Project Manager / Operations Specialist

Motorola Solutions•Schaumburg, IL

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Manager & Operations Specialist is a "hybrid" role designed for a proactive problem-solver who can navigate both high-level project strategy and the granular data that supports it. This role requires a detective's mindset to dig into the "why" behind discrepancies and leverage resources to find solutions. The Project Manager/Specialist provides critical programmatic oversight and administrative execution for projects within Applied Technology. While the Engineering Project Lead holds primary responsibility for technical direction, the PM/Specialist ensures project health through rigorous monitoring of schedules, budgets, and process compliance.

Requirements

5+ years in a project management environment.
Must be a U.S. citizen with the ability to obtain a security clearance.
EVM Expertise: Proven experience with Earned Value Management.
Advanced Excel Skills: High proficiency in Excel for data analysis and financial modeling (Pivot Tables, lookup, complex formulas).
Financial Literacy: Strong experience with project accounting.
Communication Mastery: Ability to translate complex data "finds" into concise status updates for stakeholders, ensuring discrepancies are explained alongside a clear resolution plan.
Collaboration: Strong interpersonal skills to influence technical teams and ensure process compliance without having direct authority over the Engineering Lead.
Adaptability: Proven ability to remain organized and effective while managing multiple projects or shifting priorities simultaneously.
Adaptive Learning: A track record of quickly mastering internal organizational tools to become a subject matter expert with minimal oversight.
Systems Expertise: High proficiency in Microsoft Project, enterprise project accounting solutions, Excel.
Analytical Rigor: Ability to identify programmatic trends and proactively alert the Engineering Project Lead to potential schedule or budget slippage.

Nice To Haves

AI in Project Management: Experience leveraging AI tools and automation to streamline scheduling, enhance risk prediction, or automate routine status reporting.
Certifications: PMP Certification is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

Independent Roadblock Resolution: Navigate the company’s digital ecosystem, proactively leverage internal wikis, schedules, and reports to identify the root cause of project stalls and propose viable paths forward.
Data Integrity & Cross-Tool Reconciliation: Independently audit data across platforms (e.g., MS Project, Excel tracking masters, and ERP systems) to maintain a "single source of truth" and ensure internal reporting aligns with project reality.
Programmatic Oversight & EVM: Maintain secondary responsibility for project success by applying Earned Value Management (EVM) principles to track performance against the baseline.
Project Accounting: Manage budgets, track actual costs versus plan, and calculate Estimated Costs to Complete (ETC).
Priority Management: Prioritize competing demands in a fast-paced environment, ensuring critical-path tasks and urgent programmatic risks are addressed immediately.
Methodology Compliance: Serve as the Subject Matter Expert (SME) for the Project Management Methodology (PMM) to ensure team adherence to departmental quality processes.
Reporting & Governance: Prepare and distribute accurate project-level status reports, including EVM metrics, and drive the "Lessons Learned" process.
Process Evolution: Translate independent "finds" into updated SOPs or templates to improve processes for the entire team.
Detail Orientation: Ensure total accuracy in financial reporting, scheduling data, and contract documentation.