Client Engagement Manager/Project Manager

Ardent Learning, Inc.•Costa Mesa, CA

9d•$85,000 - $100,000

About The Position

Ardent is a custom training provider that helps organizations improve business performance by developing their people. The Client Engagement Manager/Project Manager is a key team member responsible for maximizing client project success and account satisfaction through strong relationships with stakeholders across client accounts. The position is based in the Orange County area and requires weekly local travel to and from client locations. The role leads client engagements from start to finish, overseeing project design, development, and production to meet client specifications and deadlines. It coordinates internal and external handoffs, communications, project plans, budgets, resources, and risks, while maintaining client satisfaction and Ardent’s project management standards. The manager also supports participating talent, tracks work from purchase order through invoicing, gathers client feedback, and handles edits and revisions. The role reports project progress and escalates changes that could affect scope, schedule, cost, or quality. The salary range is $85,000 to $100,000, taking into account experience, education, and geographic location. The role has no variable compensation element.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent years of experience.
At least 5 years of experience as a client-facing Project Manager.
Experience with Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or other project management tools.
Competency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Proven ability to manage budgets.
Willingness to support clients across Eastern, Central, and Pacific time zones.
Strong project and client services management skills, including the ability to work with flexibility and ambiguity in a client services environment.
Effective client communication skills, including confidence in difficult conversations.
Ability to manage project scope and changes creatively through problem solving, risk and issue identification, and negotiation of win-win solutions.
Demonstrated ability to launch new client engagements and projects.
Ability to report on project success criteria and metrics, milestones, risks, and issues, both internally and with clients.
Track record of successful project delivery and cross-functional work with internal and external teams.
Ability to shift into project details when needed while keeping the overall picture in mind.
Responsive verbal and written communication skills and a strong sense of urgency.

Nice To Haves

Experience in the learning industry.

Responsibilities

Lead the full lifecycle of client engagements and oversee project design, development, and production to meet client specifications and deadlines.
Ensure timely and efficient milestone handoffs internally and externally throughout each project.
Provide proactive status updates to team members, management, and clients; hold status meetings and document and communicate meeting decisions and actions.
Follow Ardent’s project management standards and best practices while embracing flexibility where possible.
Develop, maintain, and monitor project reports, plans, timelines, and budgets, with attention to detail and client satisfaction; speak up when deliverables do not meet Ardent standards.
Develop detailed project plans to monitor and track progress.
Manage people and vendor resources for client engagements, adjusting plans and priorities with the Resource Manager.
Provide project support to participating internal and external talent.
Develop purchase orders and track projects from purchase order through invoicing.
Obtain client feedback and coordinate edits and revisions.
Escalate project changes that may affect scope, time, cost, or quality.
Perform risk management to minimize project risks.
Stay in tune with client needs and strengthen Ardent’s position as a learning consultant.
Travel locally to and from client locations weekly.
Perform other duties as assigned.