Senior Project Manager – Commercial Banking Operations Strategic Initiatives

Location: Charlotte, NC (preferred)

Work Arrangement: Hybrid

Contract Duration: 12 months, with potential for conversion

Level: Business Execution Consultant 4 or 5

Compensation: $55- $75 per hour

ABOUT THE ROLE

Our client is seeking a highly motivated Senior Project Manager (Business Execution Consultant) to support strategic, business-led initiatives within Commercial Banking Operations. This hybrid role, based in Charlotte, NC (preferred) or New York, NY, is critical in driving execution across complex, highly matrixed projects that span Operations, Product, Technology, Risk, and other business partners. The successful candidate will independently lead initiatives from planning through execution, build structure where ambiguity exists, influence stakeholders without direct authority, and serve as a strong representative and voice for Operations.

The initial focus will be on supporting a significant, multi-year initiative to implement and expand AI-enabled capabilities within Commercial Banking Operations. The broader portfolio includes additional strategic projects, offering the opportunity to manage multiple priorities and initiatives over time. This is not a technical engineering or AI development role; rather, it requires understanding the business and operational impacts of new capabilities, coordinating stakeholders, driving readiness, managing execution, and ensuring initiatives translate effectively from strategy into operational implementation.

This position is ideal for an experienced project/program professional who can quickly understand the landscape, build relationships, create structure, and drive execution with limited oversight in a dynamic, evolving environment.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

• Lead execution of strategic, business-sponsored initiatives within Commercial Banking Operations
• Establish project structure, timelines, milestones, governance, and accountability for complex initiatives
• Serve as the Operations representative and voice within cross-functional project teams, product huddles, working groups, and program forums
• Partner closely with Product, Technology, Risk & Control, and Business stakeholders to drive alignment and resolve issues
• Translate business and technology changes into clear operational impacts, requirements, readiness activities, and execution plans
• Drive initiatives forward independently, proactively identifying risks, dependencies, gaps, and decisions requiring escalation
• Influence stakeholders and drive accountability without direct authority in a highly matrixed environment
• Navigate challenging situations and competing priorities while maintaining momentum and relationships
• Develop concise, executive-ready communications, presentations, status updates, and summaries for senior leadership
• Provide clear visibility into project status, risks, funding considerations, dependencies, and key decisions
• Support operational readiness and change management activities associated with new products, processes, technologies, and control frameworks
• Coordinate proof-of-concept and implementation activities, including lessons learned and readiness for broader deployment
• Evaluate the impact of technology changes from both the people and process perspective, ensuring Operations is prepared for implementation
• Manage multiple initiatives simultaneously, prioritizing work based on business needs and shifting priorities
• Support additional Commercial Banking Operations initiatives as the broader portfolio evolves

WHAT YOU BRING

• 5+ years of experience in project management, program management, business execution, change management, operations, or a related discipline within financial services
• Experience supporting Commercial Banking, Corporate Banking, Lending, Loan Operations, or related financial services functions strongly preferred
• Demonstrated ability to independently lead complex initiatives from planning through execution
• Strong stakeholder management and ability to influence without authority
• Experience operating within highly matrixed organizations and coordinating across multiple teams
• Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to create concise, executive-ready presentations and status updates
• Demonstrated ability to identify issues, challenge assumptions appropriately, escalate effectively, and drive resolution
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and shifting priorities
• Ability to translate complex business, technology, and operational topics into clear and actionable plans
• Strong proficiency with Microsoft Excel and PowerPoint
• Experience within Commercial Banking Operations or a comparable Operations organization (preferred)
• Prior experience with business-led technology implementations or transformation initiatives (preferred)
• Familiarity with Jira and Agile/product development environments (preferred)
• Experience with Power BI, Tableau, or other reporting/visualization tools (preferred)
• Experience supporting operational readiness, change management, or implementation of new processes and technologies (preferred)
• Prior experience at a large financial institution (preferred)

WHAT'S IN IT FOR YOU

• Opportunity to lead high-impact, strategic initiatives within a major financial institution
• Exposure to business-led technology transformation and AI-enabled capabilities
• Collaborative, cross-functional work environment with senior leadership visibility
• Potential for contract-to-hire conversion
• Competitive hourly compensation
• Hybrid work arrangement