Project Consultant Jobs in Chicago, IL

For more than three decades, premier organizations have trusted IPM to ensure the successful execution of their strategic portfolios and most critical initiatives. With 90 percent repeat business and a Net Promoter Score in the world-class category, IPM has a reputation that is second to none. Headquartered in Chicago with offices in Boston, Parsippany, Minneapolis, St. Louis, Los Angeles, and San Francisco, we’ve led more than 5,000 projects for over 500 clients — from Fortune 100 companies to startups — across the U.S. and around the world.

Our Consultants are our full-time employees. They are our most important asset and the competitive advantage that sets us apart. We hire people with strong technical foundations and develop them into trusted consultants — and because we only promote from within, your growth here is limitless.

If you love driving cross-functional teams, untangling ambiguous problems, and delivering for demanding clients — IPM is where that instinct becomes a career. You’ll gain significant exposure to a variety of clients and industries, backed by managers, internal teams, and our Centers of Excellence every step of the way.

These are not IT or technical Project Manager positions. You’ll lead cross-functional projects in new product development, operational excellence and capital projects for manufacturing, or Project Portfolio Management within the consumer products, industrial products, or pharmaceutical industries.

What You’ll Do

• Lead projects across the full lifecycle — initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure
• Partner with stakeholders to define scope, objectives, deliverables, and success criteria
• Build and maintain project plans, schedules, budgets, and resource plans
• Facilitate meetings, status reviews, and decision-making that keep teams moving
• Identify, assess, and manage risks, issues, and dependencies before they become problems
• Coordinate activities across cross-functional teams, vendors, and external partners
• Communicate status, milestones, risks, and outcomes clearly to leadership and stakeholders
• Drive continuous improvement and support change management as projects deliver real results

What We’re Looking For

We hire for potential, drive, and consulting presence — the qualities we can’t teach. You likely bring:

• A technical foundation — a Bachelor’s degree in engineering, science, operations, or a related technical field
• 3+ years of professional experience, including leading projects, workstreams, or cross-functional efforts (a formal “Project Manager” title is not required — we care about what you’ve led, not what it was called)
• Executive presence — you communicate credibly with everyone from the shop floor to the C-suite
• Drive and ownership — you take initiative, thrive with autonomy, and hold the room accountable
• Curiosity and adaptability — you pick up new industries, technologies, and methods quickly
• A client-first mindset — you build trust and read stakeholders well
• Coachability — you want to be developed, challenged, and promoted
• Comfort with project management tools and Microsoft Office applications

PMP or equivalent certification is a plus, not a requirement — we’ll invest in your development.

Why IPM

• Diverse projects — broad exposure to varied clients and real room to grow
• Collaborative environment — structured support from managers, internal teams, and our Centers of Excellence (CoEs) serving as SMEs for tools, best practices, and industry knowledge
• A family with an engaging culture — a caring, transparent environment with regional and companywide culture- and team-building events
• Professional development — thorough onboarding and the bandwidth to build your career; we only promote from within
• High visibility and direct client impact — shape how clients achieve their strategies through well-planned, well-executed projects
• Comprehensive compensation and benefits — 100% employer-paid health, 401(k) matching, business development incentives, and performance bonuses, among many other elements. Salary Range: $85,000 – $105,000
• Passion for the greater good — through Project Mercy, we channel and maximize our philanthropic efforts every quarter

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.

Disclaimer: Where a specific pay range is noted, it is a good faith estimate at the time of this posting. The actual salary offered will be based on experience, skills, qualifications, and market/business considerations.

IPM is an equal opportunity employer. We are committed to providing equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment.

IPM’s hybrid work environment requires a minimum of three days in the office. The specific days are flexible and may vary depending on project schedules and meetings. On-site locations may also vary. In addition, we follow our clients’ guidance on on-site requirements, so the minimum number of days in the office may increase depending on the client and project assignment.