Contract Product Manager – Talent & HR System Implementation

Artemis Connection is a strategic management consultancy working across the for-profit, public and social sectors.  We help clients around the world identify their most pressing strategic issues and we staff teams of strategy consultants to roll up their sleeves and deliver impact.  We are passionate about helping innovative and entrepreneurial leaders reach their goals through a customized project-based approach, typically focused around:

• Bespoke Innovation, Sales, and Marketing Strategy
• Purpose driven Transformation including M&A and PMI
• Embedded Strategy and Operations roles

Our founder is Christy Johnson, an entrepreneur, educator, and former McKinsey Engagement Manager. Our advisors include HR officers, executive coaches, academics, entrepreneurs, and neuroscientists. Our team is made up of seasoned consultants, trained at organizations such as McKinsey & Company, Boston Consulting Group (BCG), Bain, Big 4 Strategy,, and elite educational institutions.

Position Overview
We are seeking a Contract Product Manager with strong project management expertise to lead the successful implementation of our new Talent and HR system for one of our clients. This is a temporary role dedicated to managing the end-to-end rollout, ensuring the system meets business requirements, and enabling smooth adoption across the organization. The ideal candidate combines product management skills with hands-on project leadership, bringing experience in HR system implementations.

Key Responsibilities

   Product Leadership:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for the HR system implementation project.

• Translate HR and business requirements into system design, configuration, and functionality.

• Collaborate with HR leadership, IT, and vendor teams to ensure the solution meets organizational needs.

• Validate system functionality through testing and feedback cycles.

• Ensure the product supports critical HR processes such as recruiting, onboarding, performance management, talent development, and reporting.

   Project Delivery

• Develop, manage, and execute a detailed project plan for implementation.

• Coordinate cross-functional teams and external vendors to ensure milestones are met.

• Track timelines, budgets, risks, and deliverables with accountability for on-time delivery.

• Lead system testing, user acceptance, and change management activities.

• Prepare training materials and support rollout communications.

• Ensure a smooth transition to HR and IT teams for post-implementation support.

Qualifications:

• Experience

  • 5+ years in HR system implementation, product management, or project management.

  • Proven experience leading end-to-end HRIS/Talent system rollouts (e.g., Workday, SuccessFactors, Oracle HCM, BambooHR, etc.).

  • Background in HR operations or technology consulting a plus.

• Skills

  • Strong project management expertise (PMP or equivalent certification preferred).

  • Ability to manage vendors and stakeholders effectively.

  • Excellent problem-solving, organizational, and communication skills.

  • Experience with project management tools (e.g., Jira, MS Project, Smartsheet).

• Other

  • This is a full-time onsite contract position in Chicago

What We Offer

• A high-impact opportunity to lead a transformative HR technology initiative.

• Competitive contract compensation.

• Collaborative and mission-driven work environment.