Application Project Manager

Hollstadt Consulting; Minneapolis (MN); Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 96,000; Full time

Job summary

Hollstadt Consulting is seeking an experienced Application Project Manager to lead multiple IT application projects, including software upgrades, new software purchases, and system integrations. You will liaison between business, IT, and external vendors, driving collaboration and decisions.

The ideal candidate has proven success evaluating and implementing third-party software solutions, taking a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to project management.

Qualifications

• 5+ years of Application Project Management experience.
• Experience with software vendors and implementing purchased systems.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects and external vendors.
• Excellent communication and stakeholder management skills.
• Experience with full project lifecycles (scope, schedules, budgets, risks).

Responsibilities

• Lead multiple application projects through full lifecycle, ensuring scope/schedule/budget alignment.
• Manage external software vendors across evaluation, selection, implementation, and integration.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Apply Agile and Waterfall methodologies to coordinate teams and mitigate risks.
• Collaborate with stakeholders and solution architects to assess technical feasibility.
• Identify challenges, present recommendations, gain stakeholder approval, drive decisions.
• Create and execute communication plans and provide regular status updates to leadership.
• Coordinate UAT, business readiness, and change management activities.
• Ensure deliverables align with IT policies and business requirements.

Skills

Application PM

Vendor management

Stakeholder management

Communication

Lifecycle management

IT security basics

MS Project

Driver's license

Education

Bachelor's degree (MIS/Business)

PM certification (PMP/PMI-ACP)

Tools

MS Project

Visio

Job description

Location & Onsite Requirement: Hybrid – Onsite 2 days per week in Minneapolis, MN (Monday and Tuesday)

Rate: targeting $65-$70/hour, dependent on skills and qualifications

Position Overview

Our client is seeking an experienced Application Project Manager to lead multiple concurrent IT application projects, including software upgrades, new software purchases and implementations, and system integrations. Projects will support business-critical systems. This role will serve as a liaison between business departments, IT teams, and external vendors, driving collaboration and functional and technical decisions.

The ideal candidate has strong experience evaluating, selecting, and implementing third-party software solutions and takes a proactive, solutions-oriented approach to project management.

Required Skills

• 5+ years of Application Project Management experience, including working with software vendors and implementing purchased systems within an IT PMO.
• Strong experience managing multiple concurrent application projects, competing priorities, and external vendors.
• Strong leadership, collaboration, and stakeholder management skills, with the ability to influence decisions and build consensus.
• Excellent communication skills and a proactive approach to identifying challenges, recommending solutions, and driving results independently.
• Experience managing full project lifecycles, including scope, schedules, budgets, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Experience with IT security concepts and their application in project planning.
• Proficiency with project management tools (MS Project or equivalent) and Microsoft Office Suite.
• Valid driver's license and reliable transportation for travel between work locations.

Desired Skills

• Experience evaluating, selecting, and implementing purchased software solutions (COTS), including vendor assessments and recommendations.
• Experience with AI or AI-enabled solutions, including practical use of tools such as ChatGPT or Microsoft Copilot.
• Understanding of application architecture, system integrations, and technical components.
• Experience documenting requirements and coordinating testing and validation.
• PMP, PMI-ACP, or similar project management certification.
• Bachelor's degree in MIS, Business, Liberal Arts, or a related field.
• Experience with Visio and professional project management organizations (PMI, APM).

Key Responsibilities

• Lead multiple application projects through the full lifecycle, ensuring alignment with scope, schedule, and budget.
• Manage external software vendors, including solution evaluation, selection, implementation, and integration activities.
• Develop and maintain project schedules, milestones, resources, risks, issues, and dependencies.
• Apply Agile and Waterfall methodologies to coordinate teams and mitigate project risks.
• Partner with business stakeholders and solution architects to assess technical feasibility, evaluate options, and recommend solutions.
• Proactively identify challenges, present recommendations, gain stakeholder approval, and drive decisions forward.
• Develop communication plans and provide regular project status reporting to leadership.
• Coordinate user acceptance testing (UAT), business readiness, and change management activities.
• Ensure project deliverables align with IT policies, standards, and business requirements.