Vice President of Project Management

Company: Ares Management
Location: Los Angeles (LA)
Job Type: Full-time
Department: Project Management
Work Arrangement: Remote
Job Overview
The Vice President of Project Management is responsible for overseeing the execution of strategic initiatives, strengthening project governance, and coordinating cross-functional projects across the organization. This role focuses on establishing standardized project management practices, monitoring delivery performance, and ensuring that all projects remain aligned with established business objectives, budgets, timelines, and operational priorities.
The ideal candidate will possess extensive experience in enterprise-level project management, stakeholder communication, risk management, and organizational leadership.
Key Responsibilities
Project Portfolio Management
Oversee a portfolio of strategic projects and related initiatives.
Define project priorities, milestones, resource plans, and delivery schedules.
Monitor project progress and communicate significant changes to senior leadership in a timely manner.
Project Governance and Standards
Develop and maintain project management frameworks, processes, and reporting standards.
Define project approval workflows, decision-making authority, and performance metrics.
Drive the standardization of project documentation and decision-making practices.
Cross-Functional Leadership
Coordinate project activities across teams such as Product, Engineering, Finance, Compliance, Legal, and Operations.
Clarify project ownership, responsibilities, dependencies, and delivery expectations.
Facilitate communication among stakeholders, resolve project-related issues, and support timely decision-making.
Risk and Issue Management
Identify project risks, resource constraints, scheduling conflicts, and delivery dependencies.
Develop risk mitigation plans and escalate critical issues through established channels.
Maintain thorough documentation of project risks, decisions, and corrective actions.
Budget and Resource Planning
Collaborate with Finance and functional department heads to develop project budgets and resource forecasts.
Monitor actual expenditures against approved budgets and investigate significant variances.
Recommend adjustments to resource allocation based on business priorities and project requirements.
Performance Evaluation and Reporting
Establish measurable project performance indicators, including progress against schedules, budget adherence, milestone achievement, and project outcomes.
Provide regular portfolio reports to the senior management team.
Leverage project performance data to identify opportunities for improving efficiency and execution. Process Improvement
Evaluate existing project management practices and identify opportunities to optimize workflows.
Drive the effective use of project management tools and reporting systems. Lead continuous improvement initiatives based on documented project outcomes and stakeholder feedback.
Team Development
Lead and mentor project management professionals, where applicable.
Set clear performance expectations and support the professional development of team members.
Foster a culture of collaboration, accountability, and transparent communication.
Qualifications and Requirements
Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Engineering, Finance, or a related field.
20 years of professional experience in project management, program management, portfolio management, or a related business function.
10 years of experience leading project managers, program teams, or complex cross-functional projects.
Proven, hands-on experience managing multiple projects, including defined budgets, schedules, interdependencies, and measurable outcomes.
In-depth knowledge of project governance, risk management, resource planning, and executive-level reporting.
Experience collaborating with senior stakeholders across various business functions.
Strong analytical, organizational, communication, and decision-making skills.
Ability to manage multiple competing priorities within a dynamic business environment.
Proficiency with various project management platforms and reporting tools.
PMP, PgMP, or other relevant professional certifications are highly desirable.
Performance Expectations
Performance will be evaluated based on role-specific metrics, which may include:
Achievement of established project milestones.
Adherence to approved budgets and delivery schedules.
Quality and timeliness of project reporting.
Effectiveness in identifying risks and resolving issues.
Stakeholder satisfaction and the ability to coordinate across functional areas.
Improvements made to project delivery processes and resource utilization.

Work arrangement
Yes