W2 - Program Manager (lead, Active PMP & CSM certificate, MS Project, ADO / Jira) - Hybrid

Description :

Client is seeking one full-time Program Manager resource to work on the Enterprise Transit Fare System Upgrade project. The selected resource will manage the end-to-end planning, execution, and operationalization of strategic, complex, cross-functional multi-million dollar initiatives essential to the organization's success. Work may be performed independently and / or in a team environment depending on project needs.

At a high level, the resource will provide Program Management leadership for assigned Met Council projects.

The work is expected to be done with a hybrid of on-site and remote work. Resource will be required to work at a Met Council office at least one day per week. Council offices are located in Saint Paul, MN or Minneapolis, MN.

Interviews will be conducted in-person in St. Paul, MN 55101.

Project Schedule :

Anticipated Project Start Date : January 15, 2026

Anticipated End Date : July 15, 2026

Tasks : Program Management

Develop comprehensive program, portfolio, and project plans using Waterfall, Agile, and Hybrid delivery methodologies.

Define scope, goals, deliverables, and timelines.

Apply extensive vendor management experience to ensure delivery of contractual scope within agreed upon constraints.

Leverage experience to actively manage testing activities and resources to ensure unit, performance, functionality, and user testing objectives are met.

Utilize departmental tools for program and project management, tracking, and reporting.

Team Leadership

Demonstrate business acumen and professionalism in order to clearly communicate with senior level executives in oral, written, and presentation formats.

Lead conversations to facilitate the prioritization, road mapping, and trade off discussions with program stakeholders.

Manage project managers within the program to provide day to day guidance and oversight in order to ensure service delivery.

Support a collaborative and productive work and PMO team environment.

Facilitate communication and coordination for projects / programs across cross-functional teams.

Lead change management and conflict resolution efforts within the program.

Ensure teams have clear roles, responsibilities, and deliverables.

Stakeholder Management

Build strong stakeholder relationships to become a trusted advisor to project sponsors and senior leaders.

Communicate project status, risks, and issues to stakeholders and executive management in a timely manner to set expectations and escalate as appropriate.

Ensure alignment of project objectives with business goals through stakeholder management activities.

Risk & Issue Management

Proactively identify, assess, and manage project / program risks and issues through mitigation planning.

Monitor and report project / program progress and performance throughout delivery lifecycle.

Budget & Resource Management

Develop and manage program and project budgets, per governance requirements.

Allocate resources effectively to ensure program and project success through demand management and capacity planning for projects / programs assigned.

Monitor expenditures and ensure adherence to budget constraints.

Transformation & Organizational Change Management

Oversee / Lead transformation and change management scope within the program, as appropriate, to ensure solution adoption and process adherence.

Process Improvement

Support the evaluation and refinement of project management methodologies and processes.

Support continuous improvement initiatives within the PMO.

Stay abreast of industry trends and emerging practices.

Minimum Qualifications :

High school diploma or GED AND nine (9) years of experience managing multiple IT and business projects

o Note : Highest completed degree in the following majors : Computer Science, Business Management, or Project Management will count towards the minimum nine (9) years of required work experience.

Associates degree counts as two years of experience

Bachelor's degree or higher counts as four years of experience

Two (2) or more years in a lead role that required collaboration across multiple divisions with stakeholders from varying organizational levels.

Active PMP or PgMP Certification

Active CSM or SAFe Certification

2 years' experience with MS Project

1 years' experience with Azure Dev Ops or Jira

Desired Skills :

Experience program managing large, complex SaaS vendor implementations

Experience program managing transit initiatives

Exceptional soft skills and emotional intelligence to navigate at multiple levels across the organization

Strong communication and collaboration skills

Proven track record of delivering large initiatives within challenging constraints

Experience with PPM Tools

Pay rate : $60 / hr on W2.