PMO Lead Advisor

About the role

We are seeking a hands-on PMO Lead to implement and operationalize new project and portfolio management processes at a nonprofit client undergoing a complex digital transformation.

The baseline processes have been designed alongside a supporting Smartsheet workspace. However, neither the project and portfolio management processes nor the related procedures, controls, and tools are currently in place at the client. The PMO Lead will be responsible for standing up the function in practice, guiding adoption by staff and leadership, reinforcing consistent expectations, and ensuring that risks and issues are identified and escalated appropriately.

The PMO Lead will serve as a subcontractor and report to the Contract Digital Transformation Lead, not directly to the client.

Prefer candidates in Los Angeles or Bay Area but can be fully remote.

Estimate 15-20 hours/week but not more than 30.

Key Responsibilities

• Stand up and roll out the new project and portfolio management processes and procedures under the established guidance and direction of the Digital Transformation Lead.
• Introduce the processes and procedures in real time, helping staff and leadership understand and succeed in their roles.
• Manage project intake, setup, status reporting, milestone tracking, governance, and closure.
• Establish a consistent weekly reporting cycle and follow up on missing, unclear, or incomplete information.
• Maintain accurate portfolio records, role assignments, project status, and material risks, actions, issues, and decisions.
• Prepare portfolio information for leadership governance reviews and track resulting decisions and actions through closure.
• Support and mentor novice project leads to manage project schedules and reinforce follow-through.
• Identify emerging risks, gaps, and process breakdowns, and escalate them appropriately to the Digital Transformation Lead.
• Assist as needed in developing clear, practical process guidance and training materials.
• Assist as needed in staff training on new project and portfolio management processes and procedures.

Qualifications

• Position type: Contract (1099/B2B). Candidates must operate as a registered business entity (LLC, S-Corp, C-Corp or equivalent) and be capable of executing a Business-to-Business agreement.
• Experience implementing and operating a PMO or project portfolio management process, ideally in an environment where formal practices were still being established.
• Strong project management, coordination, documentation, and communication skills, with demonstrated ownership and follow-through.
• Ability to build trust, reinforce accountability constructively, and exercise sound judgment about when to resolve issues directly or escalate them.
• Experience operating, maintaining, and navigating an existing Smartsheet workspace is required. Smartsheet solution design and development experience is not required.
• Experience in a nonprofit, smaller organization, or similarly resource-conscious environment is highly preferred.

Additional information

The successful candidate will turn the project and portfolio management processes and supporting tools into a fully operational and reliable structure. They will help staff adopt consistent ways of working, build trust and alignment across the organization, reinforce accountability, and ensure that material risks, issues, and decisions are escalated appropriately.