Principal Implementation Project Manager

The Principal Implementation Project Manager at Cognite is a key role, responsible for leading high-priority industrial AI implementation projects from contract to successful deployment and value realization. This role ensures projects align with customer strategic priorities, deliver measurable business impact, and manage end-to-end delivery including scope, budget, quality, and customer outcomes. The manager will translate use case objectives into KPIs, manage complex system integrations, handle project financials, and act as the main customer contact, driving change management and identifying expansion opportunities.

Must Have

• Own end-to-end project delivery (scope, budget, quality, customer outcomes, financial performance)
• Translate use case objectives into quantifiable business KPIs
• Lead Value Realization Workshops
• Develop detailed project plans (scope, schedule, resources, budget, risks, quality)
• Manage complex system integrations (OT/IT data sources, agile methodology)
• Ensure project delivery aligns with customer strategic goals
• Regularly update Account Executives, Customer Business Executives, and key stakeholders
• Partner with the Product team for committed features/capabilities
• Handle project financials (bookings, revenue recognition, cost tracking, margin analysis, forecasting)
• Act as main point of contact for customers, managing governance and steering committee meetings
• Oversee customer satisfaction management and follow-up
• Manage partner vendor relationships
• Drive change management activities (user training, adoption support)
• Act as primary liaison between clients and internal teams (Engineering, Product, Customer Success)
• Be alert to expansion opportunities
• Leverage Cognite PMO playbooks and contribute to continuous improvement
• Bachelor's degree in engineering, Computer Science, Business, or related fields
• 10+ years of project management experience in SaaS, cloud, or enterprise software delivery
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects
• Experience leading cross-functional teams (Data Scientists, Engineers, Solution Architects)
• Deep proficiency in industrial verticals
• Strong financial acumen
• Proficiency in Agile/Scrum and PMO methodologies (PMP/PRINCE2)
• Excellent communication, stakeholder management, and problem-solving skills
• Proficiency with project management tools (Jira, Confluence, MS Project, Smartsheet)
• Willingness to travel

Good to Have

• Certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, or Agile/Scrum
• Experience with SaaS implementation lifecycle, including onboarding, training, and change management
• Familiarity with data platforms, cloud infrastructure (Azure, AWS), or industrial IoT
• Exposure to data engineering, analytics, AI, or machine learning projects

Perks & 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
• 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
• Opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best people on some of the most ambitious projects
• Paid mobile phone and WiFI

About Cognite

Embark on a transformative journey with Cognite, a global SaaS forerunner in leveraging AI and data to unravel complex business challenges through our cutting-edge offerings including Cognite Atlas AI, an industrial agent workbench, and the Cognite Data Fusion (CDF) platform. We were awarded the 2022 Technology Innovation Leader for Global Digital Industrial Platforms & Cognite was recognized as 2024 Microsoft Energy and Resources Partner of the Year. In the realm of industrial digital transformation, we stand at the forefront, reshaping the future of Oil & Gas, Chemicals, Pharma and other Manufacturing and Energy sectors. Join us in this venture where AI and data meet ingenuity, and together, we forge the path to a smarter, more connected industrial future.

Learn more about Cognite here

• Cognite Product Tour 2025
• Cognite Product Tour 2024
• Cognite Product Tour 2023
• Data Contextualization Masterclass 2023

Our values

Impact: Cogniters strive to make an impact in all that they do. We are result-oriented, always asking ourselves.

Ownership: Cogniters embrace a culture of ownership. We go beyond our comfort zones to contribute to the greater good, fostering inclusivity and sharing responsibilities for challenges and success.

Relentless: Cogniters are relentless in their pursuit of innovation. We are determined and deliverable (never ruthless or reckless), facing challenges head-on and viewing setbacks as opportunities for growth.

About the role:

• 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.

Impact: About you / Core Competencies

• We value achievements and measurable deliveries far more than years of experience. To make an impact, you must demonstrate a history of creating value, not just following a process.
• Value Generation: Demonstrate project value by connecting deliverables to business benefits, tracking KPIs, and reporting data-driven results to strengthen customer trust and partnership.
• Prioritize customer outcomes, proactively identifying ways to deliver and demonstrate value, and ensuring satisfaction throughout the project lifecycle.
• Scope & Delivery Excellence: Consistently deliver projects on time and within budget, managing complex system integrations connecting OT/IT data sources with agile methodology and continuous stakeholder engagement.
• Proven ability to manage complex, multi-stakeholder projects in fast-paced environments.
• Stakeholder Management: Influence technical and business stakeholders toward shared outcomes through leadership without authority, fostering alignment through clarity.
• 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.
• Ensure that Account Executives (AEs), Customer Business Executives (CBEs) and other key stakeholders are regularly updated on project status, scope, risks, and financial performance.
• Scalability & Replication: Seek feedback, capture lessons learned, and drive process enhancements for future projects.
• Leverage Cognite PMO playbooks and best practices while contributing to continuous improvement. Market and maintain Cognite's values: Impact, Ownership, Relentlessness, fostering collaboration, innovation, and customer-centric delivery as part of a global project management team.

Required Qualifications:

• 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.

Preferred Experience

• Certifications such as PMP, PRINCE2, or Agile/Scrum
• Experience with SaaS implementation lifecycle, including onboarding, training, and change management.
• Familiarity with data platforms, cloud infrastructure (Azure, AWS), or industrial IoT.
• Exposure to data engineering, analytics, AI, or machine learning projects is advantageous.

Why choose Cognite? 🏆 🚀

• Join us in making a real and lasting impact in one of the most exciting and fastest-growing new software companies in the world.
• We have repeatedly demonstrated that digital transformation, when anchored on strong DataOps, drives business value and sustainability for clients and allows front-line workers, as well as domain experts, to make better decisions every single day.
• Cognite Earns 2023 Microsoft Partner of the Year Award; Recognized as a Global Leader in Energy & Resources and Industrials & Manufacturing
• Frost & Sullivan named Cognite a Technology Innovation Leader!
• Built In 2024 Best Places to Work in Austin, TX and Houston, TX
• Cognite Recognized as 2024 Microsoft Energy and Resources Partner of the Year
• Most recently Cognite Data Fusion® Achieved Industry First DNV Compliance for Digital Twins 🥇

A snapshot of our many perks and benefits as a Cogniter

• 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
• 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
• Opportunity to work with and learn from some of the best people on some of the most ambitious projects found anywhere, across industries
• Join our HUB 🗣️ to be part of the conversation directly with Cogniters and our partners.
• Paid mobile phone and WiFI

All candidates must be legally authorized to work in the United States without the need for current or future company sponsorship for employment visa status.

Equal Opportunity

Cognite is committed to creating a diverse and inclusive environment at work and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive the same level of consideration for employment; everyone we hire will receive the same level of consideration for training, compensation, and promotion.

We ask for gender as part of our application because we want to ensure equal assessment in the recruitment process. Your answer will help us reach this commitment! However, the question about gender is optional and your choice not to answer will not affect the assessment of your application in any way.

We may use artificial intelligence (AI) tools to support parts of the hiring process, such as reviewing applications, analyzing resumes, or assessing responses. These tools assist our recruitment team but do not replace human judgment. Final hiring decisions are ultimately made by humans. If you would like more information about how your data is processed, please contact us.