Project Manager

Position Description

Department: Project Management Office

Location: Atlanta, GA

Reports to: Director - Project Management

Supervises: None

Skill Levels: Level I, Senior

Position Purpose

The primary purpose of this position is to assist Associated Credit Union in living out its Mission: To offer members financial products that fulfill their needs, service that exceeds their expectations, and relationships that inspire their trust.

The Project Manager is responsible for leading assigned initiatives through the full project lifecycle—from initiation through closeout—using established PMO standards and governance. The role ensures projects are delivered in alignment with the Credit Union’s strategy, regulatory requirements, budget, timeline, and quality expectations while enabling strong stakeholder engagement and organizational readiness.

Project complexity, scope, and level of autonomy vary based on organizational standing and experience; however, accountability for disciplined project delivery remains consistent across all Project Managers.

Essential Functions & Core Duties

Project Delivery & Execution

• Lead assigned projects using approved PMO methodologies, tools, and governance frameworks.
• Develop, maintain, and control project plans, schedules, milestones, and dependencies.
• Ensure project scope, objectives, success criteria, and deliverables are clearly defined, approved, and managed through formal change control.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and third-party vendors to ensure timely and effective execution.
• Monitor progress, identify risks and issues, and proactively recommend mitigation strategies.

Governance, Risk & Compliance

• Ensure projects adhere to organizational governance standards, regulatory requirements, audit expectations, and security controls.
• Facilitate decision-making through structured escalation, issue resolution, and Steering Committee engagement as appropriate.
• Maintain accurate project documentation to support transparency, traceability, and audit readiness.

Stakeholder & Communication Management

• Serve as the primary point of coordination between business owners, technical teams, vendors, and leadership.
• Provide clear, consistent, and timely status reporting to stakeholders, including risks, dependencies, decisions, and impacts.
• Facilitate project meetings, document outcomes, and ensure accountability for action items.

Change Management & Readiness

• Partner with Business Analysts, Learning & Development, Communications, and business leaders to support change readiness.
• Ensure training, communication, and operational readiness activities are planned and integrated into the project timeline.
• Validate readiness prior to implementation and support stabilization during transition to operations.

Testing, Implementation & Closeout

• Coordinate testing activities, including UAT planning, defect tracking, and go-live readiness validation.
• Support implementation activities and post-implementation stabilization.
• Lead post-project reviews to assess outcomes, capture lessons learned, and validate realization of intended benefits.

Other Duties & Responsibilities

• Provide project-related guidance to business and technical teams regarding timelines, dependencies, delivery constraints, and implementation considerations.
• Maintain a working knowledge of Credit Union products, services, policies, and operational processes sufficient to support effective project coordination and informed decision-making.
• Stay informed of relevant industry trends, delivery practices, and technology impacts as they relate to assigned projects and initiatives.
• Comply with all applicable regulatory, security, and training requirements, including completion of mandatory learning and compliance activities.

Role Scope & Complexity

• Provide project-related guidance to business and technical teams regarding timelines, dependencies, delivery constraints, and implementation considerations.
• Maintain a working knowledge of Credit Union products, services, policies, and operational processes sufficient to support effective project coordination and informed decision-making.
• Stay informed of relevant industry trends, delivery practices, and technology impacts as they relate to assigned projects and initiatives.
• Comply with all applicable regulatory, security, and training requirements, including completion of mandatory learning and compliance activities.

Qualifications

Education & Certification

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Management, Finance, Information Technology, or a related field is preferred.
• PMP or equivalent project management certification is preferred.
• Equivalent professional experience may be considered in lieu of formal education or certification.

Experience

• Minimum of three (3) years of progressive project management experience, managing projects of increasing scope and complexity.
• Experience in a financial services, regulated, or similarly complex environment is preferred.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating cross-functional teams, vendors, and stakeholders.
• Experience managing project schedules, risks, dependencies, and governance processes.

Tools & Systems

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office tools (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, Visio, Outlook).
• Experience with Smartsheet or comparable project management platforms preferred.
• Familiarity with Jack Henry Symitar – Episys or similar core banking systems is a plus.

Core Competencies

• Project Delivery & Execution: ability to plan, execute, monitor, and close projects using established PMO standards, ensuring delivery within approved scope, timeline, budget, and quality expectations.
• Stakeholder & Vendor Management: ability to effectively engage, influence, and coordinate cross-functional stakeholders and third-party vendors to support alignment, accountability, and timely decision-making.
• Risk, Issue & Dependency Management: ability to proactively identify, assess, escalate, and mitigate risks, issues, and dependencies that may impact project outcomes, with a focus on preventing disruption and minimizing impact.
• Governance, Compliance & Judgment: ability to apply governance standards, regulatory requirements, and organizational controls with sound judgment, including surfacing trade-offs, risks, and recommendations to leadership.
• Strategic & Business Acumen: ability to understand financial institution operations, products, and services and align project delivery with organizational strategy, member impact, and business priorities.
• Change Management & Readiness: ability to support organizational change by integrating communication, training, and readiness considerations into project planning and execution to drive successful adoption.
• Communication & Executive Presence: ability to communicate clearly and concisely across audiences, including presenting complex information, options, and impacts to team members, leadership, and external partners.
• Analytical Thinking & Problem Solving: ability to analyze complex situations, synthesize information across systems and functions, evaluate options, and recommend practical, data-informed solutions.
• Planning, Prioritization & Time Management: ability to effectively manage multiple initiatives, shifting priorities, and competing demands while maintaining focus on delivery commitments and outcomes.
• Collaboration & Professional Accountability: ability to work effectively across teams and roles, demonstrate ownership of commitments, and contribute positively to a high-performing, accountable project environment.
• Member-Focused Delivery: ability to anticipate Credit Union needs and drive solutions that deliver meaningful value and enhance the member and staff experience.

Performance Metrics

• Project Delivery Performance: delivery of assigned projects within approved scope, timeline, and budget parameters, with at least 85–90% of project milestones met as planned, excluding approved scope or schedule changes.
• Project Planning & Controls Quality: project plans, schedules, and logs are established within 30 days of project initiation and maintained throughout the project lifecycle, with no material gaps identified during governance or review checkpoints.
• Risk, Issue & Dependency Management: risks and issues are identified and logged within five (5) business days of discovery, with mitigation plans documented and escalated in accordance with PMO standards.
• Governance & Decision Support: project materials are prepared and submitted in alignment with governance timelines, enabling timely decisions at scheduled forums with minimal rework required.
• Stakeholder Communication Effectiveness: status updates are delivered on a defined cadence (e.g., weekly or bi-weekly) with no more than 5% requiring correction or follow-up clarification due to inaccuracies or omissions.
• Change Readiness & Implementation Support: training, communication, and operational readiness activities are incorporated into project plans prior to go-live, with no critical readiness gaps identified at implementation checkpoints.
• Quality & Consistency of Work: project deliverables meet PMO quality standards with minimal rework and demonstrate consistent accuracy, completeness, and professionalism.
• Stakeholder & Team Feedback: average stakeholder feedback ratings of “Meets Expectations” or higher based on post-project surveys or structured feedback mechanisms.
• Professional Accountability & Collaboration: action items and commitments are completed within agreed timelines at least 90% of the time, with proactive communication when adjustments are required.
• Growth & Capability Progression: demonstrated readiness to manage increased project complexity or autonomy, evidenced by successful delivery of projects with broader scope, higher risk, or increased stakeholder visibility.

This job description is not intended to provide an all-inclusive listing of related job activities. Management may request the incumbent to perform other related activities in place of or in addition to those representative activities noted in this job description.