IT Program Manager III

Job#: 3021137

Job Description:

IT Program Manager

Chicago IL

10 months (Hybrid)

$65.00 - 67.70/hr

Description:

Lead end-to-end project planning and execution for AI programs-spanning discovery, prototyping, pilot, and production. Partner with the AI Product Owner, Agentic Framework Engineer, Full-Stack Developer, and REs to manage scope, timelines, dependencies, and governance. Own delivery cadences, RAID management, stakeholder communication, and operational readiness (support, monitoring, knowledge management).

Key Responsibilities

Establish and maintain integrated project plans for AI initiatives (milestones, dependencies, critical path)

Run Agile ceremonies (Scrum/Kanban) while adapting to hybrid delivery needs for model and platform work

Manage RAID logs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies) with clear owners, due dates, and mitigations

Coordinate cross-functional delivery across Product, Engineering (Agentic & Full-Stack), RE, Data, and Compliance

Track budgets, vendor engagement, and resourcing; maintain accurate status and forecast reports

Ensure Responsible AI governance: data privacy controls, model risk management, bias & fairness checks, explainability, human-in-the-loop processes

Drive readiness for production support (runbooks, incident playbooks, SLAs/SLOs, observability, ServiceNow Knowledge Management alignment)

Partner on release planning, change management, and operational handoffs; ensure post-launch retrospectives and continuous improvement

Maintain project artifacts in Jira/Confluence; uphold documentation standards (JSON-first specs where applicable)

Facilitate stakeholder communications: executive updates, decision logs, and outcome-based reporting (KPIs/OKRs)

Support evaluation pipelines (A/B tests, offline benchmarks, red-team testing) and acceptance criteria for AI features

Align security and compliance reviews (access controls, audit trails, policy exceptions) with enterprise standards

Primary:

Project/Program Management (Agile & hybrid), AI delivery lifecycle, Risk & Controls, Stakeholder Management

Secondary:

Jira, Confluence, ServiceNow (Knowledge & Change), RAID & dependency management, Budget & vendor coordination

Tertiary:

Familiarity with Python and FastAPI integration patterns, LangChain/LangGraph concepts, RAG workflows, vector & relational database basics, Large Language Model (LLM) evaluation metrics (quality, safety, latency, cost)

Primary Skill

Agile tools (Jira)

Secondary Skill

Python

EEO Employer

Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law. If you have visited our website in search of information on employment opportunities or to apply for a position, and you require an accommodation in using our website for a search or application, please contact our Employee Services Department at or .

Apex Systems is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRated's Best of Staffing in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and Mexico. Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details.

Apex Benefits Overview: Apex offers a range of supplemental benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection. We offer an ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure. Apex also offers a HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan), a SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions, a corporate discount savings program and other discounts. In terms of professional development, Apex hosts an on-demand training program, provides access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA. Apex has a dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources, as well as a certified Career Coach. You can access a full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our 'Welcome Packet' as well, which an Apex team member can provide.