Human Resources Project Manager
Position Summary
Project Manager - Human Resources leads complex, cross-functional HR initiatives that support the organization's people strategy, operating model evolution, process transformation, technology enablement, and employee experience objectives. This role partners with HR Centers of Excellence, HR Business Partners, Shared Services, Payroll, HRIS, IT, Finance, Legal, external vendors, and business leaders to successfully deliver strategic programs from concept through implementation and stabilization.
Key Responsibilities
Lead enterprise-wide HR initiatives, transformation programs, and strategic projects from initiation through closure.
Develop project charters, business cases, scope definitions, implementation strategies, and success metrics.
Partner with senior leaders to define objectives, priorities, decision points, and governance structures.
Translate strategic goals into actionable project plans and delivery roadmaps.
Establish and maintain detailed project plans, milestone schedules, resource forecasts, and dependency maps leveraging SmartSheet and/or Planview where applicable.
Monitor project health, budget utilization, scope, risks, issues, and overall delivery performance.
Facilitate governance forums, steering committees, decision-making sessions, and executive reviews.
Provide portfolio-level reporting and visibility into project status, resource demand, and organizational risks utilizing SmartSheet and/or Planview.
Ensure project management methodologies, standards, and tools are consistently applied.
Support initiatives involving compensation, benefits, payroll, HR technology, employee experience, talent processes, organizational design, and shared services.
Identify opportunities to improve HR processes, reduce complexity, and increase operational effectiveness.
Facilitate process mapping, requirements gathering, gap analysis, and solution design sessions.
Apply continuous improvement principles to optimize HR service delivery and employee outcomes.
Build strong partnerships across HR functions, business organizations, and external vendors.
Influence stakeholders without direct authority while driving alignment on priorities and delivery plans.
Manage competing priorities and resolve issues through effective negotiation and collaboration.
Serve as the primary point of coordination across multiple workstreams and stakeholder groups.
Develop and execute communication strategies supporting project adoption and business readiness.
Assess organizational impacts and facilitate change readiness activities.
Coordinate leadership communications, stakeholder updates, training plans, and deployment readiness reviews.
Support successful transition from project implementation to ongoing operational ownership.
Partner with HRIS, Payroll, IT, Data Management, and external solution providers on system implementations and enhancements.
Coordinate data mapping, testing, integrations, vendor deliverables, and deployment activities.
Ensure project decisions are informed by accurate data analysis and operational requirements.
Monitor implementation readiness and support issue resolution across multiple systems and teams.
Identify, assess, and mitigate project risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies.
Escalate critical concerns and provide recommendations for resolution.
Ensure program activities meet governance, compliance, audit, and documentation requirements.
Maintain accurate project records, status reporting, and executive communications.
Required Qualifications
Education: Bachelor's degree in Human Resources, Business Administration, Organizational Development, Project Management, Finance, Information Systems, or related field. Master's degree preferred.
Experience: 7+ years of progressive project management experience. 5+ years leading complex HR, HRIS, payroll, benefits, compensation, employee experience, shared services, or organizational transformation initiatives. Experience managing large, cross-functional programs with multiple stakeholders and workstreams. Demonstrated success leading initiatives involving technology, process, and organizational change.