Job#: 3028460 Job Description: IT Program Manager III
Location: Chicago, Illinois (Onsite)Employment Type: ContractContract Duration: 12 MonthsRole Overview
This role involves leading the end-to-end project planning and execution for AI programs, covering discovery, prototyping, pilot, and production phases. The IT Program Manager will partner with cross-functional teams to manage scope, timelines, dependencies, and governance. This position is responsible for delivery cadences, risk management, stakeholder communication, and ensuring operational readiness.
Key Responsibilities
- Establish and maintain integrated project plans for AI initiatives, including milestones, dependencies, and 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 mitigation strategies.
- Coordinate cross-functional delivery across Product, Engineering, Data, and Compliance teams.
- Track budgets, vendor engagement, and resourcing, maintaining accurate status and forecast reports.
- Ensure Responsible AI governance, including data privacy controls, model risk management, and fairness checks.
- Drive readiness for production support, including runbooks, incident playbooks, and knowledge management alignment.
- Partner on release planning, change management, and operational handoffs.
- Maintain project artifacts in Jira and Confluence, upholding documentation standards.
- Facilitate stakeholder communications, including executive updates and outcome-based reporting.
- Support evaluation pipelines and acceptance criteria for AI features.
- Align security and compliance reviews with enterprise standards.
Required Qualifications
Primary Skills: Project and Program Management (Agile & hybrid), AI delivery lifecycle, Risk & Controls, and Stakeholder Management.
Secondary Skills: Jira, Confluence, ServiceNow (Knowledge & Change), RAID & dependency management, and budget & vendor coordination.
Tertiary Skills: Familiarity with Python and FastAPI integration patterns, LangChain/LangGraph concepts, RAG workflows, vector & relational database basics, and Large Language Model (LLM) evaluation metrics.
Compensation & Benefits
The pay rate for this position is between $60.00 per hour and $67.70 per hour. Please note that benefits are not provided for this contract role.
This employer is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, or protected veteran status and will not be discriminated against on the basis of disability.
Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click for more details.
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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.
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