Operational Excellence Project Manager

SUMMARY

The Operational Excellence Project Manager leads cross-functional projects from planning through implementation and closeout, ensuring alignment with company strategy, priorities, and goals. This role brings structured project management to operational improvements, technology implementations, and process changes, with accountability for clear plans, coordinated resources, timely decisions, and complete documentation.

The Project Manager partners with department leaders and subject matter experts to develop and validate business process maps, policies, standard operating procedures, and supporting resources as part of project delivery. The Operational Excellence Project Manager is expected to embrace the honor to serve our communities, as well as demonstrate kindness, professionalism, and timely resolution in every interaction. They will also abide by the Sentry Promises made to our board members, homeowners, and fellow employees.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Project Management

• Manage multiple cross-functional projects from intake and planning through implementation, transition, and closeout.
• Work with project sponsors, department leaders, and subject matter experts to define objectives, scope, requirements, deliverables, and measurable success criteria.
• Build and maintain project plans, milestones, dependencies, resource needs, and assigned responsibilities.
• Coordinate internal teams and external partners, confirming commitments and following up on deliverables.
• Track schedules, approved budgets, resource constraints, and scope changes; communicate impacts and obtain appropriate approvals.
• Maintain risk, issue, decision, and action logs; escalate unresolved items with recommended next steps.
• Apply predictive, agile, or hybrid project management methods appropriate to the work and established company standards.
• Facilitate project meetings with clear agendas, documented decisions, owners, and due dates.
• Maintain accurate project records and status reporting in designated project management systems.
• Coordinate testing, quality reviews, result verification, and stakeholder acceptance before implementation.
• Provide concise status updates highlighting progress, upcoming milestones, risks, and decisions needed.
• Manage operational handoffs, confirm ongoing ownership, and document lessons learned and project outcomes.

Process Improvement and Documentation

• Partner with subject matter experts to document current-state and future-state processes, including roles, handoffs, controls, and exceptions.
• Apply Lean and Six Sigma principles to identify root causes, reduce rework, simplify workflows, and improve consistency.
• Establish baseline measures and track improvements against agreed project objectives.
• Coordinate completion and approval of policies, standard operating procedures, templates, and supporting resources before project closeout.
• Ensure process maps and documentation reflect the implemented process and have identified ongoing owners.
• Maintain current project source information, including requirements, subject matter expert contacts, decisions, approvals, and supporting records.
• Follow document control standards so project materials are complete, current, and stored in approved repositories.
• Identify opportunities to use technology and automation to meet business needs.

Change Management and Implementation

• Assess operational impacts and coordinate implementation readiness across affected departments and divisions.
• Partner with Learning and Development, Software, Technology Support, and operational owners to align rollout activities, guidance, and support.
• Confirm that stakeholders understand what is changing, their responsibilities, and required actions.
• Track readiness activities and surface gaps that could affect launch or adoption.
• Coordinate post-launch follow-up, issue resolution, and transition to ongoing operational support.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

REQUIRED EXPERIENCE & SPECIFICATIONS:

• Current Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required.
• At least three years of experience leading cross-functional projects, including responsibility for planning, execution, stakeholder coordination, and closeout.
• Bachelor’s degree preferred, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Demonstrated ability to manage scope, schedules, dependencies, risks, resources, and project documentation.
• Experience developing process maps and coordinating policies, procedures, and operational handoffs.
• Working knowledge of predictive, agile, and hybrid project management methods.
• Strong analytical, organizational, facilitation, and written communication skills.
• Experience with project management and collaboration platforms, such as Microsoft Teams, Planner, SharePoint, or comparable tools.

PERSONAL SPECIFICATIONS:

Communication Skills

• Oral Communication - Effectively expresses oneself in one-on-one and group situations and presentations
• Written Communication - Effectively expresses ideas through a variety of written communications (e-mails, reports, memos, etc.), demonstrating strong writing skills
• Listening - Demonstrates attentiveness and the ability to understand the oral communications of others through active listening skills
• Deliver informative, engaging, and well-organized presentations
• Effectively facilitate regular team meetings

Personal Motivation

• Commitment- Demonstrates commitment to perform above and beyond the essential functions of the job
• Self-starter who exhibits initiative and internal motivation to achieve goals, including those beyond standard expectations
• Teamwork - Ability to work well in a team environment, always willing to assist other employees
• Integrity - Maintains social, ethical, and organizational norms
• Enthusiasm - Demonstrates an open mind and positive attitude, while interacting with others in a positive way
• Enthusiasm - Displays genuine interest, excitement, and eagerness toward job, company, employees, and customers
• Sensitivity - Takes into consideration the feelings and needs of others in plans and actions

Managerial Skills

• Management - Possesses the necessary managerial skills to hire, terminate, and manage the activities of the office
• Conduct - Demonstrate high integrity, honesty, leadership, trustworthiness, goal-oriented, and deadline conscious. Affects change, when necessary, in collaboration with the Community Managers and Division Manager
• Decision Making - Ability to make sound business decisions, which favorably impact customers based on logical assumptions and factual information. Doesn't procrastinate on tough decisions, especially those related to the budget and personnel issues
• Stress Management - Maintains stability of performance under pressure and/or opposition
• Policies and Procedures - Understand and implement all corporate policies and procedures that impact job responsibility

REQUIREMENTS

• Ability to sit for up to eight (8) hours per day
• Ability to operate a personal computer and basic office equipment
• Ability to talk regularly over the phone with customers and co-workers up to eight (8) hours per day
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint

Benefits

• Medical, Dental, Vision
• Short-Term and Long-Term Disability
• Life Insurance and AD&D
• Paid Vacation
• Paid Sick/Personal Days
• Paid Holidays
• 401(k)

Sentry Management, Inc. is an equal opportunity employer