Library Associate Jobs in Round Lake, IL (NOW HIRING)

POSITION SUMMARY

The Program Governance Lead (PGL) serves as a strategic partner to the Project Management Office (PMO), supporting project managers and the Director of PMO across the full project lifecycle, from idea intake through execution, project close, and value realization. This role is ideal for a highly organized, analytically minded professional who thrives at the intersection of project and program delivery, application of governance and methodology, and emerging technology (AI). The PMO is responsible for projects across the enterprise (not only projects in support of IT).

Operating in a fast-paced wholesale distribution environment, the PGL will build and maintain the tools, information (analytics), and processes that keep the PMO running efficiently. A distinguishing feature of this role is a hands-on mandate to leverage AI, including designing prompts, building automations, and deploying agents to eliminate manual work and elevate the quality of PMO outputs.

QUALIFICATIONS / ABILITIES:

·       Bachelor''''s degree in Business Administration, Operations Management, Information Systems, Supply Chain, Finance, or a related field; however, candidates with strong applicable experience alone will be considered.

·       6 to 8 years of progressive experience supporting a PMO is ideal; experience in a project management, strategy, or operations; prior experience in wholesale distribution, supply chain, or logistics ideal, but not required.

·       Strong curiosity and ideally some demonstratable experience with AI (in a PMO or program coordination environment – CoPilot is ideal but not required) and an interest in pursuing AI solutions in support of automation and efficiency.

·       Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to tailor communication for executives, sponsors, project teams, vendors, and Associates.

·       Intermediate to advanced knowledge of PM tools (e.g., MS Project and Atlassian products (Jira, in particular)); working knowledge of SharePoint / MS Teams important, too.

·       Business acumen, critical thinking and analytical skills with the ability to use and analyze data to drive informed decisions, problem-solve issues and leverage data and learnings to support continuous improvement; intermediate to advanced Excel knowledge required.

·       Good presentation and facilitation skills to present project-related updates, foster discussion regarding project plans and elicit contributions and discussion from stakeholders.

·       Thrives in a collaborative environment and is energized by enabling others'''' success.

·       Ability to work in a less-structured environment while helping to develop and institute additional structure.

RESPONSIBILITIES – HOW THIS POSITION SUPPORTS THE VISION include the following, but are not limited to:

·       Provide expert consultancy and support in project and program management tools and techniques.

·       Strong presentation and meeting facilitation skills are important.

·       Data analysis and reporting: ability to track program metrics, validate data, identify trends, and translate insights into actionable recommendations.

o   Ability to balance operational execution with strategic insight (forecasting, planning, trend analysis)

·       Prepare project status reports for the PMO; collect and synthesize / summaries project status reports from project managers and project teams across the enterprise.

o   Accountable for accurate gathering of project and portfolio data and preparation of communication and reports.

o   Provide objective opinions on team health, collaborate with subject matter experts, and identify improvement opportunities.

·       Manage the workflow related to our project intake process, including triage, initial scoping, and stakeholder alignment to determine feasibility and strategic fit.

·       Lead business case construction: gathering assumptions, quantifying costs and benefits, and structuring findings for decision-maker review.

·       Conduct ROI and NPV analysis to support capital investment and operational improvement proposals; build and translate financial models into clear executive narratives.

·       Track and manage PMO and Program finances; process and code invoices, etc.

·       Design, build, and maintain high-quality presentations for executive leadership, steering committees, and cross-functional teams at all levels.

·       Draft and edit project communications, status reports, and decision memos for distribution to senior stakeholders.

·       Own and maintain project repositories, document libraries, dashboards, and templates to ensure consistent, accessible, and up-to-date information.

·       Support project managers with administrative and analytical tasks, enabling them to focus on delivery and stakeholder management.

·       Demonstrate curiosity about the company''''s distribution business, customers, Associates, operations, systems, processes, and strategic priorities.

·       Support projects related to wholesale distribution, supply chain operations, inventory management, warehouse management, optimization, process improvement, systems, and related business operations as needed.

AI SPECIFIC RESPONSIBILITIES

·       Use AI tools responsibly and effectively to improve project outcomes, exercise good judgment when using AI, and adhere to the company''''s distribution policies related to AI and AI use.

·       Identify repetitive or manual PMO tasks and design AI-assisted solutions to automate or accelerate them.

·       Build and maintain a library of structured prompts for use across PMO functions.

·       Prototype and deploy lightweight AI agents to support recurring PMO workflows; document designs and train team members on adoption.

·       Stay current on emerging AI tools and methodologies relevant to project and portfolio management; bring forward recommendations for adoption.

·       Adhere to enterprise data governance, security, and acceptable-use standards in all AI and automation development activities.