The contract Program Manager will support a portfolio of business-led strategic initiatives across learning enablement, knowledge management, content management, operations, and process improvement functions. This role serves as the primary coordinator for project planning, governance, stakeholder alignment, risk management, and execution, partnering closely with business leaders, IT teams, vendors, and cross-functional stakeholders to drive complex initiatives from planning through delivery. Deadline to apply is on 11/15/26.

Program Manager Responsibilities:

• Manage a portfolio of strategic projects and workstreams spanning operations, knowledge management, process improvement, content management, and learning-related functions.
• Develop and maintain detailed project plans, governance structures, schedules, deliverables, risks, dependencies, and status reporting.
• Lead project meetings, governance sessions, stakeholder workshops, and working groups to drive decisions and maintain momentum.
• Coordinate across business teams, IT partners, vendors, and leadership to ensure priorities, timelines, and objectives remain aligned.
• Track project progress, identify resource gaps, escalate issues appropriately, and drive mitigation plans through resolution.
• Support large-scale technology and business transformation initiatives, including change readiness, implementation planning, and stakeholder adoption activities.
• Establish reporting, documentation, and project management processes that improve visibility, accountability, and successful delivery across the portfolio.

Program Manager Qualifications:

• 7 to 10 years of Project or Program Management experience leading initiatives across business and technology environments.
• Strong expertise in project planning, governance, risk management, issue tracking, decision management, and execution oversight.
• Proven ability to partner with both business and IT stakeholders and translate technical and business requirements into actionable plans.
• Experience managing ambiguity, driving alignment, facilitating discussions, and proactively advancing strategic initiatives.
• Experience mentoring project teams and establishing project management standards, tools, templates, and best practices.
• Proficiency with Jira, Confluence, Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, and project management software.
• Ability to work in a hybrid environment and build relationships across multiple stakeholder groups while managing concurrent projects.

Perks and Benefits:

• Medical, Dental, and Vision Insurance.
• Life Insurance.
• 401(k) Program.
• Commuter Benefit.
• eLearning and Ongoing Training.
• Education Reimbursement.

Eligibility requires working over 30 hours per week on an assignment lasting at least 10 weeks.

If you meet the qualifications and are excited about this opportunity, apply today! Our team will connect with you to discuss next steps, support you through the interview process, and advocate for your success.

About Onward Search

Onward Search is a nationwide staffing agency and talent solutions provider specializing in creative, marketing, and technology professionals. We work with our nationwide clients to continuously pipeline and fill specialized roles. As such, not all jobs contain an application deadline. For questions about our employment process, please contact info@onwardsearch.com.

Equal Opportunity Employment

We are an equal opportunity employer. We do not discriminate based on race, color, religion, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other protected category. Candidates must be at least 18 years old to be considered for employment.
EOE/M/F/D/V/SO

Inclusive Hiring Practices

We’re committed to making every part of our hiring process accessible and inclusive. If you need any accommodations or adjustments to support you during the application or interview process, please contact us at inclusivehiring@onwardsearch.com.

Employment Eligibility

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired must verify their identity and eligibility to work in the United States. We are unable to support 1099 / Corp-to-Corp / Independent Contractor arrangements. All freelancers will be hired as W2 employees.

Benefits

We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as a 401(k) retirement plan to all eligible full-time temporary employees. Onward Search is a drug-free workplace.

Virtual Interview Process

To help streamline the hiring process and ensure a more flexible and accessible experience for all candidates, we’ve partnered with Alex.com, a virtual interviewing platform. For select job openings, you may receive an invitation to interview with Alex via email at alex@onwardsearch.com.

Alex will guide you through a brief set of questions to help us better understand your background and interests. The virtual interview can be completed on your own time, and your responses will be reviewed by our recruiting team as part of the screening process.

To learn more about the platform, visit https://www.alex.com/.

Job Seeker Scam Alert

We’ve become aware of fraudulent recruiters impersonating Onward Search representatives to collect personal or financial information from potential job seekers. Please be advised, we will only communicate with our talent through verified email addresses such as @onwardsearch and will never reach out through Gmail or any other public domains. You can learn more about potential threats and how to protect yourself by visiting our job seeker scam alert page.