Associate Project Manager
POSITION OVERVIEW
The Associate Project Manager is a member of the Procurement Center of Excellence (CoE), responsible for managing operational and process improvement projects while supporting larger cross-functional initiatives. This role partners with business stakeholders and project sponsors to plan, coordinate, execute, and implement projects that drive operational effectiveness and business outcomes.
The ideal candidate is a highly organized and results-oriented project professional who can independently manage projects, coordinate activities across multiple stakeholders, and contribute to larger cross-functional initiatives. This individual combines strong project management fundamentals with a hands-on approach to execution and continuous improvement.
Serving as a key point of coordination across Operations and cross-functional teams, this role helps drive project success through effective planning, communication, risk management, and stakeholder engagement.
RESPONSIBILITIES
Project Leadership & Delivery
- Independently manage small to medium-sized operational, process improvement, and business projects from identification through implementation.
- Support the senior manager and business leaders on larger, more complex cross-functional initiatives.
- Develop and maintain project plans, timelines, milestones, and project artifacts.
- Define project scope, deliverables, schedules, and success measures for assigned projects.
- Monitor project progress and proactively identify risks, issues, dependencies, and potential roadblocks.
- Coordinate resources and stakeholders to ensure projects remain on track and objectives are achieved.
- Facilitate problem resolution and escalate significant risks or issues when appropriate.
- Support implementation activities and help ensure successful transition and adoption of project outcomes.
- Maintain accountability for project deliverables, timelines, and commitments.
Execution & Project Support
- Actively contributes to project execution activities to achieve business objectives and ensure successful delivery.
- Prepare project deliverables, documentation, communications, presentations, enablement materials, and implementation plans.
- Support teams in identifying and resolving operational challenges that may impact project scope, timelines, or business outcomes.
- Partner with stakeholders to ensure action items are completed, decisions are documented, and commitments are fulfilled.
- Apply a hands-on approach to delivery, helping teams translate plans into action and move initiatives efficiently from planning through execution.
- Leverage AI, automation, and digital tools to streamline project processes, improve efficiency, and enhance delivery outcomes.
Stakeholder & Cross-Functional Leadership
- Build strong relationships across the organization to drive alignment, engagement, and execution.
- Coordinate project activities across Operations, Product, IT, Finance, Sales, and other business functions.
- Facilitate project meetings, working sessions, and stakeholder communications; support leadership reviews as needed.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for assigned projects and initiatives.
- Communicate project status, key decisions, risks, dependencies, and priorities to stakeholders and leadership.
- Collaborate with stakeholders at all levels to support project objectives, resolve issues, and drive successful outcomes.
Portfolio Management & Reporting
- Manage multiple assigned projects simultaneously while balancing priorities, timelines, and stakeholder needs.
- Prepare and maintain project status reports, project metrics, and support documentation.
- Monitor project progress and identify risks, issues, dependencies, and opportunities for improvement.
- Follow established Procurement CoE project management standards, processes, and tools.
- Provide project stakeholders and leadership with regular updates regarding milestones, timelin