Senior Technical Project Manager (Contract)

SmartLogic; United States; Remote; USD 96,000 - 117,000; Part time

Job summary

SmartLogic, a US-based custom software consultancy, seeks an experienced Senior Technical Project Manager to lead multiple client software projects remotely. You will partner with clients and engineering teams to define scope, priorities, and timelines while guiding agile ceremonies and ensuring on-time delivery.

This contract role offers 10–25 hours per week with flexible scheduling, requiring you to manage budgets, risks, and expansion opportunities through proactive communication and reliable

Qualifications

• 5+ years of professional software project management experience.
• Experience leading custom software development projects.
• Ability to manage multiple client engagements remotely.
• Familiarity with AI-powered tools in PM.
• Strong communication with clients and engineering teams.

Responsibilities

• Lead project management for multiple client software development projects.
• Define scope, requirements, priorities, deliverables, and timelines with stakeholders.
• Lead agile ceremonies: sprint planning, standups, backlog refinement, reviews, and retrospectives.
• Maintain backlogs, write user stories and acceptance criteria.
• Manage budgets, timelines, scope changes, and risks with mitigation plans.
• Document project plans, roadmaps, status reports, and budgets.
• Coordinate testing and acceptance with QA to ensure deliverables meet expectations.
• Build strong client relationships through clear communication and reliable delivery.
• Identify opportunities to expand engagements by understanding client objectives.
• Leverage AI tools to improve PM workflows while ensuring quality and oversight.
• Collaborate with engineers to apply AI-assisted delivery responsibly.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of SmartLogic's PM practices.

Skills

Project management

Agile leadership

Client relationship management

Budget management

Risk management

Communication

AI tooling awareness

Tools

ClickUp

Jira

Harvest

Job description

We are seeking an experienced Senior Technical Project Manager with a strong background in agile software development, client relationship management, and delivering complex software projects on time and within budget. The ideal candidate is a proactive leader who can independently manage multiple client engagements, anticipate risks, and guide teams toward successful outcomes.

This role requires 5+ years of software project management experience, including leading custom software development projects and working directly with clients and engineering teams. We are also looking for someone who embraces AI-powered tools and modern project management practices to improve efficiency, communication, and delivery outcomes.

SmartLogic is an experienced custom software development consultancy serving clients since 2005. We build custom web and mobile applications for organizations across a variety of industries. We are deeply committed to our team, our clients, and the communities where we work. Our culture emphasizes collaboration, continuous learning, accountability, and thoughtful adoption of emerging technologies.

This is a fully remote, ongoing contract position with a variable commitment of approximately 10–25 hours per week, depending on project needs.

Responsibilities

Our project teams are supported by a Project Manager, Staff Engineer, product designer, and one or more developers. Your responsibilities will include:

• Lead project management for multiple client software development projects, serving as the primary point of contact and ensuring successful delivery.
• Partner with clients, stakeholders, and engineering teams to define project scope, requirements, priorities, deliverables, and timelines.
• Lead agile ceremonies, including sprint planning, standups, backlog refinement, sprint reviews, and retrospectives.
• Collaborate with Staff Engineers and developers to maintain actionable backlogs, develop user stories, establish acceptance criteria, and ensure development priorities align with client objectives.
• Proactively manage project budgets, timelines, resource allocations, and scope changes while identifying risks and communicating mitigation strategies.
• Maintain accurate project documentation, including project plans, requirements, roadmaps, status reports, and budget forecasts.
• Support quality assurance efforts, coordinate testing and acceptance processes, and ensure deliverables meet client expectations.
• Build strong, trusted relationships with clients through clear communication, proactive problem-solving, and consistent delivery.
• Identify opportunities to expand existing client engagements by understanding business objectives, anticipating future needs, and recommending valuable solutions.
• Leverage AI-powered tools to improve project management workflows, including requirements documentation, meeting summaries, backlog refinement, reporting, and project analysis.
• Collaborate with engineering teams to identify opportunities for AI-assisted delivery while maintaining appropriate quality, accuracy, security, and human oversight.
• Contribute to continuous improvement of SmartLogic's project management practices, delivery processes, and operational efficiency.

We are seeking a resourceful, organized, and proactive team player with strong interpersonal skills and a demonstrated ability to lead software projects independently. The successful candidate will be comfortable navigating ambiguity, balancing competing priorities, and communicating effectively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Additionally, the successful candidate will have:

• 5+ years of professional software project management experience, preferably within a custom software development consultancy or agency.
• Demonstrated success managing six-figure software development projects with varying team sizes, technical complexity, and client requirements.
• Strong understanding of agile software development methodologies and experience managing projects from discovery and planning through development, testing, and launch.
• Experience managing multiple client engagements simultaneously while maintaining accountability for budgets, schedules, scope, and delivery quality.
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools such as ClickUp, Jira, Harvest, and similar platforms.
• Experience developing project roadmaps, writing user stories and acceptance criteria, managing backlogs, tracking budgets, and coordinating quality assurance activities.
• Strong client-facing communication skills, including the ability to translate technical concepts, facilitate difficult conversations, manage expectations, and build trusted relationships.
• Experience identifying project risks, managing scope changes, resolving delivery challenges, and holding project teams accountable for commitments.
• Practical experience using AI tools to improve productivity, documentation, communication, or project management workflows, with an understanding of their limitations and the importance of validating AI-generated outputs.
• Strong organizational skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to work independently in a remote, collaborative environment.

This is a fully remote contract position open to candidates based in the United States.

Compensation range for this position is $70-$85 per hour. Compensation is based on the applicant's experience and qualifications.

This position hasflexible weekly hours based on project needs and your availability, which is currently estimated at 10-25 per week. You must be available during SmartLogic's core working hours of 10:00 AM–3:30 PM ET on weekdays, as some client and internal meetings occur during this window and your attendance may be required.

As a remote-first organization, SmartLogic works intentionally to build a supportive, collaborative culture. Contractors are encouraged to participate in relevant team meetings, knowledge-sharing opportunities, and professional development activities.

We value continuous learning, thoughtful experimentation, and the responsible use of emerging technologies, including AI, to strengthen how we work and deliver value to our clients.

SmartLogic is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate in employment on the basis of race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy and gender identity), national origin, political affiliation, sexual orientation, marital status, disability, genetic information, age, membership in an employee organization, retaliation, parental status, military service, or other non-merit factor.

No phone calls or unsolicited emails, please. We do not work with recruiters or placement agencies.