Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives

Ilitch Sports + Entertainment • Detroit, MI

1d

About The Position

The Project Manager, Strategic Initiatives supports the Executive Business Partner, Strategic Initiatives in translating executive priorities into organized project plans, coordinated action, and measurable progress. The role manages day-to-day planning, tracking, communication, and follow-through for cross-functional initiatives across Ilitch Sports + Entertainment, providing structure and execution support for projects involving senior leaders, business units, and functional teams.

The Project Manager builds and maintains project plans, tracks milestones and action items, prepares status updates, identifies risks and dependencies, and ensures stakeholders have the information needed to move work forward. Success requires project management discipline, attention to detail, sound judgment, and effectiveness in a fast-paced, highly collaborative environment.

The role works primarily in a professional office environment. Extended hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, may be required to support the operating calendars of the Detroit Red Wings and Detroit Tigers. Occasional travel may be required. The position involves frequent visual and auditory attention in an environment with regular interruptions, shifting priorities, and time-sensitive project needs.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, project management, communications, operations, or a related field.
• Five or more years of experience in project management, business operations, strategy execution, executive support, or a comparable role coordinating cross-functional work.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously, organize complex information, track details, and drive follow-through in a fast-paced environment.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create clear project updates, meeting summaries, reports, and stakeholder communications.
• Strong organizational, prioritization, and problem-solving skills, with accuracy, attention to detail, and follow-through.
• Ability to influence outcomes, gain alignment, and drive accountability across teams without direct reporting authority.
• Sound judgment and ability to handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook.
• Ability to work primarily in a professional office environment; the role may require extended hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays, and occasional travel.
• Ability to meet the role’s frequent visual and auditory attention demands in an environment with regular interruptions, shifting priorities, and time-sensitive project needs.

Nice To Haves

• Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), Agile, Lean, or similar certification.
• Experience in sports, entertainment, media, hospitality, or a similarly dynamic, multi-brand enterprise.
• Experience using project management or collaboration tools such as Microsoft Planner, Smartsheet, Wrike, Asana, Monday.com, or similar platforms.
• Experience supporting executive-level initiatives, leadership meetings, strategic planning processes, or enterprise-wide operational projects.
• Familiarity with basic data analysis, reporting, and visualization to support project tracking and decision-making.
• Familiarity with making executive presentations.

Responsibilities

• Translate executive priorities into organized project plans, coordinated action, and measurable progress.
• Manage day-to-day planning, tracking, communication, and follow-through for cross-functional initiatives.
• Build and maintain project plans and track milestones and action items.
• Prepare project status updates, meeting summaries, reports, and stakeholder communications.
• Identify risks and dependencies and ensure stakeholders have the information needed to move work forward.
• Coordinate project work involving senior leaders, business units, functional teams, and multiple stakeholders.
• Clarify ownership, document decisions, and help ensure next steps and commitments are completed.
• Maintain accurate project records, trackers, schedules, and documentation while balancing multiple priorities.
• Support executive-level initiatives, leadership meetings, strategic planning processes, or enterprise-wide operational projects as applicable.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level