Associate Principal, Enterprise Project Management Office

The Options Clearing Corporation; Chicago (IL); Hybrid; USD 98,000 - 137,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Hybrid work

Tuition reimbursement

Student loan repayment

Technology stipend

Generous PTO

401k match

Health benefits

Job summary

The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is seeking a proactive Project Manager to drive initiatives across Financial Risk, IT, Operations, and Security. You will lead cross-functional teams from initiation to closure, applying both traditional and Agile methods to achieve timely, on-budget outcomes.

This hybrid role in Chicago supports remote work up to two days per week. A Bachelor’s degree and 5+ years of project leadership are required, with opportunities for professional development and a

Qualifications

• Advanced familiarity with Waterfall and Agile methodologies.
• Proven ability to manage a project through all life-cycle stages.
• Ability to contribute consistently in a dynamic, regulated environment.
• Ability to facilitate project alignment between business and technical teams.
• Analytical problem-solver.
• Self-directed and detail oriented.
• Highly effective organization and planning skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication, including effective presentation skills.
• Develops and maintains constructive and cooperative working relationships.

Responsibilities

• Apply traditional and Agile project management approaches to deliver initiatives.
• Drive day-to-day project delivery to meet scope, time, and budget.
• Follow OCC guidelines, checklists, and templates.
• Lead initiation, planning, and objective/scope definition.
• Plan resources, milestones, and manage dependencies across functions.
• Identify risks, track issues, and resolve challenges.
• Provide weekly status reports and clear stakeholder updates.
• Coordinate and respond to project changes and decisions.
• Support and enable delivery across Financial Risk, IT, Operations, Security.

Skills

Waterfall

Agile

Project management

Communication

Organization

Detail oriented

Problem solving

Cross-functional collaboration

Education

Bachelor’s degree in business or technical discipline

Tools

Microsoft Project

SharePoint

Jira

Confluence

Microsoft Word

Excel

PowerPoint

Visio

Job description

THIS POSITION IS NOT ELIGIBLE FOR VISA SPONSORSHIP

To be considered for this position, applications and resumes are accepted only through our careers site by directly applying to the posted job. We do not accept unsolicited resumes or sales solicitations from staffing agencies. Any OCC employee wishing to submit a referral must do so through their Workday account. Any resume submitted outside of an active job posting will not be considered for employment.

What You'll Do

This role is responsible for driving projects of varying size and complexity from initiation through closure with cross‑functional project teams. Responsibilities include supporting and enabling the delivery of solutions for all business areas including but not limited to; Financial Risk Management, Information Technology, Operations, Security, and other Shared Services Partners. This role leads project planning, execution, and closure activities for assigned projects by driving the effort and providing on‑going monitoring and reporting of project progress.

Primary Duties and Responsibilities

• Uses both traditional and Agile project/product approaches to execute projects and achieve business outcomes
• Drives the day‑to‑day aspects of a project to deliver high‑quality, on time, on budget outcomes within the project scope
• Follows OCC standard project management guidelines, including OCC project management checklists and templates
• Drives project initiation and planning activities to structure the project, including facilitating the definition of project objectives and scope
• Drives project teams in detailed planning activities, supports project execution activities, and contributes to completion of project closure activities
• Drives the identification and planning of all project work streams, including working with each functional manager to plan resources, identify key milestones, and manage dependencies
• Drives the identification, execution, and updating of project timelines and deliverables
• Works with project team to identify project risks, track and resolve issues, and eliminate project challenges
• Drives monitoring and reporting on the progress of project milestones and deliverables
• Communicates clear, concise, and accurate project status to all appropriate project stakeholders, including providing weekly status reports
• Coordinates and responds to project changes, including escalating project issues and decisions as needed
• Performs other duties as assigned
• Supervisory Responsibilities None

Qualifications

• [Required] Advanced familiarity with project management methodologies (Waterfall and Agile)
• [Required] Proven ability to manage a project in various stages of the project life cycle from initiation through completion
• [Required] Proven ability to contribute consistently and positively in a dynamic, fast‑paced, and highly regulated environment
• [Required] Proven ability to facilitate project alignment between business and technical teams
• [Required] Analytical problem-solver
• [Required] Self‑directed and detail oriented
• [Required] Highly effective organization and planning skills
• [Required] Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including effective presentation skills
• [Required] Develops and maintains constructive and cooperative working relationships

Technical Skills & Background

• [Required] Some experience with project management tools such as Microsoft Project and SharePoint (or similar PPM tool)
• [Required] Proficiency in using Microsoft Office products (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Visio)
• [Required] Some experience with Agile tools such as Jira and Confluence
• [Preferred] Advanced knowledge of application development and testing processes

Certifications

• [Preferred] Project Management Professional (PMP) certification

Education & Training

• [Required] Bachelor’s degree in business or technical discipline required
• [Required] 5+ years of experience in project management or project leadership role

About Us

The Options Clearing Corporation (OCC) is the world’s largest equity derivatives clearing organization. Founded in 1973, OCC is dedicated to promoting stability and market integrity by delivering clearing and settlement services for options, futures and securities lending transactions. As a Systemically Important Financial Market Utility (SIFMU), OCC operates under the jurisdiction of the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), the U.S. Commodity Futures Trading Commission (CFTC), and the Board of Governors of the Federal Reserve System. OCC has more than 100 clearing members and provides central counterparty (CCP) clearing and settlement services to 19 exchanges and trading platforms. More information about OCC is available at www.theocc.com.

Benefits

• A hybrid work environment, up to 2 days per week of remote work
• Tuition Reimbursement to support your continued education
• Student Loan Repayment Assistance
• Technology Stipend allowing you to use the device of your choice to connect to our network while working remotely
• Generous PTO and Parental leave
• 401k Employer Match
• Competitive health benefits including medical, dental and vision

Visit https://www.theocc.com/careers/thriving-together for more information.

Compensation

The salary range listed for any given position is exclusive of fringe benefits and potential bonuses. If hired at OCC, your final base salary compensation will be determined by factors such as skills, experience and/or education. In addition, we believe in the importance of pay equity and consider internal equity of our current team members as part of any final offer. We typically do not hire at the maximum of the range in order to allow for future and continued salary growth. We also offer a substantial benefits package as noted on www.theocc.com/careers All employees may be eligible for a discretionary bonus. Discretionary bonuses are based on various factors, including, but not limited to, company and individual performance and are not guaranteed.

Salary Range $97,600.00 - $137,400.00

Incentive Range 8% to 15%

This position is eligible for an annual discretionary incentive compensation award, for which the target range is listed above (see Incentive Range). The amount of such award, if any, will be based on various factors, including without limitation, both individual and company performance.

Equal Opportunity Statement

OCC is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion. OCC provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment without regard to race, color, national origin, citizenship status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, disability, age, marital status, religion, veteran status, or any other characteristics protected by applicable federal, state, or local laws. Numerous studies have shown that people from certain groups are less likely than others to apply to jobs if they believe they do not meet 100% of the requirements. We encourage everyone to review our open positions and apply if you think your experience may be a match, even if you do not meet all of the qualifications. Your perspective may be an element we need to continue building innovative solutions to support the markets and market participants we serve. If you need a disability related accommodation for any part of the application process, please email [e-mail].