Senior Project Manager

Employment Type: Contract - W2

Duration: Minimum 6 months; this contract may be extended based on business needs, with potential opportunities for conversion to a full-time position.

Position Type: Hybrid in Phoenix, AZ; 40 hours per week

Work Schedule: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM Arizona time

Note: Local candidates from Phoenix or nearby areas preferred.

Position Summary:

The Project Manager oversees, coordinates, and manages complex environmental and administrative projects from conception to completion, ensuring alignment with agency objectives, budget, and timelines. This role requires balancing multiple layers of stakeholder and regulatory oversight with the practical delivery of tangible, high-quality outcomes.

Job Responsibilities:

• Project Planning and Initiation: Collaborate with stakeholders to define project scope, objectives, requirements, and deliverables. Develop comprehensive project plans, including schedules, budgets, and resource allocation strategies, in strict accordance with Arizona public sector guidelines.
• Budget and Financial Management: Track project budgets and costs to ensure fiscal responsibility and accountability. Report regularly on financial performance and manage billing and invoicing for fixed-fee projects and contracts.
• Stakeholder Communication: Serve as the point of contact for diverse stakeholders, including elected officials, Municipal, State, and Federal government agencies, community groups, industry groups, vendors, and the public. Facilitate public meetings, provide regular status updates, and manage expectations.
• Compliance and Regulation: With the assistance of internal agency stakeholders, ensure all project activities adhere to federal, state, and local laws and regulations, including procurement rules, labor laws, and environmental standards.
• Risk Management: Assist in identifying potential project risks, assessing their impact, and developing mitigation strategies and contingency plans with project subject matter experts. Manage and track an issues log, escalating critical issues to management.
• Execution and Delivery: Lead multi-disciplinary teams through all project phases. Monitor progress, adjust plans as necessary to meet changing needs, and deliver high-quality project outcomes on time, with the assistance of ADEQ leadership.
• Procurement and Vendor Management: With the assistance of procurement specialists, oversee the procurement process, which may include creating Requests for Proposals (RFPs) and Statements of Work (SOWs). Monitor and administer vendor contracts to ensure compliance and satisfactory performance.
• Documentation and Reporting: Maintain comprehensive and accurate project documentation, including business cases, project briefs, progress reports, and meeting minutes. Assist in preparing both technical and non-technical reports for public dissemination.

Skills Required:

• Leadership and Team Management: The ability to lead, motivate, and guide multi-disciplinary project teams and external contractors.
• Communication Skills: Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to present complex information clearly to a wide range of audiences.
• Adaptability: The flexibility to adapt to new information, changing conditions, and unexpected obstacles, often within a complex and highly scrutinized environment.
• Problem-Solving: Strong analytical skills to evaluate complex problems, develop alternatives, and make objective, well-informed recommendations to leaders.
• Financial Acumen: Knowledge of budgeting, cost estimation, and fiscal management to ensure projects stay within the allocated budget.
• Regulatory Knowledge: Additional consideration given to applicants with knowledge of environmental programs or State or federal rulemaking.
• Stakeholder Management: Interpersonal skills to navigate diverse stakeholder interests and build consensus.
• Organizational Awareness: A solid understanding of the organization's mission and functions.
• Top Skill: Managing projects (working with people, good communication skills, problem-solving). Managing previous projects must be shown on the candidates' resumes.

Education & Certification Required:

• Bachelor's degree in a relevant field such as Public Administration, Business Management, Engineering, or IT.
• Certification: A Project Management Professional (PMP) or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) certification is required. Provide the name and County/Region in which you are registered.

Education Preferred:

• A Master's degree is preferred.

Experience Required:

• A minimum of 3 to 5 years of proven project management experience, with at least 2 years in the public or non-profit sector.

Experience Preferred:

• Experience with federal, state, or local agency projects is highly desirable.

Additional Information:

• Hybrid Role (90% Remote, 10% Onsite) - onsite work will vary based on the projects being worked on. On-site work will mostly be related to stakeholder meetings and public engagement.
• Interviews may be remote or onsite. The candidates should be available for both options.