Project Manager - Contractor

Overview

About the Role & Team
NEXUS runs multiple work streams in parallel on an aggressive timeline. Without a dedicated execution owner who can operate independently, dependencies slip and the Program Office leads get pulled into day-to-day coordination instead of vision, governance, and strategic execution at the leadership level. This role is what lets the program move at the pace leadership expects.

The Project Manager will be responsible for coordinating execution across these work streams, ensuring that plans remain aligned, dependencies are actively managed, and teams deliver against committed sprint milestones. This role enables the Nexus Program Office to focus on governance, executive engagement, and strategic planning while maintaining day-to-day execution across the program.

This is a three-month, execution-focused role requiring exceptional organization, communication, and coordination skills.

NEXUS is IDC’s AI-integrated research production operating model. It modernizes how IDC research is created across roughly 35+ document types, spanning production planning and capacity, content and workflow execution, and downstream consumption and distribution. Delivery runs in sprints, with parallel pods working document types simultaneously against fixed publication commitments.

The program combines internal teams (process design, business rules, change and communications, training and enablement, data engineering) with an external development partner and a distributed delivery model across US, Europe, and APAC time zones.

What You’ll Do Integrated program coordination

• Maintain the integrated Nexus program plan across assigned work streams.
• Coordinate milestones, timelines, and deliverables across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Ensure workstream plans remain synchronized and aligned to overall program objectives.
• Track critical path activities and identify schedule impacts early.

Cross-Functional Coordination

• Run the operating rhythm: sprint planning, standups, working sessions, cross-pod syncs, and sprint close.
• Coordinate cross-functional execution.
• Facilitate communication across teams and ensure ownership of deliverables and next steps
• Coordinate activities with internal teams and external development partners

Sprint & Delivery Management

• Support the Nexus operating cadence by coordinating:
• Sprint Planning, Weekly Delivery Reviews, Cross-functional Working Sessions, Dependency Reviews, Sprint Close Activities
• Track sprint commitments and follow-up actions to keep delivery on schedule.

Dependency & Issue Management

• Maintain program tracking (dependencies, risks, issues, decisions, action items).
• Ensure every item has an owner, due date, and mitigation plan

Reporting & Communications

• Prepare regular program reporting.
• Communicate program status clearly across sponsors, workstream leads, and project teams.

What You Bring Required qualifications

• 5–8 years of program or project management experience
• Experience coordinating multiple cross-functional initiatives simultaneously
• Strong planning, organization, and follow-up skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Experience facilitating meetings and driving action items to completion
• Strong dependency and schedule management skills
• Ability to influence teams without direct authority
• Experience working in Agile or sprint-based delivery environments
• Proficiency with project management tools such as Coda, Jira, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, or similar
• Remote but must work in the Eastern Time Zone
• 10-15% travel

Preferred qualifications

• Experience supporting enterprise transformation or technology implementation programs
• Exposure to AI, workflow automation, digital products, or software delivery
• Experience coordinating distributed teams across multiple time…