Project Director

Position Summary: The Project Director is responsible for leading high-priority, enterprise-wide initiatives while establishing a centralized Project / Program Management Office (PMO) that enables consistent, disciplined execution across the organization. This role combines hands-on leadership of strategic projects with responsibility for defining project standards, governance, and portfolio visibility. The Project Director owns assigned initiatives from initiation through post-implementation review and partners closely with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders.

While the role does not initially include direct reports, the Project Director will routinely lead and influence project teams across the business. This is a highly visible role critical to executing corporate strategy and building long-term project delivery capability. 2 Updated 12/29/2025 Key Responsibilities Enterprise Project Ownership & Delivery • Own end-to-end delivery of assigned strategic initiatives, including scope, planning, execution, and post-project review • Manage interdependencies across concurrent initiatives • Develop and maintain comprehensive project plans, timelines, milestones, budgets, and resource requirements • Ensure projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget, while meeting defined quality standards PMO Establishment & Management • Design and implement a scalable PMO framework, including methodologies, tools, templates, and reporting standards • Establish project intake, prioritization, and governance processes with senior leadership • Provide portfolio-level visibility into project status, risks, capacity, and outcomes • Build project management capability across the organization through standards and coaching Stakeholder & Leadership Engagement • Serve as the primary point of contact for project and portfolio communications • Partner with executives and functional leaders to align initiatives with business priorities • Interface regularly with executive leadership, business unit leaders, and cross-functional teams • Facilitate decision-making by clearly communicating project status, risks, dependencies, and recommendations • Prepare and present project updates to senior leadership, governance committees, and other key stakeholders Cross-Functional Leadership and Collaboration • Lead and coordinate efforts across multiple lines of business, including but not limited to Operations, Finance, IT, Legal, HR, and Marketing • Align stakeholders around project objectives, deliverables, and timelines • Leverage influence to resolve issues, remove obstacles, and maintain momentum Risk, Issue & Change Management • Proactively manage project risks, issues, and change control • Lead post-implementation reviews and continuously improve PMO and project practices • Develop mitigation plans and escalate concerns as appropriate • Manage scope changes through formal change control processes Execution & Governance • Establish governance structures, decision rights, success metrics, and best practices • Track progress against key performance indicators and project success metrics • Ensure appropriate documentation is created, maintained, and archived Post-Project Review & Continuous Improvement 3 Updated 12/29/2025 • Lead post-project reviews to evaluate outcomes, lessons learned, and process improvements • Document and communicate findings to stakeholders and leadership • Contribute to continuous improvement of project management practices and methodologies Required Qualifications • Bachelor's degree in Business, Management, Engineering, or related field (or equivalent experience) • 7 years leading complex, cross-functional projects or programs • Proven success delivering high-visibility, enterprise initiatives • Strong executive communication, presentation and facilitation skills • Proven ability to successfully manage a cadre of assignments as the same time • Experience working within a PMO • Proficiency with project management tools and methodologies (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Jira, Asana, Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid approaches) Preferred Qualifications • PMP or equivalent certification • Experience establishing a PMO • Familiarity with portfolio management, budgeting, and business case development • Experience working directly with C-suite and senior leaders Core Competencies • Ownership mindset and accountability • Strategic thinking with operational rigor • Exceptional organizational and time management skills • Structured problem solving and sound judgment • Strong problem-solving and decision-making ability • Ability to lead through influence without direct authority • Comfortable operating in fast-paced, evolving environments Hybrid Position (3 days on-site at Home Office in Lombard, Il. )