Senior Project Manager

Organ Recovery Systems; Itasca (IL); On-site; USD 110,000 - 170,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Annual Incentive Bonus

Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage

Company-Paid Life Insurance

Short-Term & Long-Term Disability

401(k) with Company Match

Generous Paid Time Off

Tuition Reimbursement & Professional  

Wellness Reimbursement

Job summary

Organ Recovery Systems, headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, seeks a Senior Project Manager to lead cross-functional, strategic initiatives from initiation through closure. You will provide executive-level governance, risk management, and delivery oversight for high-impact programs, coordinating with internal teams and external consultants.

You will mentor Associate Project Managers, drive PMO improvements, and ensure project success within scope, time, and budget while communicating effectively

Qualifications

• 10+ years of experience leading complex, cross-functional projects or programs.
• Proven ability to drive communication, coordination, governance, and results.
• Experience managing project scope, schedules, budgets, risks, and vendor relationships.

Responsibilities

• Lead complex company projects and programs to deliver on time, within scope, and budget.
• Organize meetings, reviews, and stakeholder updates; ensure proper milestones and decisions.
• Mentor junior project managers and support PMO governance and reporting.
• Provide executive-ready status reports on milestones, risks, and budget updates.
• Identify roadblocks and drive continuous improvement of PMO practices.

Skills

Project leadership

Cross-functional collaboration

Executive communication

Stakeholder alignment

Risk management

Education

Bachelor's degree in Science, Engineering, Business, Project Management, or related field

Advanced project management training or certification

Tools

Microsoft Project

Smartsheet

SharePoint

Microsoft Excel

Job description

Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, with a satellite location in Belgium, Organ Recovery Systems is a global market-leading provider of organ preservation products and services. We support over 400 transplant programs across 49 countries. In 2025, the company reached 275,000 kidneys perfused with LKT since its launch in 2003. LifePort Kidney Transporter is among a growing family of products and services developed by Organ Recovery Systems to support the Company’s mission of honoring organ donation by delivering innovative solutions that support transplant professionals and improve long-term outcomes for patients.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position will be responsible for leading complex, cross-functional, and strategic company projects and programs from initiation through closure. The Senior Project Manager will provide project leadership, executive-level communication, governance, risk management, stakeholder alignment, and delivery oversight for high-impact initiatives. This position will require advanced project communication and collaboration among stakeholders across different departments within the organization as well as third party consultants and contractors outside the organization, where applicable.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

May provide work direction, mentoring, and coaching to Associate Project Managers, Project Managers, and project team members as assigned.

• This role will be responsible for leading complex company projects and programs, including establishing project structure, facilitating executive and cross-functional alignment, managing project teams, tracking progress, resolving escalated issues, and ensuring delivery of strategic initiatives on time, within scope, and within approved budget parameters.
• This role will be responsible for supporting PMO governance, portfolio visibility, project reporting discipline, and continuous improvement of project management practices across the organization.
• Create, develop, maintain, and execute plans for complex organizational projects and programs, including setting targets for milestones and adhering to deadlines while leading projects through the project lifecycle as follows:

Project Kickoff/Planning

• Complete and maintain comprehensive Project Plans, including scope, objectives, business requirements, task definition, task sequencing, resource allocation, timeline estimates, budget considerations, risks, mitigation plans, dependencies, governance structure, communication plan, and success criteria for the project or program.
• Partner with executive sponsors, business leaders, department heads, vendors, and functional stakeholders to establish project objectives, roles, responsibilities, decision rights, and escalation paths.
• Develop project governance, stakeholder engagement plans, status reporting cadence, and steering committee materials, as applicable.
• Procure, coordinate, and manage adequate project resources to achieve project objectives in planned timeframes, escalating resource, budget, or priority conflicts when necessary.

Project Execution

• Lead complex projects and programs in collaboration with stakeholders within and outside of the organization to ensure delivery on time and within scope.
• Organize and lead project meetings, steering committee discussions, and stakeholder reviews to ensure proper understanding of project initiatives, milestones, timelines, deliverables, risks, decisions, and corresponding responsible parties.
• Assign tasks and responsibilities to appropriate personnel and provide work direction to support timely completion of deliverables.
• Effectively communicate with executives, superiors, team members, clients, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders.
• Motivate project team members, remove barriers, and drive accountability for project goals and deliverables.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, resources, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, change requests, and business impacts.
• Establish and improve practices, templates, policies, tools, and partnerships that facilitate project success and strengthen PMO maturity.
• Lead or support quality issue resolution and ensure project activities support applicable quality, regulatory, and documentation expectations.
• Work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment demonstrating teamwork, innovation, and excellence.
• Organize project deliverables and supporting documentation, including meeting minutes, action items, decisions, status reports, steering committee materials, risk logs, issue logs, and related project artifacts, on the appropriate project share drive (Ex. SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.).
• Manage day-to-day project and program activities, resource coordination, and stakeholder alignment for assigned complex initiatives.
• Provide executive-ready status reporting to the Manager, Program Management Office, project sponsors, and leadership regarding project milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks, issues, decisions, budget-related updates, and corrective actions.
• Identify, manage, and elevate potential project roadblocks or hurdles that may impact project timeline, scope, quality, budget, stakeholder adoption, or intended business outcomes.
• Mentor Associate Project Managers and Project Managers in project planning, facilitation, documentation, risk management, stakeholder communication, and PMO practices.

Project Closing

• Verify all project objectives have been achieved, deliverables have been completed, final documentation has been organized, project performance has been evaluated, and business outcomes have been reviewed.
• Report on project success criteria results, metrics, and benefits realization, as applicable.
• Lead Lessons Learned reviews from the project and share findings with the Manager, Program Management Office to evaluate future process improvements.
• Organize and facilitate smooth and efficient forward progress of daily operations projects, as needed.
• Help department heads organize and run ongoing project meetings, as needed.
• Provide support needed by department heads to ensure ongoing smooth progress of assigned projects and programs.
• Assign action items and track status/completion to ensure continued forward progress of ongoing projects.
• Assist, as needed, with purchase order requests, vendor coordination, and budget-related project tracking.
• Serve as primary point of contact, as needed, for contract manufacturers, third party labs, consultants, and vendors associated with assigned projects or programs.

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Assist the PMO Office, as needed, with implementation of process initiatives and improvements to increase efficiency and productivity across the organization.
• Support PMO governance, portfolio reporting, project intake, prioritization, resource planning, and continuous improvement of project delivery practices.
• Continue professional development to keep abreast of emerging technologies, methods, and best practices.

Description:

About the company

Headquartered in Itasca, Illinois, with a satellite location in Belgium, Organ Recovery Systems is a global market-leading provider of organ preservation products and services. We support over 400 transplant programs across 49 countries. In 2025, the company reached 275,000 kidneys perfused with LKT since its launch in 2003. LifePort Kidney Transporter is among a growing family of products and services developed by Organ Recovery Systems to support the Company’s mission of honoring organ donation by delivering innovative solutions that support transplant professionals and improve long-term outcomes for patients.

POSITION SUMMARY:

This position will be responsible for leading complex, cross-functional, and strategic company projects and programs from initiation through closure. The Senior Project Manager will provide project leadership, executive-level communication, governance, risk management, stakeholder alignment, and delivery oversight for high-impact initiatives. This position will require advanced project communication and collaboration among stakeholders across different departments within the organization as well as third party consultants and contractors outside the organization, where applicable.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

May provide work direction, mentoring, and coaching to Associate Project Managers, Project Managers, and project team members as assigned.

PRIMARY (Essential) FUNCTIONS:

• This role will be responsible for leading complex company projects and programs, including establishing project structure, facilitating executive and cross-functional alignment, managing project teams, tracking progress, resolving escalated issues, and ensuring delivery of strategic initiatives on time, within scope, and within approved budget parameters.
• This role will be responsible for supporting PMO governance, portfolio visibility, project reporting discipline, and continuous improvement of project management practices across the organization.
• Create, develop, maintain, and execute plans for complex organizational projects and programs, including setting targets for milestones and adhering to deadlines while leading projects through the project lifecycle as follows:

Project Kickoff/Planning

• Complete and maintain comprehensive Project Plans, including scope, objectives, business requirements, task definition, task sequencing, resource allocation, timeline estimates, budget considerations, risks, mitigation plans, dependencies, governance structure, communication plan, and success criteria for the project or program.
• Partner with executive sponsors, business leaders, department heads, vendors, and functional stakeholders to establish project objectives, roles, responsibilities, decision rights, and escalation paths.
• Develop project governance, stakeholder engagement plans, status reporting cadence, and steering committee materials, as applicable.
• Procure, coordinate, and manage adequate project resources to achieve project objectives in planned timeframes, escalating resource, budget, or priority conflicts when necessary.

Project Execution

• Lead complex projects and programs in collaboration with stakeholders within and outside of the organization to ensure delivery on time and within scope.
• Organize and lead project meetings, steering committee discussions, and stakeholder reviews to ensure proper understanding of project initiatives, milestones, timelines, deliverables, risks, decisions, and corresponding responsible parties.
• Assign tasks and responsibilities to appropriate personnel and provide work direction to support timely completion of deliverables.
• Effectively communicate with executives, superiors, team members, clients, vendors, consultants, and other stakeholders.
• Motivate project team members, remove barriers, and drive accountability for project goals and deliverables.
• Manage project scope, schedule, budget, resources, risks, issues, assumptions, dependencies, change requests, and business impacts.
• Establish and improve practices, templates, policies, tools, and partnerships that facilitate project success and strengthen PMO maturity.
• Lead or support quality issue resolution and ensure project activities support applicable quality, regulatory, and documentation expectations.
• Work creatively and analytically in a problem-solving environment demonstrating teamwork, innovation, and excellence.
• Organize project deliverables and supporting documentation, including meeting minutes, action items, decisions, status reports, steering committee materials, risk logs, issue logs, and related project artifacts, on the appropriate project share drive (Ex. SharePoint, OneDrive, etc.).
• Manage day-to-day project and program activities, resource coordination, and stakeholder alignment for assigned complex initiatives.
• Provide executive-ready status reporting to the Manager, Program Management Office, project sponsors, and leadership regarding project milestones, deliverables, dependencies, risks, issues, decisions, budget-related updates, and corrective actions.
• Identify, manage, and elevate potential project roadblocks or hurdles that may impact project timeline, scope, quality, budget, stakeholder adoption, or intended business outcomes.
• Mentor Associate Project Managers and Project Managers in project planning, facilitation, documentation, risk management, stakeholder communication, and PMO practices.

Project Closing

• Verify all project objectives have been achieved, deliverables have been completed, final documentation has been organized, project performance has been evaluated, and business outcomes have been reviewed.
• Report on project success criteria results, metrics, and benefits realization, as applicable.
• Lead Lessons Learned reviews from the project and share findings with the Manager, Program Management Office to evaluate future process improvements.
• Organize and facilitate smooth and efficient forward progress of daily operations projects, as needed.
• Help department heads organize and run ongoing project meetings, as needed.
• Provide support needed by department heads to ensure ongoing smooth progress of assigned projects and programs.
• Assign action items and track status/completion to ensure continued forward progress of ongoing projects.
• Assist, as needed, with purchase order requests, vendor coordination, and budget-related project tracking.
• Serve as primary point of contact, as needed, for contract manufacturers, third party labs, consultants, and vendors associated with assigned projects or programs.

OTHER FUNCTIONS:

• Assist the PMO Office, as needed, with implementation of process initiatives and improvements to increase efficiency and productivity across the organization.
• Support PMO governance, portfolio reporting, project intake, prioritization, resource planning, and continuous improvement of project delivery practices.
• Continue professional development to keep abreast of emerging technologies, methods, and best practices.

Requirements:

Qualifications

Education, Training & Certifications

• Bachelor’s degree in Science, Engineering, Business, Project Management, or another technical- or medical-related field, or equivalent applicable work experience
• Advanced project management training or certification preferred

Professional Experience

• 10+ years of experience leading complex, cross-functional projects, programs, or strategic initiatives
• Proven ability to drive communication, coordination, stakeholder alignment, governance, accountability, and results
• Experience managing project scope, schedules, budgets, risks, issues, dependencies, vendors, executive reporting, and organizational change impacts preferred
• Experience mentoring project management professionals or providing direction to project teams preferred

Skills & Capabilities

• Advanced computer proficiency, including experience with Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, SharePoint, Microsoft Excel, and related collaboration tools
• Demonstrated ability to lead complex projects and programs on time, within scope, and within approved budget parameters
• Ability to lead, motivate, and manage project teams of varying sizes, including internal and external resources
• Clear, confident, and executive-ready written and verbal communication skills
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, and the ability to manage shifting priorities across multiple complex initiatives
• Ability to influence and gain buy-in from executives, sponsors, stakeholders, team members, vendors, and peers
• Ability to hold team members accountable for performance, commitments, and deliverables
• Experience preparing purchase order requests, coordinating with vendors, and tracking project budgets, purchase orders, and invoice status
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to support change, facilitate decision-making, and enhance performance in a cross-functional environment
• Ability to remain calm, focused, and solutions-oriented under pressure
• Ability to mentor and coach Associate Project Managers, Project Managers, and project team members

Why Join Us?

At Organ Recovery Systems, we invest in our people by providing competitive benefits that support your health, financial well-being, career growth, and life outside of work.

• Annual Incentive Bonus Opportunity
• Comprehensive Medical, Dental & Vision Coverage
• Company-Paid Life Insurance, Short-Term & Long-Term Disability Coverage
• Flexible Spending Accounts (Health & Dependent Care FSA)
• 401(k) with 100% Company Match on the First 5% of Contributions
• Generous Paid Time Off, Including Vacation, Sick, Personal, Volunteer Time & Paid Holidays
• Paid Parental Leave
• Summer Hours Program
• Tuition Reimbursement & Professional Development Support
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP) & Identity Theft Protection
• Pet Insurance & Legal Plan Options
• Technology & Wellness Reimbursement
• STEM Scholarship Program for Eligible Dependents
• A Culture Focused on Employee Well-Being, Growth, and Work-Life Balance