Principal Project Manager

About this role

OpenGov is the leader in AI and ERP solutions for local and state governments in the U.S. More than 2,000 cities, counties, state agencies, school districts, and special districts rely on the OpenGov Public Service Platform to operate efficiently, adapt to change, and strengthen the public trust. Category-leading products include enterprise asset management, procurement and contract management, accounting and budgeting, billing and revenue management, permitting and licensing, and transparency and open data. These solutions come together in the OpenGov ERP, allowing public sector organizations to focus on priorities and deliver maximum ROI with every dollar and decision in sync. Learn about OpenGov’s mission to power more effective and accountable government and the vision of high-performance government for every community at OpenGov.com http://OpenGov.com.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Principal Project Manager is a senior individual contributor role within OpenGov's Professional Services organization, responsible for owning and driving delivery across enterprise-scale, multi-product government software implementations. This role is designed for a seasoned practitioner who can manage programs of the highest complexity, multi-department, multi-stakeholder, cross-functional deployments spanning concurrent workstreams, without requiring people-management authority.

The Principal PM operates as the connective tissue across delivery, commercial, and executive relationships on the most strategic engagements in the PS portfolio. Drawing on deep expertise in matrix program management, delivery governance, and change enablement, this role independently structures ambiguous engagements, establishes accountability frameworks across internal and client teams, and maintains delivery momentum through competing organizational dynamics.

The ideal candidate brings both the technical command to navigate complex SaaS implementations and the strategic acumen to align stakeholders at every level—from operational leads to C-suite champions. The ideal candidate who pairs technical implementation mastery with sharp strategic instincts. They possess the range to manage day-to-day project governance, direct complex go-live reviews, and confidently advise executive leadership on program risk.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

Program & Portfolio Management

- Own end-to-end program delivery for enterprise, multi-product implementations across state and local government clients, including engagements with multiple city departments, overlapping workstreams, and phased go-live timelines.

- Apply matrix program management discipline to coordinate cross-functional delivery teams (Project Managers, Implementation Consultants, Solutions Architects, Engineering, Product) without direct reporting authority.

- Establish and maintain program governance structures: charter frameworks, RACI matrices, escalation paths, decision logs, and configuration freeze protocols tailored to each engagement's complexity.

- Define and manage scope boundaries at both the program and workstream level; identify client-side triggers for change orders and maintain clear written documentation to support commercial decisions.

- Maintain delivery health across concurrent engagements; surface portfolio risks with sufficient lead time to allow for resource rebalancing and executive action.

- Partner with PS Leadership on portfolio goals, delivery strategy, and methodology evolution for complex engagement models.

Stakeholder & Executive Management

- Serve as the primary program-level point of accountability for client executives, department heads, and project sponsors throughout the implementation lifecycle.

- Navigate complex client political environments, including multi-department governance, conflicting priorities, and evolving decision-makers with professionalism and clarity.

- Deliver structured, executive-ready program communications: status reporting, escalation memos, steering committee presentations, and go/no-go readiness briefs.

- Partner with Sales and PS Leadership during scoping to assess delivery feasibility, frame program risk, and inform SOW structure on complex, high-value opportunities.

- Support Change Order development; translate delivery dynamics into commercial narrative aligned with client accountability frameworks.

Delivery Governance & Quality

- Define and enforce go-live readiness criteria, configuration freeze processes, and UAT acceptance standards across program workstreams.

- Proactively identify risks at the program level—scope, resource, timeline, and client-readiness—and own mitigation plans through resolution.

- Lead root-cause analysis on delivery issues that span multiple workstreams or products; translate findings into durable process improvements rather than one-off fixes.

- Ensure delivery consistency through adherence to implementation methodology, use of shared tooling (Rocketlane, Salesforce), and contribution to PS playbook development.

- Provide quality oversight on program documentation: status reports, decision registers, scope change logs, and client-facing program artifacts.

Change Management & Client Enablement

- Design and execute change management strategies for complex governmental implementations, addressing organizational readiness, user adoption risk, and stakeholder alignment across departments.

- Develop repeatable enablement frameworks, including training design, adoption tracking, stakeholder communication plans that can be operationalized across PS teams and product verticals.

- Advise client executive stakeholders on readiness gaps, adoption risks, and change strategies tailored to variable governmental constraints and political dynamics.

- Guide clients through multi-phase scope evolution without losing momentum or allowing ambiguity to become a delivery liability.

Cross-Functional Leadership & Methodology

- Act as a thought leader and informal mentor for

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