Senior Project Manager, PMO

MXD•Chicago, IL

14h•$97,351 - $116,821•Hybrid

About The Position

Do you want to be a part of something innovative, relevant, and intellectually stimulating that has a meaningful impact? Come join our MxD team as we strive to increase U.S. competitiveness in manufacturing. About MxD MxD (Manufacturing x Digital) advances economic prosperity and national security by strengthening U.S. manufacturing competitiveness through technology innovation, workforce development, and cybersecurity preparedness. In partnership with the Department of Defense, we convene an ecosystem to solve critical manufacturing challenges by accelerating digital adoption, empowering a skilled workforce, and modernizing supply chains. MxD is also the National Center for Cybersecurity in Manufacturing, as designated by DoD. Visit mxdusa.org to learn more. MxD is passionate about its people and committed to creating an environment where everyone is heard and respected. Flexible work arrangements and unlimited paid time-off programs are just a few of the exceptional benefits MxD provides its employees. MxD embodies a strong, fast-paced, and dynamic working environment while also fostering curiosity and innovation. Position Overview MxD is seeking an experienced Senior Project Manager to join our Project Management Office (PMO) in a contract role for at least a 1-year assignment, which is expected to start late August 2026. MxD has multiple ongoing research and modernization projects in Industry 4.0, Supply Chain, Digital Twins, Future Factory, Systems Integration, and Cybersecurity. You will be part of the team responsible for developing and leading research projects to help America’s factories tackle grand challenges. This role will simultaneously drive multiple initiatives from initiation through deployment, including sourcing, planning, and coordination across internal and external teams. A successful candidate will bring strong project management experience, technical engineering acumen, and ability to navigate ambiguity in a fast-paced environment. This role reports to the Senior Director, PMO.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree, preferably in Engineering or another technical discipline, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience.
PMP or CAPM certification is strongly preferred.
Minimum of four (4) years of project management experience leading complex, high-value projects strongly preferred.
Experience working in technical environments preferred, including research, engineering, product development, and familiarity with digital manufacturing technologies.
Strong interpersonal, presentation, communication, and negotiation skills, combined with excellent analytical and problem-solving abilities.
Proven ability to effectively interface and collaborate with all levels of an organization, including executive leadership, commercial partners, and academic stakeholders.
Self-motivated with the ability to thrive in a highly dynamic, collaborative environment.
Experience with government-funded projects and contracting processes is desirable.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, with familiarity using Monday.com or other project management tools.
Demonstrated ability and willingness to work effectively in a fast-paced, evolving environment.
Must be available to work onsite for 1 to 3 days per week.
Applicants must be currently authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis. We are unable to sponsor H1B visas currently.

Responsibilities

Lead and manage multiple end-to-end projects simultaneously, from initiation through final delivery.
In collaboration with the Project Team, lead and develop project planning activities and develop documentation associated with project initiation, including Requests for Proposals (RFPs), Statements of Work (SOWs), project schedules, reporting requirements, intellectual property documentation, asset tracking, and inventory management forms.
Monitor and control project execution to ensure alignment with SoW, and contractual obligations.
Facilitate regular project team meetings, capture and distribute key meeting outcomes, communicate project status updates to diverse audiences, and track deliverables against established milestones.
Identify, assess, and proactively manage project risks, constraints, issues, and ensure timely escalation through the established escalation path when needed.
Manage project budgets and collaborate with Finance to reconcile actual expenditures against forecast, mitigate and document budget variance, and communicate forecast-impacting changes in a timely manner.
Coordinate and partner with internal teams, subcontractors, and external stakeholders to ensure alignment, accountability, and timely execution of project deliverables, while effectively influencing without direct authority.
Support the development of strategic project concept materials and executive-level summaries, while contributing to the continuous improvement of PMO processes, tools, and workflows.
Mentor Project Coordinators and Project Managers as needed to support professional growth and project success.
Perform other duties as assigned.