Senior Project Manager, DIBI

Northeastern University•Boston, MA

10d•$87,785 - $123,999

About The Position

The Defense Industrial Base Institute is seeking a Senior Project Manager to join an execution team of researchers, students, staff, and faculty. The role advises, consults, and guides project management for multiple large-scale, complex, cross-organizational projects in a research portfolio funded by federal agencies such as the Navy, Air Force, and NOAA. The Senior Project Manager works with stakeholders to define project charters and schedules and ensure compliance with budgets and amendments. The position oversees projects throughout their lifecycle, delivering comprehensive, innovative, and repeatable solutions while managing scope, time, and budget. It requires adapting quickly to changing conditions, identifying risks, recommending solutions, and shifting priorities across a broad range of activities. This is a one-year appointment tied to federal funding. U.S. citizenship is required by the federal sponsor. The position may require travel up to 30% of the time.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of 5–7 years of experience leading complex projects.
Experience working in a defense, market agency, or government environment.
Advanced knowledge of project management concepts, methodologies, practices, and procedures.
Project Management Professional (PMP) credential.
Knowledge of Agile Scrum practices, program management, and Six Sigma Green Belt or Black Belt.
Expertise in Salesforce.gov, Smartsheet.gov, or similar project management tools.
Strong planning skills using relevant software.
Excellent written, verbal, client-facing, and internal communication skills.
Solid organizational skills, including attention to detail and multitasking.
U.S. citizenship, as required by the federal sponsor.
Ability to travel up to 30% of the time.

Responsibilities

Lead the definition of project scope and objectives with relevant stakeholders, ensuring technical feasibility.
Organize complex projects into structured phases and sprints to prioritize speed, improvements, and enhancements.
Create and maintain project documentation, including project charters, communication plans, RACI matrices, risk registers, and process maps.
Develop detailed project plans to monitor and track progress.
Manage changes to project scope, schedule, and costs using appropriate verification techniques.
Assist Principal Investigators, Co-Principal Investigators, and project teams with progress analysis, decision-making, prioritization, and risk assessment and mitigation.
Perform risk management to minimize project risks.
Manage relationships with clients and stakeholders; meet with clients to gather detailed project briefs and clarify requirements.
Coordinate internal resources and third-party vendors to support project execution and ensure resource availability and allocation.
Delegate project tasks.
Measure and track project performance using appropriate tools and techniques, including progress toward short- and long-term goals.
Report and escalate issues to management as needed.
Contribute to the design, development, and maintenance of standardized project management templates.
Identify new applications of project management principles, encourage adoption of practices and templates, and mature project management capabilities.
Assist with development of an internal project status dashboard.
Mentor others and serve as a resource for staff informally leading projects in their departments.
Select, onboard, and develop employees; set clear goals and expectations, delegate effectively, and provide timely performance feedback before final reviews.