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Principal Project Manager Jobs in Wisconsin (NOW HIRING)

Veritas Steel LLC

Project Manager

Wausau, WI · On-site

Principal Duties and Responsibilities  Plan, direct, coordinate and execute activities related ... project management procedures using new Project Status Reports or similar reports  Responsible ...

Xylem

Project Manager

Waukesha, WI

Xylem seeks to hire a Project Manager at either our Waukesha, WI office or remotely in the ... Essential Duties/Principal Responsibilities: * Review project documents; examples include contracts ...

nVent

Project Manager

Madison, WI

Project Oversight: * Manage a portfolio of projects varying in size and value, ensuring each ... Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis.

nVent

Project Manager

Madison, WI · On-site

Project Oversight: * Manage a portfolio of projects varying in size and value, ensuring each ... Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis.

nVent

Project Manager

Madison, WI · On-site

Project Oversight: * Manage a portfolio of projects varying in size and value, ensuring each ... Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis.

nVent

Project Manager

Madison, WI · On-site

Project Oversight: * Manage a portfolio of projects varying in size and value, ensuring each ... Our principal office is in London and our management office in the United States is in Minneapolis.

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All JobsPrincipal Project JobsPrincipal Project Manager JobsPrincipal Project Manager Jobs in Wisconsin

Principal Project Manager information

See Wisconsin salary details

$45.4K

$106K

$171.1K

How much do principal project manager jobs pay per year?

As of Aug 6, 2026, the average yearly pay for principal project manager in Wisconsin is $106,008.00, according to ZipRecruiter salary data. Most workers in this role earn between $83,800.00 and $129,700.00 per year, depending on experience, location, and employer.

What is the difference between Principal Project Manager vs Senior Project Manager?

AspectPrincipal Project ManagerSenior Project Manager
CredentialsPMI PMP, PgMP, or equivalent; extensive experiencePMP or similar; significant project management experience
Work EnvironmentStrategic leadership, cross-departmental projectsManaging complex projects, team oversight
Employer & Industry UsageLarge corporations, consulting firms, tech companiesVaried industries, mid to large organizations

The Principal Project Manager typically holds higher-level certifications and leads strategic initiatives across departments, whereas the Senior Project Manager focuses on managing complex projects and teams within specific domains. Both roles require extensive project management experience, but the Principal often has broader responsibilities and influence.

What are the key skills and qualifications needed to thrive as a principal project manager, and why are they important?

To thrive as a Principal Project Manager, you need advanced project management expertise, strategic planning abilities, and a track record of leading large, complex projects, often backed by a bachelor's or master's degree and PMP or similar certification. Familiarity with project management tools like Microsoft Project, Jira, or Primavera, as well as experience with budget and resource management systems, is essential. Outstanding leadership, stakeholder communication, and problem-solving skills set top performers apart in this role. These competencies ensure effective project delivery, risk mitigation, and alignment with organizational goals on high-stakes initiatives.

Is a principal project manager a high position?

A principal project manager is a senior-level role responsible for overseeing large or complex projects, often involving strategic planning and leadership. It is considered a high position within project management, typically requiring extensive experience, certifications like PMP, and strong leadership skills.

What is a principal project manager?

Principal Project Managers are senior professionals responsible for overseeing large, complex projects or multiple project teams within an organization. They provide strategic direction, manage key stakeholders, and ensure successful project delivery within scope, time, and budget constraints. In addition to managing projects, they mentor junior project managers, establish best practices, and contribute to organizational goals through leadership and expertise.

How does a principal project manager typically collaborate with cross-functional teams to ensure project success?

A Principal Project Manager works closely with diverse teams—such as engineering, finance, marketing, and operations—to align project objectives and timelines. They facilitate regular meetings, establish clear communication channels, and proactively resolve conflicts or bottlenecks. By leveraging their leadership and organizational skills, they ensure that all stakeholders are informed, engaged, and contributing toward common goals. This collaborative approach is essential for navigating complex projects and delivering successful outcomes.
What are popular job titles related to Principal Project Manager jobs in Wisconsin? For Principal Project Manager jobs in Wisconsin, the most frequently searched job titles are:
What job categories do people searching Principal Project Manager jobs in Wisconsin look for? The top searched job categories for Principal Project Manager jobs in Wisconsin are:
What cities in Wisconsin are hiring for Principal Project Manager jobs? Cities in Wisconsin with the most Principal Project Manager job openings:
Principal Project Manager jobs near you
Infographic showing various Principal Project Manager job openings in Wisconsin as of August 2026, with employment types broken down into 88% Full Time, 11% Part Time, and 1% Contract. Highlights an 84% Physical, 3% Hybrid, and 13% Remote job distribution, with an average salary of $106,008 per year, or $51 per hour.

Principal IT Project Manager

Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)

Madison, WI • On-site, Remote

$99K - $117K/yr

Full-time

Re-posted 10 days ago

Job description

Overview

The Wisconsin Foundation and Alumni Association (WFAA)*, the private fundraising and alumni relations organization for UW-Madison, is seeking an experienced Principal IT Project Manager to join our Project Portfolio Planning and Management Office (P3MO). This senior-level role combines hands-on delivery of complex IT projects with organizational responsibility for defining and advancing the enterprise's project management methodology and standards. Reporting to the P3MO Manager, the Principal IT Project Manager serves as a functional authority on how projects are managed across the IT organization, setting PM standards, driving continuous improvement, and mentoring project managers across the team. PMP certification and experience building or maturing a PM practice are strongly preferred.

The Principal IT Project Manager contributes deep IT project delivery experience and project management methodology expertise to the Project Portfolio Planning and Management Office. This role provides functional leadership for how project management is practiced across the organization by owning the PMO methodology framework, setting standards, and continuously improving how projects are initiated, executed, and closed. In close partnership with the PMO Manager, the Principal IT Project Manager helps ensure portfolio projects are supported by a disciplined, consistent delivery practice.

If you are passionate about elevating the discipline of project management and driving delivery excellence through structured, consistent practices and emerging AI-assisted tools, please apply!

Please note: This position can be hired as hybrid or 100% remote for the right experience level. Remote candidates must reside in the following states to be considered: Arizona, Colorado, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, New York, Texas, and Wisconsin. 

Essential Functions

PMO Standards, Methodology & Governance 

  • Methodology Ownership: Define, own, and maintain the organization's project management methodology, selecting and tailoring frameworks (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid, Kanban) to organizational context and project type.
  • Governance & Intake: Establish and enforce PMO governance processes including project intake, stage-gate reviews, and escalation paths.
  • Standards Library: Develop, publish, and maintain a comprehensive library of PM standards, templates, playbooks, and toolkits (charters, RAID logs, status reports, lessons learned, etc.).
  • Project Classification: Define and operationalize project classification tiers (e.g., small/medium/large/transformational) with associated methodology and oversight requirements.
  • PMO Maturity: Lead periodic PMO maturity assessments and develop roadmaps to advance organizational project management capability.
  • Metrics & KPIs: Establish metrics and KPIs for project performance and PMO effectiveness; report findings to senior leadership.
  • Mentoring: Serve as a mentor and go-to resource for project managers at all levels, providing guidance on methodology application, PM standards, and stakeholder management.
  • Competency Frameworks: Develop PM competency frameworks and reference materials that support consistent standards adoption across the team.
  • Industry Currency: Stay current with industry trends (PMI, Agile Alliance, Gartner) and proactively recommend methodology updates.

IT Project Management 

  • Project Delivery: Manage a portfolio of complex, high-visibility IT projects from initiation through closure, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and within budget.
  • Stakeholder Alignment: Collaborate with senior leadership and stakeholders to define project objectives, gather requirements, and align projects to strategic business goals.
  • Team Leadership: Lead cross-functional project teams through design, development, testing, and implementation phases.
  • Risk & Change Management: Identify, assess, and actively manage risks, issues, dependencies, and change requests across all assigned projects.
  • Documentation & Communication: Maintain comprehensive project documentation and deliver clear, concise status communications to stakeholders at all levels.
  • Role Flexibility: Flex into Product Owner, Scrum Master, or Business Analyst roles as project needs require.

PMO Tools, Processes & Continuous Improvement 

  • Tooling Strategy: Own the selection, configuration, and adoption strategy for PMO tooling (Jira, Workfront, MS Project, Power BI dashboards, etc.).
  • Reporting Frameworks: Develop standardized reporting frameworks and portfolio dashboards for executive and operational audiences.
  • AI & Automation: Actively identify opportunities to apply AI tools and AI-assisted PMO tooling capabilities to automate the production and distribution of PM artifacts, reduce administrative burden, and enhance project delivery through intelligent scheduling, risk flagging, resource forecasting, and stakeholder communication - incorporating proven approaches into PMO standards.
  • Lessons Learned: Lead lessons-learned programs and translate insights into actionable process improvements embedded in PMO standards.
  • Continuous Improvement Culture: Champion a culture of continuous improvement, data-driven decision-making, and delivery excellence across the project management community.

Stakeholder Engagement & Executive Partnership

  • Relationship Building: Build and sustain trusted relationships with IT leadership, business unit leaders, and executive sponsors.
  • Advisory Role: Serve as a key advisor to leadership on project delivery risks, resource capacity, and methodology effectiveness.
  • Communication: Communicate complex project and portfolio information clearly to both technical and non-technical audiences.
Qualifications

Required Qualifications:

  • Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Project Management, Business Administration, or equivalent experience.
  • 10 + years of progressive IT project management experience, with at least 3 + years in a lead, principal, or PMO-level capacity.
  • Demonstrated experience building or maturing a PMO or PM practice, including methodology design and standards implementation.
  • Proven track record delivering complex, enterprise-scale IT projects with measurable business impact.
  • Expert-level command of multiple project management methodologies: Agile, Scrum, Kanban, SAFe, Waterfall, and Hybrid approaches.
  • Proficiency in PMO tooling including Jira, Workfront, MS Project, Microsoft Teams, SharePoint, and portfolio/reporting dashboards.
  • Strong understanding of SDLC, IT infrastructure, and enterprise systems (CRM, ERP, Financial Reporting platforms preferred).
  • Experience developing PM standards, templates, playbooks, and governance frameworks.
  • Exceptional leadership, influence, and facilitation skills; able to drive alignment across diverse, cross-functional stakeholders without direct authority.
  • Strong coaching and mentoring capabilities with a focus on elevating peers' application of PM methodology and standards.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including executive-level presentation and reporting.
  • High analytical aptitude; able to synthesize data and translate insights into strategic recommendations. Comfortable managing ambiguity, competing priorities, and organizational change.

Other Qualifications:

  • Preferred Certifications:
    • Project Management: PMP (Project Management Professional), PRINCE2 Practitioner, PMI-PBA (Business Analysis)
    • Agile & Delivery: CSM / A-CSM (Scrum Master), PMI-ACP (Agile Certified Practitioner), SAFe Program Consultant (SPC)
Employment Type: FULL_TIME

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