Program Manager

Voted one of Chicago's Best Places to Work by the Chicago Tribune for the eighth year in a row, Clarity Partners is hiring! 

Responsibilities:

• Oversee the planning, execution, and completion of RFID installation and related infrastructure projects across multiple client sites.
• Manage a team of Project Coordinators, providing guidance, oversight, and support to ensure consistent project execution and reporting.
• Develop and maintain the master program schedule, tracking milestones, dependencies, risks, and deliverables across all active projects.
• Serve as the primary liaison between district leadership, IT, facilities management, contractors, and other key stakeholders.
• Ensure adherence to project timelines, budgets, quality standards, and safety requirements.
• Oversee vendor management activities, including performance evaluation, issue escalation, and contract compliance.
• Lead regular program meetings and reporting sessions, providing clear status updates, risk assessments, and mitigation strategies.
• Establish and maintain strong communication channels between internal teams, vendors, and district representatives to ensure alignment and timely issue resolution.
• Monitor program performance metrics and deliverables, identifying opportunities for process improvement and operational efficiency.
• Support testing, validation, and acceptance of installed systems, ensuring technical and functional requirements are met.
• Manage documentation, reporting, and program dashboards to support transparency and informed decision-making by district leadership.
• Foster a culture of accountability, collaboration, and continuous improvement across the program team.

Requirements:

• Bachelor’s degree in Project Management, Business Administration, Information Systems, Engineering, or a related field; PMP or related certification preferred.
• 7+ years of experience managing large-scale, multi-site projects or programs, preferably within education, public sector, facilities, or IT infrastructure environments.
• Proven success leading project teams and coordinating multiple concurrent workstreams under tight deadlines.
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies (Waterfall, Agile, or hybrid approaches).
• Experience managing vendors and contractors, including performance tracking, issue escalation, and compliance management.
• Exceptional organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills, with the ability to translate complex issues into actionable solutions.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to present to executive leadership and collaborate across technical and non-technical teams.
• Proficiency in project and portfolio management tools (e.g., MS Project, Smartsheet, Asana, or equivalent).
• Working knowledge of technology infrastructure or asset management systems (e.g., RFID, networking, security, or data systems) preferred.
• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and maintain composure in fast-paced environments.
• Hybrid role; must be available for on-site visits across client locations as needed.