Senior Project Manager - Automation Initiatives (Remote)

Vericast is the financial institution (FI) performance partner. We help banks and credit unions drive growth, improve efficiency, increase engagement and navigate change through the power of data, technology and people. Our advanced analytics, data-driven insights and integrated solution set enable better execution with agility, precision and scale. That’s why thousands of financial institutions look to Vericast and our 150 years of financial services expertise to help them achieve more. For more information, visit http://www.vericast.com or follow Vericast on LinkedIn.

The Senior Project Manager in our Product Management Office (PMO) leads strategic, high-complexity projects and programs focused on artificial intelligence and machine learning initiatives. This role combines technical project leadership with business acumen, managing AI/ML implementations, data platform modernization, intelligent automation, and cross-functional digital transformation efforts. You'll orchestrate projects from concept through production deployment, ensuring AI solutions are delivered on time, within budget, and aligned with business value and ethical AI principles. As a trusted advisor to stakeholders and a mentor to project teams, you'll bridge technical, business, and consulting domains while championing agile methodologies and modern project management practices.

KEY DUTIES/RESPONSIBILITIES

 Automation Project Leadership & Delivery: Lead end-to-end delivery of complex automation and
machine learning projects, including model development initiatives, automation platform
implementations, intelligent automation solutions, and generative automation integrations. Drive
projects through all lifecycle phases using hybrid methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall, MLOps)
tailored to automation project needs. Manage project scope, timeline, budget, and quality
standards while navigating the unique challenges of automation projects (model performance,
data requirements, ethical considerations).Coordinate dependencies across data engineering,
automation engineering, data science, and business stakeholder teams. Navigate the automation
project lifecycle from use case identification through model training, validation, deployment, and
monitoring. (25%)

 Intelligent Automation Initiatives: Support implementation and optimization of automation
platforms, including model training infrastructure, MLOps pipelines, feature stores, and model
monitoring systems. Coordinate cross-functional teams on projects involving generative
automation applications, natural language processing, computer vision, predictive analytics, and
intelligent process automation. Partner with data science, engineering, and business teams to
deliver automation solutions that drive measurable business outcomes and ROI. Manage
relationships with automation technology vendors, cloud providers (AWS, Azure, GCP), and
automation consulting partners. Ensure responsible automation practices including bias detection,
explainability, data privacy, and governance frameworks. (20%)

 Stakeholder Communication & Collaboration: Serve as primary point of contact for automation
project teams, business owners, and executive sponsors. Deliver clear, concise communications
including status reports, executive dashboards, and risk assessments tailored for both technical
and non-technical audiences. Translate complex automation concepts and project progress into
business value language for leadership. Facilitate stakeholder alignment through sprint reviews,
model review sessions, steering committee meetings, and automation governance forums. Present
project updates, model performance metrics, and recommendations to leadership using data
visualization and storytelling techniques. (20%)

 Team Coordination & Resource Management: Coordinate distributed, cross-functional teams
including data scientists, automation engineers, data engineers, software developers, UX
designers, and business analysts. Manage daily standups, sprint planning, model review sessions,
retrospectives, and other agile ceremonies. Monitor team velocity, sprint burndown, model
development milestones, and progress against OKRs. Request and allocate specialized automation
resources based on skill requirements and project priorities. Navigate resource constrints in
competitive automation talent markets. (15%)

 Change Management & Automation Adoption: Partner with business units to ensure smooth
implementation of automation solutions and intelligent automation. Develop and execute change
management plans addressing automation literacy, training, documentation, and user adoption.
Validate that automation capabilities are adopted, monitored, and that governance controls and
feedback loops are established. Review automation deliverables to ensure alignment with
acceptance criteria, model performance benchmarks, and business objectives. Address
organizational change resistance and automation anxiety through education and transparent
communication. (10%)

 Mentorship & Knowledge Sharing: Mentor junior and mid-level project managers on
methodologies, tools, and automation project best practices. Stay current on emerging trends in
project management, agile practices, automation technologies, and responsible automation
frameworks. Contribute to PMO process improvements and development of automation-specific
templates, frameworks, and lessons learned. Provide input to performance reviews for project
team members. Build organizational automation literacy through knowledge sharing and
documentation. (5%)

 Risk & Change Management: Identify, assess, and mitigate automation-specific project risks
including data quality issues, model performance degradation, ethical concerns, and regulatory
compliance. Evaluate scope changes and their impact on timeline, budget, resources, and model
requirements. Present change requests and recommendations to leadership with supporting
analysis and impact assessments. Maintain RAID logs (Risks, Assumptions, Issues, Dependencies)
with automation-specific considerations and escalate as needed. Monitor and address automation
governance, security, and compliance requirements. (5%)

EDUCATION
 Bachelor's degree in Business, Computer Science, Data Science, Engineering, or related field;
Master's degree or MBA preferred

EXPERIENCE
 5+ years managing large-scale, cross-functional projects and programs in AI/ML, data science, intelligent automation, or advanced analytics domains
 Proven track record leading multiple systems integration and AI implementation projects through full lifecycle
 Consulting experience is strongly preferred, with demonstrated ability to quickly adapt to new business contexts, build stakeholder relationships, deliver value in client-facing or internal consulting environments, and manage ambiguity in emerging technology spaces
 Hands-on experience with agile frameworks (Scrum, Kanban, SAFe) and traditional methodologies
 Experience supporting automation initiatives such as predictive modeling projects, GenAI implementations, MLOps platform buildouts, or intelligent automation programs
 Background working with remote and distributed teams across technical and business functions

KNOWLEDGE/SKILLS/ABILITIES
 Understanding of automation concepts including supervised/unsupervised learning, model training and evaluation, feature engineering, and model deployment
 Familiarity with automation technology stacks, cloud platforms (AWS SageMaker, Azure ML, GCP Vertex AI), and MLOps tools
 Knowledge of data pipelines, data governance, and data privacy regulations (GDPR, CCPA, AI Act) as they relate to automation projects
 Awareness of responsible automation principles including fairness, transparency, explainability, and bias mitigation
 Experience with project management tools (Jira, Asana, Azure DevOps, Monday.com, MS Project)
 Proficiency with collaboration platforms (Confluence, Miro, Slack, Microsoft Teams) and data visualization tools
 Project Management Excellence: Advanced knowledge of PMI, Agile, and hybrid methodologies with relevant certifications (PMP, CSM, SAFe, PMI-ACP) preferred
 Strategic Communication: Ability to translate complex automation concepts for business audiences and business requirements for technical teams
 Influence & Leadership: Proven ability to lead without direct authority and drive consensus across diverse stakeholders including skeptics of automation technology
 Problem Solving: Strong analytical skills with experience in root cause analysis, risk mitigation, and creative solution development in uncertain environments
 Automation Literacy: Comfort working with emerging automation technologies and ability to learn new automation concepts quickly
 Continuous Improvement: Knowledge of Lean, Six Sigma, or similar methodologies a plus
 Financial Acumen: Experience with budget management, forecasting, ROI analysis, and business case development for AI investments
 Consulting Mindset: Structured problem-solving approach, client service orientation, and ability to deliver actionable insights
 Exceptional organizational abilities with strong attention to detail in fast-paced environments
 Skilled facilitator capable of running productive meetings and gaining buy-in on innovative automation initiatives
 Diplomatic approach to navigating competing priorities, organizational politics, and technical trade-offs
 Customer-centric mindset with focus on collaboration, team building, and delivering business value
 Adaptable and comfortable with ambiguity, pivoting strategies, and the iterative nature of automation development
 Intellectual curiosity and enthusiasm for emerging technologies

Base Salary: $130,000-$150,000

Position is eligible for an annual bonus incentive program.

*Applications will be accepted through December 15, 2025, after which the posting will be closed and no longer available for submissions.*

The ultimate compensation offered for the position will depend upon several factors such as skill level, cost of living, experience, and responsibilities.

Vericast offers a generous total rewards benefits package that includes medical, dental and vision coverage, 401K with company match and generous PTO allowance. A wide variety of additional benefits like life insurance, employee assistance and pet insurance are also available, not to mention smart and friendly coworkers!

At Vericast, we don’t just accept differences - we celebrate them, we support them, and we thrive on them for the benefit of our employees, our clients, and our community. As an Equal Opportunity employer, Vericast considers applicants for all positions without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin or ancestry, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, age, disability, genetic information, veteran status, or any other classifications protected by law. Applicants who have disabilities may request that accommodations be made in order to complete the selection process by contacting our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected]. EEO is the law. To review your rights under Equal Employment Opportunity please visit: www.dol.gov/ofccp/regs/compliance/posters/pdf/eeopost.pdf.

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