IT PMO Project Manager

Company Description

The Wonderful Company is a company committed to offering high-quality, healthy, and iconic brands such as Wonderful Pistachios, Wonderful Halos, FIJI Water, and POM Wonderful. We foster a collaborative workforce that encourages an entrepreneurial spirit and openness to change.

The IT PMO Project Manager is responsible for leading complex, enterprise‑wide application initiatives spanning multiple business units and functional areas. This role manages the full project lifecycle from project initiation through implementation and stabilization, ensuring alignment with business strategy, IT PMO governance standards, and change management best practices. The Project Manager partners closely with IT leadership, business stakeholders, and executive sponsors to deliver high‑impact technology solutions that enable organizational transformation.

This position will be based at our West Los Angeles, CA office. We work a hybrid schedule with an in-office requirement Monday-Wednesday and the option to work remotely on Thursday and Friday.

Job Description

Project Initiation, Planning, and Governance

• Independently manage the complete lifecycle of Enterprise Applications projects, while collaborating closely with internal teams and third‑party implementation partners.
• Partner with IT management and business leadership to define project scope, develop business cases, and prepare detailed project budgets.
• Establish and manage IT PMO governance processes, including phase gates, milestone reviews, and executive approval checkpoints to ensure disciplined project delivery.
• Develop and maintain comprehensive Project Management Plans, including Risk Management and Communication Management Plans, in alignment with organizational standards

Delivery Execution and Oversight

• Build and manage detailed, integrated work plans—including training, cut‑over, and environment/instance plans—that incorporate IT, business, and third‑party resources.
• Coordinate with internal stakeholders to support software evaluation and selection processes, including the creation of RFIs and the review of vendor proposals.
• Review implementation partner deliverables and lead formal sign‑off processes to ensure quality, completeness, and alignment with project objectives.
• Proactively identify, manage, and communicate project risks, issues, and dependencies, escalating through management as necessary to ensure timely resolution

Stakeholder, Executive, and Change Management

• Develop a deep understanding of business processes and operational needs in order to provide informed recommendations and guidance throughout the project lifecycle.
• Lead cross‑functional discussions and resolve conflicts using diplomacy, negotiation, and consensus‑building techniques.
• Communicate overall project status through standardized reports, executive dashboards, and regular management briefings in accordance with corporate PMO standards.
• Lead steering committee meetings with senior leadership and C‑level executives, presenting critical issues, risks, and decisions required to maintain project momentum.
• Partner with business stakeholders to steward organizational change, developing and executing strategies to address system adoption, process change, and user readiness challenges.

Qualifications

• Minimum of 5–10 years of progressive experience managing complex enterprise applications projects.
• Strong foundation in project management fundamentals (PMBOK® Guide), with the ability to adapt delivery methodologies—including Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid approaches—based on project complexity and organizational needs.
• Demonstrated change management expertise, including hands‑on experience managing scope changes, stakeholder expectations, and user adoption challenges across both systems and processes.
• Proven ability to manage competing stakeholder interests, influence without authority, and lead diverse, cross‑functional teams in a fast‑paced, multi‑project environment.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office tools, including Microsoft Project, with the ability to produce professional executive‑level artifacts and dashboards.
• Big 4 consulting experience, Shipping industry experience, and CargoWise ERP experience are considered strong assets.
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with demonstrated experience presenting to senior and executive‑level audiences.
• Occasional travel as required by project needs, including visits to San Joaquin Valley (Kern, Kings, Tulare, Fresno Counties), Napa, Sonoma, and San Luis Obispo Counties
• Bachelor’s degree required; PMP certification preferred.

Preferred Experience:

• Experience mana