About the role
For a complex and business-critical transformation project, we are looking for an experienced Senior Project Turnaround Manager on a freelance basis.
The role is intended to provide hands-on support during an intensive project stabilisation and recovery phase. This is not a purely advisory or moderating assignment. The Project Recovery Manager will actively develop, document and implement the structures required to stabilise the project.
The primary focus will be on establishing effective project governance, clarifying roles and responsibilities, resolving existing organisational ambiguities and defining a reliable collaboration model between the involved internal and external parties.
The Project Recovery Manager will work closely with the Senior IT Project Manager, the PMO, the Solution Architect and the responsible stakeholders.
Key Facts / Framework Conditions
Contract type: Freelance assignment
Start: As soon as possible
Initial duration: At least six weeks
Extension: Possible depending on project status and recovery progress
Workload: 100%
Working model: Hybrid
Onsite presence: Regular/weekly onsite presence will be required during the recovery and stabilisation phase
Languages: Fluent German and English are mandatory
Location requirement: Only candidates based in the EU can be considered for this assignment.
Tasks
Conduct a structured assessment of the current project organisation, governance and delivery setup
Identify organisational gaps, unclear responsibilities, ineffective decision paths and critical dependencies
Develop and implement an effective project governance model
Clarify project roles, responsibilities and accountabilities
Review existing RACI models and resolve overlaps, gaps and ambiguities
Document agreed roles, responsibilities and decision-making authorities
Define clear decision-making and escalation processes
Establish an effective collaboration model between internal teams, external partners and other involved parties
Clarify interfaces and responsibilities between the different project organisations
Define and document project meeting structures, governance bodies and reporting requirements
Prepare and facilitate focused recovery workshops
Translate workshop outcomes into concrete structures, decisions, actions and deliverables
Develop a structured recovery plan with clear priorities, owners, milestones and target dates
Support the resolution of critical organisational and delivery-related issues
Challenge existing assumptions, structures and ways of working where necessary
Ensure that agreed recovery measures are implemented and embedded in the project organisation
Track the effectiveness and progress of recovery activities
Support the assessment of project feasibility and go-live readiness
Prepare a structured handover of established governance and recovery mechanisms to the Senior IT Project Manager and PMO
Requirements
Several years of experience in leading project recovery, project turnaround or the stabilisation of complex transformation programmes
Proven hands-on experience in designing and implementing project governance structures
Strong experience in clarifying and documenting roles, responsibilities and decision-making authorities
Practical experience in reviewing, redesigning and implementing RACI models
Experience in defining collaboration and delivery models across internal teams and external partners
Ability to assess critical project situations, identify structural weaknesses and develop executable recovery measures
Strong workshop facilitation skills combined with the ability to translate outcomes into concrete structures, documentation and actions
Excellent stakeholder, conflict-management and escalation capabilities
Confidence in challenging existing structures, assumptions and ways of working
Strong analytical and conceptual skills combined with a pragmatic implementation approach
Ability to work independently and deliver tangible results within a short and intensive assignment period
Fluent German and English
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