Senior Project Manager

Title: Senior Project Manager Payments & Deposits Services Modernization

Location: Brooklyn, OH (Hybrid)

Duration: Contract to Hire

Job Brief

The Project Manager will lead the delivery of the Payments & Deposits Services Modernization initiative, driving a portfolio of automation, AI, and workflow transformation efforts across the Payments & Deposit Services (PDSS) organization. This role oversees end-to-end project governance, financial management, and cross-functional coordination to modernize check processing, wire and RTP, ACH, lockbox, cash vault, virtual item processing, and reconciliation platforms. The Project Manager partners closely with operations, technology, and vendor teams to deliver measurable cost savings, reduce operational risk, and elevate client experience.

Essential Functions

Lead and coordinate multiple concurrent modernization workstreams from intake through delivery, ensuring milestone tracking, risk mitigation, and timely issue resolution.
Drive project governance and reporting, providing clear, timely status, metrics, and escalations to leadership and business partners.
Manage financial forecasting, budgeting, invoice tracking, and benefit realization (cost savings, FTE efficiency) across the initiative.
Coordinate cross-functional scope, requirements, dependencies, and resource planning across operations, technology, risk, and vendor teams.
Monitor cost, schedule, and technical performance across all initiative components; identify and escalate risks and issues appropriately.
Partner with process owners and SMEs to prioritize opportunities, develop business cases, and manage the pipeline through funding checkpoints.
Define and manage project scope, objectives, deliverables, and value proposition across stakeholders and lines of business.
Develop integrated project plans, manage the critical path, and report progress against milestones and target outcomes.
Ensure client and operational impacts are fully considered in planning, solution design, and change management.
Support vendor engagement and contract management responsibilities, ensuring adherence to obligations and performance expectations.
Lead communication planning and stakeholder engagement across teams, leadership groups, and offshore/onshore delivery partners.
Follow the organization's required processes for how work is delivered, how changes are controlled, and how artifacts are tracked.
Champion continuous improvement and operational excellence throughout the initiative lifecycle.
Perform additional responsibilities as assigned in alignment with organizational needs.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in business administration, finance, information technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
Demonstrated project or program management experience, preferably within financial services or banking operations.
Working knowledge of payments and deposit operations (e.g., ACH, wire/RTP, check processing, lockbox, reconciliation) and/or technology modernization programs.
Strong understanding of agile delivery practices, project financial planning, and benefit tracking.
Exceptional communication, negotiation, and stakeholder management skills, including the ability to tailor messaging for executive audiences.

Preferred Qualifications

PMP, PgMP, SAFe, or Agile certifications (e.g., CSM, PSM).
Experience delivering automation, RPA, or AI-enabled transformation initiatives.
Experience managing initiatives within Commercial Banking, Payments, or related operational domains.
Familiarity with vendor management, business case development, and cost/benefit (TCO) modeling.

Competencies

Strategic Thinking: Defines and communicates initiative vision, priorities, and outcomes.
Leadership & Influence: Inspires teams, drives accountability, and influences decision-making across functions.
Financial Acumen: Understands financial impacts and manages budgets and benefits with discipline.
Risk Management: Proactively identifies, assesses, and mitigates risks across the initiative.
Collaboration & Communication: Communicates with clarity and adjusts messaging for various audiences.
Execution & Delivery: Drives momentum, removes bottlenecks, and delivers results against commitments.

Physical Demands

• General Office Prolonged sitting, ability to communicate in person or via phone, frequent use of PC/laptop, and occasional lifting of items up to 10 lbs.