AI Project Manager

Path Forward IT, a Blue Alliance company, is seeking an AI Project Manager to lead complex, client-facing artificial intelligence, automation, and technology implementations from initiation through operational handoff. The role oversees delivery, technical coordination, budgets, risks, governance, and executive and client communication.

Responsibilities:

• Lead complex, high-budget client implementations through all five project phases
• Manage project schedules, budgets, milestones, resource forecasts, risks, dependencies, change control, and client reporting
• Select and apply Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid delivery methodologies appropriate to each engagement
• Identify and mitigate technical, regulatory, and ethical risks, including considerations related to GDPR, the AI Act, AI regulations, and fairness principles
• Coordinate requirements, solution design, development, integration, testing, deployment, acceptance, and transition to support
• Apply an understanding of machine learning workflows, data pipelines, large language models, and MLOps tools
• Facilitate backlog refinement, sprint planning, reviews, and release coordination when applicable
• Partner with architects, developers, AI engineers, infrastructure teams, and security teams to validate delivery readiness and challenge technical assumptions
• Identify and communicate AI-related risks involving data quality, privacy, security, model performance, integration, and reliability
• Build trusted relationships with client executives, sponsors, and C-suite leaders
• Lead executive steering discussions and decision-making forums
• Provide concise executive-level updates on business outcomes, investment, delivery confidence, tradeoffs, risks, and corrective actions
• Manage high-stakes escalations, competing executive priorities, and challenging stakeholder conversations, developing actionable plans
• Translate technical matters into clear commercial and strategic implications
• Maintain accurate project records
• Ensure client acceptance, operational handoff, and documentation of lessons learned
• Contribute to improvements in project delivery methods and organizational learning

Requirements:

• 5+ years of experience managing complex technical or software implementation projects, with demonstrable successful outcomes and client-facing experience
• Proven experience engaging directly with executives and C-suite stakeholders, influencing decisions, and managing executive-level escalations
• Strong knowledge of the Software Development Life Cycle (SDLC), Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid methodologies
• Experience coordinating development teams, integrations, testing, and deployment
• Strong financial, commercial, scope, risk, and stakeholder management capabilities
• Excellent executive communication, negotiation, and analytical judgment
• 7+ years of relevant experience
• Direct experience with AI, machine learning, or automation implementations
• Bachelor's degree in Computer Science, Software Development, or a similar field
• Experience managing engagements valued at $100,000 or more and larger, multi-workstream programs
• Experience in an MSP, IT consulting, or professional services environment
• Familiarity with cloud platforms, APIs, data platforms, AI governance, and model evaluation
• PMP, PMI-ACP, PMI-CPMAI, CSM, or comparable certification
• AIPM, Applied AI/Data Science program, and/or AI-focused degree or certification