delivery . Extensive knowledge and practical application of project-management methodologies, including: Agile Scrum Waterfall Hybrid delivery models Demonstrated experience defining project scope, purpose, objectives, deliverables, and stakeholder expectations. Experience managing ambiguous scope, unclear objectives, resource constraints, and competing priorities. Strong experience developing detailed project plans, integrated schedules, and Work Breakdown Structures. Experience with project-management tools such as Microsoft Project, Jira, Asana, Trello, or similar platforms . Demonstrated experience managing project risks, dependencies, changes, financials, and governance. Ability to conduct risk assessments and proactively develop mitigation strategies. Experience managing project performance metrics and executive reporting. Understanding of enterprise IT technologies. Experience managing IT, application implementation, infrastructure, or technology-related initiatives. Experience with business-process development and improvement. Experience supporting organizational change management. Strong planning, organizational, leadership, and prioritization skills. Strong verbal and written communication skills. Strong problem-solving and critical-thinking capabilities. Ability to make effective presentations and communicate technical concepts to non-technical audiences. Ability to build strong relationships across business functions and technology teams. Ability to work effectively in a collaborative team environment. Ability to work onsite in Valparaiso, IN Tuesday through Thursday . Preferred Qualifications Strong knowledge of supply chain processes and operations . Experience successfully leading supply chain projects designed to improve performance and efficiency. PMP certification . Utility or energy industry experience. Experience using Agile methodologies for application implementation. Supervisory or formal people-leadership experience. Experience managing external vendors, contractors, or technology partners. Experience operating within formal PMO governance structures. Core Competencies Project Management Supply Chain IT Project Delivery Application Implementation Infrastructure Projects Technology Roadmapping Agile Scrum Waterfall Hybrid Delivery Integrated Project Planning Work Breakdown Structures Project Financial Management Risk Management Dependency Management Change Control PMO Governance Vendor Management Stakeholder Management Cross-Functional Leadership Executive Reporting Business Process Improvement Organizational Change Management Testing & Implementation Continuous Improvement Critical Thinking Problem Solving Ideal Candidate Profile The ideal candidate is a seasoned Project Manager with substantial experience leading complex technology and business initiatives within a large enterprise environment. They should be highly structured, comfortable operating in ambiguity, and capable of translating broad leadership objectives into executable plans with clear milestones, ownership, dependencies, and accountability. The strongest candidates will combine formal project-management discipline with an understanding of supply chain operations and enterprise technology . They should be comfortable managing application implementations, infrastructure initiatives, technology roadmaps, project financials, vendors, testing, PMO governance, and cross-functional stakeholder groups. Experience within a utility environment , PMP certification, and previous responsibility for Supply Chain technology or transformation projects would make a candidate particularly strong. #J-18808-Ljbffr Blue Star Partners LLC