Project Manager/Client Engagement Manager

Ardent Learning, Inc.•Tustin, CA

9d•$85,000 - $100,000

About The Position

Ardent is seeking a Project Manager based in the Orange County area to lead client engagements and help maximize project success and account satisfaction. The role involves building strong relationships with client stakeholders and communicating effectively with clients, internal teams, and vendors. The Project Manager oversees the full lifecycle of engagements, including the design, development, and production of projects, ensuring client specifications and deadlines are met. The position requires local weekly travel to and from client locations and supporting clients across multiple time zones. The salary range is $85,000 to $100,000, based on 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.
Ability to manage budgets.
Willingness to support clients across EST, CST, and PST 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 having difficult conversations.
Ability to manage project scope and changes creatively by problem-solving, identifying risks and issues, and negotiating win-win solutions.
Ability to launch new client engagements and projects.
Ability to report on project success criteria and metrics, milestones, risks, and issues internally and with clients.
Track record of successfully delivering projects and working cross-functionally with internal and external teams.
Ability to attend to project details 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.
Provide proactive status updates to team members, management, and clients; hold status meetings and document and communicate 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; flag deliverables that do not meet Ardent standards.
Develop detailed project plans to monitor and track progress.
Manage people and vendor resources for client engagements, reworking plans and prioritizing needs 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 manage edits and revisions.
Escalate project changes that may affect scope, time, cost, or quality.
Perform risk management to minimize project risks.
Stay attuned to client needs and strengthen Ardent’s position as a learning consultant.
Travel locally to and from the client location weekly.
Perform other duties as assigned.