NERC CIP Project Manager

⚡ NERC CIP Project Manager

Utility & Energy Sector | Security & Compliance

📍 Location: Remote (Travel to New Jersey once per month as needed)

📄 Engagement: Contract Only

🔎 Role Summary

We are seeking an experienced NERC CIP Project Manager for a contract engagement to lead security-focused IT initiatives within the Utility & Energy domain. This role is critical to preparing for and overseeing a NERC CIP audit for a major U.S. electric utility, ensuring audit readiness, regulatory compliance, and successful project delivery.

The Project Manager will act as the primary customer interface, drive execution across cross-functional and vendor teams, and ensure alignment with organizational governance and PMO standards.

🔑 Key Responsibilities

• Lead and direct project teams, managing scope, schedule, cost, and contract compliance
• Serve as the primary customer interface, providing proactive project leadership
• Prepare for and oversee NERC CIP audits, including evidence tracking and audit readiness
• Manage technical scope, budgets, schedules, and project deliverables
• Lead multidisciplinary teams including executives, SMEs, schedulers, controllers, and vendors
• Manage multi-vendor environments with onshore and offshore resources
• Develop and execute project management plans, governance reviews, and PMO procedures
• Coordinate with stakeholders to define project scope, objectives, and milestones
• Ensure requirements are gathered, documented, reviewed, and approved per PMO standards
• Partner with schedulers to create work breakdown structures (WBS) and detailed schedules
• Manage project finances including budget tracking, forecasting, accruals, and reporting
• Deliver high-quality communications: weekly status reports, dashboards, and executive updates
• Monitor timelines, milestones, risks, and overall quality of deliverables
• Maintain confidentiality and comply with data protection and security policies

✅ Required Technical Skills

• Proven experience managing security-focused IT projects
• Demonstrated experience leading and documenting at least one NERC CIP audit at a major U.S. utility
• Strong knowledge of Project Management and PMO methodologies
• Hands-on experience with Microsoft Project, Primavera P6, Smartsheet, or similar tools
• Strong ability to manage project schedules, budgets, and written status reporting

⭐ Preferred / Nice-to-Have

• PMP certification or equivalent
• Experience working in regulated utility or energy environments

🎓 Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, IT, Computer Science, or related field
• (Additional experience may be considered in lieu of a degree)
• 8 years of experience as an IT Project Manager
• 5 years managing security or compliance-driven projects
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level stakeholders
• Strong customer-facing and relationship-building abilities
• Ability to work independently with minimal supervision
• Exceptional attention to detail, organization, and decision-making
• Proven analytical and problem-solving skills