Contract Remote Project Planner Jobs in Chicago, IL

We are seeking an experienced Project Manager to support HR organizational projects and transformation initiatives across a complex, multi-center-of-excellence (COE) HR function. This role partners with HR leaders, COE teams, HR Business Partners, and cross-functional stakeholders to plan and deliver work that improves operating models, processes, governance, and employee/manager experience. The Project Manager brings strong change management and communications capabilities, and has a track record of coordinating work across international teams and external consulting partners.

***Please note that this is a fully remote temporary position that starts immediately and is anticipated to go through the end of the year.  

• Lead end-to-end project delivery for HR organizational initiatives
• Develop and maintain project plans, milestones, RAID logs (risks, assumptions, issues, dependencies), resource plans, and executive-ready status reporting.
• Facilitate stakeholder alignment across HR sub-teams/COEs (e.g., Talent Acquisition, Total Rewards/Compensation & Benefits, HR Operations/Shared Services, HRIS/People Systems, Learning & Development, Talent Management, Employee Relations, Workforce Planning/Analytics).
• Design and execute change management deliverables
• Create and manage project communications (message maps, announcements, leader talking points, FAQs, and audience-specific updates).
• Partner with external consulting teams: coordinate workplans, manage deliverables, ensure knowledge transfer, and integrate consulting outputs into sustainable internal processes.
• Drive effective governance: set agendas, run working sessions and steering committees, capture decisions, and ensure follow-through on action items.
• Coordinate across time zones and international stakeholders; establish team norms, meeting cadences, and collaboration practices to keep work moving

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of project management experience delivering cross-functional initiatives; at least 2+ years focused on HR, people, or organizational projects.
• Working knowledge of how HR functions are commonly structured, including HRBPs and centers of excellence (COEs); ability to quickly learn an organization’s specific HR operating model.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading transformation initiatives (process, operating model, technology enablement, or organizational change).
• Hands-on change management experience (e.g., Prosci/ADKAR or similar approaches), including change impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, and adoption planning.
• Strong communications experience producing clear, audience-appropriate materials for leaders and employees.
• Experience working with distributed and international teams across multiple time zones.
• Proficiency with common project tools (e.g., Microsoft Project or similar planning tools, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration tools (e.g., Teams).
• Excellent facilitation, organization, and problem-solving skills; ability to manage ambiguity and drive decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management certification (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent).
• Change Management certification (Prosci or equivalent).
• Prior experience working with external consulting firms on HR transformation and/or operating model work.
• Experience in matrixed, global organizations with multiple stakeholder groups and complex governance.
• Familiarity with organizational design concepts, role clarity/RACI development, and service delivery models.

Core Competencies

• Stakeholder management: Builds trust with HR leaders, COEs, HRBPs, and partner functions; influences without authority.
• Structured delivery: Brings rigor to planning, tracking, and reporting while staying pragmatic.
• Change leadership: Anticipates adoption barriers and drives clear actions to support lasting change.
• Executive communication: Synthesizes complex information into concise updates, recommendations, and decision points.
• Collaboration across time zones: Establishes ways of working that respect regional needs while maintaining momentum.
• Continuous improvement mindset: Uses data and feedback to refine processes and improve outcomes.

#LI-MS2

#contingent

At Gallagher, we believe supporting our colleagues goes far beyond the role itself. For more information, visit our Benefits page.

• Competitive compensation
• Comprehensive benefits programs designed to support your well-being 
• Career development opportunities and ongoing learning 
• A collaborative, people-first culture with accessible leadership 
• The opportunity to do meaningful work with global reach and local impact 

At Gallagher, we are dedicated to building an inclusive and authentic workplace. If your past experience doesn’t align perfectly, we encourage you to join our Talent Community to stay connected to additional career opportunities. At times, we will consider transferable skills from previous roles.

Gallagher is an affirmative action/equal opportunity employer (Minorities/Females/Veterans/Disabled)

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent practical experience.
• 5+ years of project management experience delivering cross-functional initiatives; at least 2+ years focused on HR, people, or organizational projects.
• Working knowledge of how HR functions are commonly structured, including HRBPs and centers of excellence (COEs); ability to quickly learn an organization’s specific HR operating model.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or leading transformation initiatives (process, operating model, technology enablement, or organizational change).
• Hands-on change management experience (e.g., Prosci/ADKAR or similar approaches), including change impact assessment, stakeholder engagement, and adoption planning.
• Strong communications experience producing clear, audience-appropriate materials for leaders and employees.
• Experience working with distributed and international teams across multiple time zones.
• Proficiency with common project tools (e.g., Microsoft Project or similar planning tools, Excel, PowerPoint) and collaboration tools (e.g., Teams).
• Excellent facilitation, organization, and problem-solving skills; ability to manage ambiguity and drive decisions.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project Management certification (PMP, PRINCE2, or equivalent).
• Change Management certification (Prosci or equivalent).
• Prior experience working with external consulting firms on HR transformation and/or operating model work.
• Experience in matrixed, global organizations with multiple stakeholder groups and complex governance.
• Familiarity with organizational design concepts, role clarity/RACI development, and service delivery models.

Core Competencies

• Stakeholder management: Builds trust with HR leaders, COEs, HRBPs, and partner functions; influences without authority.
• Structured delivery: Brings rigor to planning, tracking, and reporting while staying pragmatic.
• Change leadership: Anticipates adoption barriers and drives clear actions to support lasting change.
• Executive communication: Synthesizes complex information into concise updates, recommendations, and decision points.
• Collaboration across time zones: Establishes ways of working that respect regional needs while maintaining momentum.
• Continuous improvement mindset: Uses data and feedback to refine processes and improve outcomes.

#LI-MS2

#contingent