Program Manager / Senior Project Manager

Apex Systems; Cedar Rapids (IA); Hybrid; USD 229,233,000 - 243,560,000; Part time

Benefits offered by this job

401K program

ESPP

Health insurance

HSA

EAP

Job summary

Everforth Apex in Cedar Rapids, IA is seeking a Senior Program Manager to lead enterprise-wide programs and drive governance improvements. You will develop integrated project plans, monitor health, manage budgets, and engage stakeholders across business and technology teams.

The role requires a strong background in PMO practices, process optimization, and exceptional communication. This contract position offers remote consideration and compensation at $80-$85/hour.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• 10+ years of Project/Program Management experience.
• Strong knowledge of project lifecycle management, PMO practices, and governance frameworks.
• Experience leading large, cross-functional programs.
• Excellent planning, organization, and prioritization skills.
• Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.
• Proven ability to work effectively in dynamic and evolving environments.
• Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
• Self-starter with a track record of driving results independently.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise-wide programs and strategic initiatives from planning through implementation.
• Develop and manage integrated project plans, schedules, milestones, and dependencies.
• Monitor project health, identify risks, and drive mitigation strategies.
• Facilitate stakeholder alignment, decision-making, and issue resolution.
• Manage project budgets, forecasts, and resource planning.
• Support and enhance project, program, and portfolio management standards and best practices.
• Identify opportunities to improve planning, forecasting, reporting, and governance processes.
• Drive process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency and delivery effectiveness.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to business and technology stakeholders.
• Build strong relationships and drive results through influence.
• Lead organizational change and encourage adoption of new processes and tools.
• Communicate complex concepts clearly to executive and operational audiences.
• Create executive-level presentations, status reports, and communications.
• Coordinate activities across multiple teams and workstreams.
• Resolve challenges proactively and remove obstacles to execution.
• Continuously identify opportunities to streamline operations and improve outcomes.

Skills

Program management

Cross-functional leadership

Governance frameworks

Planning & prioritization

Stakeholder management

Analytical thinking

Communication skills

Self-starter

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Tools

ServiceNow SPM

Planview

Clarity

Jira Align

MS Project Online

Job description

# Program Manager / Senior Project ManagerApply**Job#: 3056101****Job Description:****Senior Program Manager****Location:** Cedar Rapids, IA (Preferred) | Remote Considered**Pay Rate:** $80-$85/hour **Position Overview**We are seeking an experienced **Senior Program Manager** to lead strategic initiatives that enhance project, program, and portfolio management capabilities across the organization. This role will partner with business and technology teams to improve governance, optimize processes, strengthen portfolio management practices, and drive organizational change. The ideal candidate is a proactive leader who thrives in fast-paced environments, brings structure to ambiguity, and can successfully drive complex initiatives from concept through execution.**Key Responsibilities****Program & Project Leadership*** Lead enterprise-wide programs and strategic initiatives from planning through implementation.* Develop and manage integrated project plans, schedules, milestones, and dependencies.* Monitor project health, identify risks, and drive mitigation strategies.* Facilitate stakeholder alignment, decision-making, and issue resolution.* Manage project budgets, forecasts, and resource planning.**Portfolio & Process Improvement*** Support and enhance project, program, and portfolio management standards and best practices.* Identify opportunities to improve planning, forecasting, reporting, and governance processes.* Develop scalable operating procedures, templates, and frameworks.* Drive process improvement initiatives that increase efficiency and delivery effectiveness.**Stakeholder Engagement & Change Management*** Serve as a trusted advisor to business and technology stakeholders.* Build strong relationships and drive results through influence rather than authority.* Lead organizational change and encourage adoption of new processes and tools.* Communicate complex concepts clearly to executive and operational audiences.**Operational Excellence*** Create executive-level presentations, status reports, and communications.* Coordinate activities across multiple teams and workstreams.* Resolve challenges proactively and remove obstacles to execution.* Continuously identify opportunities to streamline operations and improve outcomes.**Required Qualifications*** Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.* 10+ years of Project Management or Program Management experience.* Strong knowledge of project lifecycle management, PMO practices, and governance frameworks.* Experience leading large, cross-functional programs and initiatives.* Excellent planning, organization, and prioritization skills.* Strong communication, presentation, and stakeholder management abilities.* Proven ability to work effectively in dynamic and evolving environments.* Strong analytical, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.* Self-starter with a track record of driving results independently.**Preferred Qualifications*** Experience supporting PMO, portfolio management, governance, or delivery excellence organizations.* Experience with project portfolio management tools such as ServiceNow SPM, Planview, Clarity, Jira Align, Microsoft Project Online, or similar platforms.* Experience leading process improvement or organizational transformation initiatives.* PMP, PgMP, PMI-ACP, or equivalent certification.**Ideal Candidate*** Takes ownership and drives initiatives forward with minimal supervision.* Thrives in ambiguous environments and creates structure where needed.* Demonstrates strong leadership, accountability, and follow-through.* Brings a collaborative, solution-oriented mindset.* Comfortable influencing stakeholders at all levels of the organization.* Continuously seeks opportunities for improvement and operational excellence. *Everforth Apex is a world-class IT services company that serves thousands of clients across the globe. When you join Everforth Apex, you become part of a team that values innovation, collaboration, and continuous learning. We offer quality career resources, training, certifications, development opportunities, and a comprehensive benefits package. Our commitment to excellence is reflected in many awards, including ClearlyRateds Best of Staffing in Talent Satisfaction in the United States and Great Place to Work in the United Kingdom and Mexico.**Everforth Apex uses a virtual recruiter as part of the application process. Click here for more details. By applying for this job, you agree to receive calls, AI-generated calls, text messages, or emails from Everforth Apex and its affiliates, and contracted partners. Frequency varies for text messages. Message and data rates may apply. Carriers are not liable for delayed or undelivered messages. You can reply STOP to cancel and HELP for help. You can access our privacy policy at https://www.apexsystems.com/privacy-policy**Everforth Apex Benefits Overview: Everforth Apex offers a range of supplemental benefits, including medical, dental, vision, life, disability, and other insurance plans that offer an optional layer of financial protection. We offer an ESPP (employee stock purchase program) and a 401K program which allows you to contribute typically within 30 days of starting, with a company match after 12 months of tenure. Everforth Apex also offers a HSA (Health Savings Account on the HDHP plan), a SupportLinc Employee Assistance Program (EAP) with up to 8 free counseling sessions, a corporate discount savings program and other discounts. In terms of professional development, Everforth Apex hosts an on-demand training program, provides access to certification prep and a library of technical and leadership courses/books/seminars once you have 6+ months of tenure, and certification discounts and other perks to associations that include CompTIA and IIBA. Everforth Apex has a dedicated customer service team for our Consultants that can address questions around benefits and other resources, as well as a certified Career Coach. You can access a full list of our benefits, programs, support teams and resources within our ‘Welcome Packet’ as well, which an Everforth Apex team member can provide.**Everforth Apex Systems is an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate or allow discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, sex (including pregnancy, childbirth, breastfeeding, or related medical conditions), age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, genetic information, registered domestic partner status, marital status, disability, status as a crime victim, protected veteran status, political affiliation, union membership, or any other characteristic protected by law. Everforth Apex will consider qualified applicants with criminal histories in a manner consistent with the requirements of applicable law.**If you require an accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act to participate in an interview with a virtual recruiter or to use our website for a search or application, please contact our Benefits Department at [e-mail] or 804-523-8228. Please note that this contact information is strictly to be used for medical ADA accommodations and that no other inquiries will be answered.**UnitedHealthcare creates and publishes the Transparency in Coverage Machine-Readable Files on behalf of Everforth Apex Systems.***Employee Type:** Contract**Location:** Cedar Rapids, IA, US**Job Type:****Date Posted:** October 15, 2026**Pay Range:** $80 - $85 per hour