Hybrid Principal Implementation Project Manager

at Cognite

• Job title: Principal Implementation Project Manager
• Job type: Full Time
• Experience level: Lead
• Salary: Not specified
• Degree requirement: Bachelor's Degree
• Tech skills: Cloud, PMP
• Location requirements: Hybrid, Houston, United States

About the role

• Principal Project Manager at Cognite managing high-priority AI projects. Ensure project success aligning with customer goals and outstanding financial performance.

Responsibilities

• The Principal Project Manager doesn't just manage tasks; they own the outcome. You are the single point of accountability for leading high-priority, industrial AI implementation projects from contract signing through successful deployment and value realization.
• Your mandate is to guarantee that every project aligns perfectly with our customer's strategic priorities and delivers measurable business impact.
• Own end-to-end project delivery from kickoff to closure, including scope, budget, quality, and customer outcomes, ensuring project success and financial performance.
• Translate use case objectives into quantifiable business KPIs and lead Value Realization Workshops to establish baselines and demonstrate impact.
• Develop detailed project plans covering scope, schedule, resources, budget, risks, and quality, proactively managing dependencies and blockers.
• Manage complex system integrations connecting OT/IT data sources with agile methodology and continuous stakeholder engagement.
• Ensure project delivery aligns with customer strategic goals such as operational excellence, safety, sustainability, or cost reduction through regular reporting and executive briefings.
• Ensure that Account Executives (AEs), Customer Business Executives (CBEs) and other key stakeholders are regularly updated on project status, scope, risks, and financial performance, enabling full transparency into delivery progress and customer outcomes.
• Partners with the Product team for any product features, capabilities, or deliverables committed as part of the customer agreement, escalating gaps through defined governance channels (Value Delivery to Product interface) to safeguard contractual commitments, time-to-value, and customer satisfaction.
• Handle project financials including bookings, revenue recognition, cost tracking, margin analysis, and forecasting, reporting transparently to Portfolio Manager.
• Act as the main point of contact for customers during project execution, managing governance processes, leading steering committee meetings, and providing executive briefings with clear communication.
• Oversee customer satisfaction management and follow-up, manage partner vendor relationships, and maintain process documentation.
• Drive change management activities such as user training and adoption support in collaboration with the Customer Business Executive.
• Act as a primary liaison between clients and internal teams (Engineering, Product, Customer Success), managing stakeholder communication, expectations, risk, and issue resolution throughout the project lifecycle.
• Be alert to expansion opportunities by understanding customer challenges and proactively coordinate with appropriate Cognite stakeholders.
• Leverage Cognite PMO playbooks and best practices while contributing to continuous improvement through lessons learned and process enhancements.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Computer Science, Business, or related fields.
• 10+ years or more of project management experience, in SaaS, cloud, or enterprise software delivery preferably with a portfolio of successful, complex industrial or enterprise-level IT/AI projects.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects in fast-paced environments and experience leading cross-functional teams (Data Scientists, Engineers, Solution Architects).
• Deep proficiency in industrial verticals (e.g., Energy, Manufacturing, Chemicals, Oil & Gas, Life Science, Utilities/Power and Renewables).
• Strong financial acumen and proficiency in tracking project realization/forecasting.
• Methodology Fluency: Demonstrated practical knowledge of Agile/Scrum and experience leveraging PMO methodologies (like PMP/PRINCE2) to drive delivery efficiency and manage risk in fast-paced environments.
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with project management tools such as Jira, Confluence, MS Project, or Smartsheet.
• Willingness to travel as needed for client engagements.

Benefits

• Competitive compensation
• 401(k) with employer matching
• Competitive health, dental, vision & disability coverages for employees and all dependents
• Unlimited PTO
• Paid Parental Leave Program
• Employee Referral Program
• Paid mobile phone and WiFI
• Opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best people on some of the most ambitious projects found anywhere, across industries
• Join a team of 60+ different nationalities 🌐 with Diversity, Equality and Inclusion (DEI) in focus 🤝.
• A highly modern and fun working environment with sublime culture across the organization, follow us on Instagram @cognitedata 📷 to know more