Project Manager - UX Research Vendor Operations

Role overview This is a 12-month contract (with potential for extension) Project Manager role supporting a high-volume UX Research organization that runs more than 700 research projects a year. Rather than traditional project support, the role is an ownership position: running vendor engagements end-to-end from intake through SOW execution, purchase order issuance, and invoicing, while keeping every case moving, unblocking stakeholders, and reporting progress before being asked. The PM gains early visibility into a broad portfolio of research initiatives across multiple products and experiences.

Responsibilities - Serve as the primary point of contact for UX Researchers navigating vendor and procurement processes. - Own vendor engagements from intake through SOW creation and execution, PO issuance, and invoicing. - Manage a portfolio of active engagements and ensure each case continues progressing toward completion. - Coordinate across researchers, contract associates, vendors, approvers, and leadership. - Proactively follow up with stakeholders and create urgency when actions or approvals are outstanding. - Identify blockers quickly, recommend solutions, escalate appropriately, and drive issues through resolution. - Provide proactive written updates on progress, risks, dependencies, and blockers. - Maintain accurate KPI and SLA tracking with strong data integrity. - Maintain vendor resources, process documentation, team wikis, and toolkits. - Identify recurring friction in the intake-to-contract process, recommend improvements, and run the projects that implement them. - Provide guidance on compliance policies associated with vendor engagements.

Requirements - Bachelor's degree. - 4+ years in project coordination, project management, program management, procurement, vendor management, or operations. - Demonstrated experience independently owning workstreams from beginning through completion. - Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects or cases across cross-functional teams and external partners. - Strong ability to maintain momentum across a high-volume portfolio with minimal day-to-day supervision. - Experience proactively communicating status, risks, and blockers through regular written updates. - Demonstrated experience using AI tools to increase productivity, efficiency, and throughput. - Strong written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to adapt messaging for peers, cross-functional stakeholders, and senior leadership. - Sound judgment in ambiguous situations and persistence when progress depends on others. - Excellent organization, attention to detail, prioritization, and follow-through.

Nice to have - Experience in procurement, sourcing, contracting, or vendor management. - Experience supporting research, R&D, UX, or creative organizations. - Project or program management training or certification such as PMP or CAPM. - Experience with case management, ticketing, or workflow management systems. - Familiarity with UX Research or Research Operations.

Benefits and work setup - Remote within Pacific and Central Time zones only. - 40 hours per week, Monday–Friday, 8-hour shift. - Dental, health, and vision insurance; health savings account; life insurance; paid time off; retirement plan.