City of Pontiac

Plan, coordinate, and execute municipal projects ensuring alignment with city priorities and managing stakeholders, budgets, and compliance. | Bachelor's degree and 5+ years experience in government, data analysis, or strategic planning with proficiency in project management tools and Microsoft Excel. | JOB DESCRIPTION Project Lead   FLSA Status: Exempt Full-Time Pay Grade: M-11 SUPERVISION Supervision Received: Reports to The Mayor’s Office or Designee Supervision Given: Has no direct reports POSITION SUMMARY The Municipal Project Lead is responsible for planning, coordinating, and delivering high‑impact projects across multiple city departments. This position serves as a strategic project manager and cross‑functional leader, ensuring initiatives are completed on time, within scope, and aligned with municipal priorities, regulatory requirements, and community needs. The Municipal Project Lead works closely with executive leadership, department directors, external partners, and community stakeholders to advance projects involving capital improvements, operational enhancements, policy implementation, technology modernization, and grant‑funded programs.   ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS   * Lead planning, execution, monitoring, and closeout of complex municipal projects. * Develop project scopes, schedules, budgets, timelines, and risk mitigation plans. * Ensure compliance with local, state, and federal regulations, grant requirements, and municipal policies. * Identify dependencies, risks, and resource needs; proactively resolve barriers to project success. * Serve as a central point of contact for multi‑department initiatives. * Facilitate collaboration between departments including Finance, Public Works, Planning, IT, HR, and Legal. * Align project objectives with citywide strategic goals and executive direction. * Coordinate with elected officials, boards and commissions, community organizations, consultants, and vendors. * Prepare presentations, briefings, and reports for senior leadership and City Council. * Support transparent communication with residents and stakeholders when appropriate. * Track project expenditures and funding sources. * Coordinate with Finance on procurement, contracts, invoicing, and grant compliance. * Monitor deliverables tied to grant funding, ARPA, capital funds, and other public resources. MINIMUM REQUIREMENTS Education and Experience   * Bachelor’s degree in communication, Political Science, Business Administration, Project Management, or a closely related field plus five years of professional experience in government, data analysis, strategic planning, or a related field. * Equivalent combinations of advanced education and relevant experience may be considered.  Preferred Qualifications * Advanced degree or relevant certifications (e.g., Master’s degree, PMP). * Experience developing executive-level presentations. * Strong proficiency in Excel and data analysis/visualization tools. Knowledge, Skills, Abilities * Strong project management and organizational skills with attention to detail. * Ability to manage multiple priority projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment. * Strategic thinker with strong problem-solving and decision-making abilities. * Ability to navigate politically sensitive environments with professionalism and discretion. * Proficiency with project management tools, data tracking systems, and Microsoft Office applications. * Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including preparing clear reports, presentations, and correspondence for diverse audiences. * Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook); familiarity with project management tools is a plus. * Exceptional analytical, problem-solving, and critical-thinking skills with meticulous attention to detail. * Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to distill complex information for diverse audiences. * Ability to work independently on complex projects in a fast-paced environment while collaborating effectively across teams. Working Conditions: * Office setting with occasional attendance at public meetings, including evenings. * Extended hours may be required during budget preparation, audits, or special projects