Marketing Project Manager V

About Ascendion

Ascendion is an AI-native software engineering disruptor helping businesses innovate faster, smarter, and with greater impact. We partner with enterprise clients across North America, the UK, Europe, and APAC to solve complex challenges in data, experience design, software product engineering, and workforce transformation. Powered by expert engineers, thousands of AI agents, and our Engineering to the Power of AI (EngineeringAI) method, we deliver measurable outcomes that build trust, unlock value, and accelerate growth.

Learn more at  https://ascendion.com/.

Engineering to the Power of AI™, AAVA™, EngineeringAI, Engineering to Elevate Life™, Enterprise PlatformsAI, Data & InsightsAI, ExperienceAI, GCCAI, OperationsAI, Platform EngineeringAI, ProductAI, and Quality EngineeringAI are trademarks or service marks of Ascendion®. AAVA™ is pending registration. Unauthorized use is strictly prohibited.

Ascendion | Engineering to elevate life

We have a culture built on opportunity, inclusion, and a spirit of partnership. Come, change the world with us:

• Build the coolest tech for the world’s leading brands
• Solve complex problems - and learn new skills
• Experience the power of transforming digital engineering for Fortune 500 clients
• Master your craft with leading training programs and hands-on experience

Experience a community of change makers!

Join a culture of high-performing innovators with endless ideas and a passion for tech. Our culture is the fabric of our company, and it is what makes us unique and diverse. The way we share ideas, learning, experiences, successes, and joy allows everyone to be their best at Ascendion.

About the Role:

• The Purchasing Partner owns a portfolio of User Experience (UX) Research vendor engagements end to end, from intake through agreement execution and invoicing.
• This is an ownership role, not a support role. You are accountable for the momentum of every case in your queue: driving requests across the finish line, following up with stakeholders and securing the approvals needed to close them, resolving blockers that sit outside your direct control, and proactively reporting status to your manager and stakeholders before anyone asks.

Job Title:Project Manager I

Minimum Qualifications:

• 4 years of experience in project coordination, project or program management, procurement, vendor management, or operations, with demonstrated end-to-end ownership of an assigned workstream.
• Self-starter with demonstrated ability to drive multiple cases to completion simultaneously across cross-functional teams and external partners in a fast-paced environment with competing priorities, maintaining visibility into every engagement, following up persistently, escalating when needed, and closing every loop.
• Demonstrated ability to manage momentum across a portfolio of active projects with minimal day-to-day supervision, keeping every case advancing and creating urgency for others when the next action sits with someone else.
• Experience proactively reporting status to managers and stakeholders through written updates on a regular cadence, without being asked.
• Demonstrated ability to use Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools to increase personal productivity and scale coverage, identifying where they add value and maintaining ownership of output quality.
• Ability to communicate quickly and clearly with peers, cross-functional stakeholders, and senior management, adapting communication style to the audience.
• Ability to make thoughtful judgment calls and act effectively in ambiguous situations rather than waiting for direction.
• Track record of being detail-oriented and organized while managing a high volume of work.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Project or program management experience, including formal Project Management (PM) training or certification such as Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM), or equivalent.
• Experience in procurement, sourcing, agreement management, or vendor management, especially supporting research, Research and Development (R&D), or creative teams.
• Experience with case, ticket, or workflow management systems.
• Familiarity with User Experience (UX) research or research operations.

Key Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary point of contact and expert guide for User Experience (UX) Researchers navigating vendor and procurement processes.
• Own a portfolio of User Experience Research (UXR) vendor engagements end to end, from intake through Statement of Work (SOW) creation and execution, Purchase Order (PO) issuance, and invoicing, and drive each case to completion.
• Manage momentum on every case in your queue, advancing each request daily and creating urgency for others when the next action sits with another party.
• Act as the central point of coordination across all parties on an engagement, including researchers, associates, vendors, and approvers or leadership, maintaining the full picture of each case and keeping everyone aligned on what is needed and by when.
• Proactively communicate status to your manager and stakeholders on a daily cadence, covering progress, risks, and blockers, without being prompted.
• Take ownership of resolving blockers, including those caused by other teams or outside your direct control; surface them immediately, propose a path forward, and follow through until resolution.
• Anticipate stakeholder needs and potential blockers and mitigate them upfront rather than reacting to gaps after they have stalled a case.
• Own data integrity across Key Performance Indicator (KPI) and Service Level Agreement (SLA) trackers, and maintain vendor resources and process documentation, including documents, team wikis, and toolkits, for the Research team.
• Identify recurring friction in the intake-to-agreement pipeline, propose process improvements, and manage projects to implement solutions.
• Uphold and provide guidance as a trusted Subject Matter Expert (SME) on compliance policies and requirements for engaging with vendors.

Location: Remote [USA - ONLY]

Salary Range: The salary for this position is between $33,200 - $83,200 annually.  Factors which may affect pay within this range may include geography/market, skills, education, experience, and other qualifications of the successful candidate.

Benefits: The Company offers the following benefits for this position, subject to applicable eligibility requirements: [medical insurance] [dental insurance] [vision insurance] [401(k) retirement plan] [long-term disability insurance] [short-term disability insurance] [5 personal days accrued each calendar year. The Paid time off benefits meet the paid sick and safe time laws that pertains to the City/ State] [10-15 days of paid vacation time] [6 paid holidays and 1 floating holiday per calendar year] [Ascendion Learning Management System]

Want to change the world? Let us know.

Tell us about your experiences, education, and ambitions. Bring your knowledge, unique viewpoint, and creativity to the table. Let’s talk!