Find the perfect Chief Project Officers in Germany in minutes from over 15,000 CVs with the power of AI.
Bring in senior leadership for portfolio control, PMO setup, program governance, and complex delivery across teams, vendors, and business units. Ideal for transformation, ERP, and multi-project environments, with fast, precise matching to vetted, available freelancers.
About the role
Delivery leadership A Chief Project Officer leads the structure behind major projects and programs. This role connects strategy, delivery, and stakeholder management. It is a strong fit when several workstreams must move together and decisions need clear ownership.
- Build project and program governance
- Align scope, milestones, risks, and dependencies
- Support steering committees and executive reporting
- Lead PMO teams or shape a new PMO
What they deliver The best professionals in this role do more than track plans. They create control, escalation paths, and a delivery rhythm that teams can follow. Typical outputs include portfolio reviews, RAID logs, status packs, delivery frameworks, and recovery plans for troubled initiatives.
- Portfolio and program oversight
- Delivery standards and reporting formats
- Risk, issue, and dependency management
- Recovery plans for delayed or overloaded projects
Skills and tools Strong Chief Project Officers combine senior project management, financial awareness, and sharp communication. They know how to work with directors, product leads, operations, and external vendors without losing focus on deadlines or scope.
Common tools and methods include:
- MS Project, Jira, Confluence, or Smartsheet
- Agile, Waterfall, or hybrid delivery models
- Steering cadence, stage gates, and milestone control
- Stakeholder maps, RACI, and change control
When to hire freelance Companies bring in a freelance Chief Project Officer when delivery risk is high, internal capacity is limited, or a major change needs immediate structure. This is common in transformation programs, ERP rollouts, product launches, restructurings, and cross-functional initiatives that affect several departments.
In Germany, this role is often used by industrial firms, technology companies, and mid-sized businesses that need senior project leadership without a long hiring process. It also works well when the work is remote but still needs some on-site presence for workshops, steering meetings, or crisis handling.
What strong profiles look like A strong Chief Project Officer is calm under pressure and direct in communication. They can simplify a complex setup, set priorities fast, and keep senior stakeholders aligned.
- Proven leadership across several projects or programs
- Clear reporting and decision support for executives
- Ability to recover late or overloaded delivery plans
- Confidence in mixed teams, vendors, and internal politics
Related titles Searches for this role often overlap with project director, head of PMO, and program director. The exact title matters less than the scope: senior ownership of delivery, governance, and stakeholder coordination.
For freelance work, the best fit is someone who can step in quickly, understand the operating model, and improve control without adding bureaucracy. That is what companies need when projects are important, visible, and hard to unwind.
Meet FRATCH Chief Project Officers
Ole Himmel
Manager Post Merger Integration, Process Management and Digitalization (Software)
Last position:
Interim Head of PMO at RAILPOOL GmbH
Due to the steady growth of the customer organization and the associated increase in the number of projects in a wide range of areas, including IT/digitalization, sales and organizational development, and controlling, the demands on the projects are increasing. Projects are often started but not implemented within the planned time frame, resources are not clearly assigned, and the business value is not clearly demonstrated. The goal of the assignment as Interim Head of PMO is to further develop and embed an existing project organization from the CDO area at management level. It is important that the governance is pragmatic, easy to understand, and simple to apply in daily project work. The tasks and roles are to be defined, embedded in the organization, and this strategic PMO is also to be supported by an IT solution. This solution is to be selected and introduced. In addition, all ongoing projects are to be gradually transferred into PMO governance and project control is to be centralized.
Clemens Eibofner
Industrial Transformation Executive
Last position:
Head of Projects at BORSIG ZM GmbH
- Designed and established the Project Management Office as the organization's central delivery function.
- Expanded Project Management organization from 3 to 10 Project Managers to support portfolio growth.
- Introduced Commercial Project Management and Project Controlling as dedicated governance functions.
- Implemented portfolio governance, executive reporting and standardized performance management.
- Led an international portfolio of more than 20 EPC projects through execution and contractual delivery.
Florian Becker
Advocate of Digitalization, Data and Artificial Intelligence
Last position:
Chief Delivery Officer, Process Definition & Automation at AI Health Tech
- Definition of operational business processes, from customer acquisition to accounting
- Development of the corresponding IT infrastructure and process clusters
- Design of process automation and definition of requirements for the AI technologies to be deployed
Andrea Krämer
PMO / Project Manager / Transformation Lead
Last position:
PMO / Project Manager / Agile Transformation Lead at Freelancer
PMO | AI Incubator Debt Collection/Financial Services Establishment and implementation of a cross-functional project and governance structure for one of Europe’s leading technology-driven debt collection firms. Focus on collaboration across business units, identification of AI use cases, scaling of data-driven business processes and automation of AI-supported customer interactions.
Strategy and Efficiency Consultant | Retail Analysis, identification, and optimization of inefficient workflows with the goal of increasing employee productivity, improving communication flows, and better aligning the organization with strategic business objectives.
PMO | Big Pharma Establishment of agile working processes and organizational structures, as well as coaching of a cross-functional business unit of a major vaccine manufacturer to enhance efficiency, transparency, and collaboration. Design and implementation of a structured onboarding program to enable more efficient scaling of headcount, along with the establishment of sustainable formats for knowledge sharing and transfer within the organization.
Project Manager | Big Pharma Management and support of the tendering and procurement process for an innovation project aimed at improving efficiency in vaccine management, including coordination of internal and external stakeholders.
Project Manager | Big Pharma Identification and evaluation of additional vaccination sites beyond traditional medical practices. Development of a pilot concept considering regulatory requirements as well as diverse market and stakeholder interests.
Strategy Consultant | Automotive & Retail Development of a market analysis on “innovation in retail” for a luxury automotive manufacturer, including an international benchmark of current trends and innovations. The project included analyzing innovative retail store concepts, experience centers, and showrooms with a focus on interactivity and technology, as well as deriving recommendations on brand fit and customer experience to support the design of a new, forward-looking brand store.
Product Owner | Automotive Management of the integration of a service provider’s SDK for identity verification into the OEM’s system landscape, ensuring secure driver authentication before enabling safety-critical features. Responsibilities included managing technical, contractual, and process requirements, leading the tendering process, forecasting usage, and preparing management reports, while working closely with IT development, legal, compliance, customer service, and procurement teams.
Product Owner | Automotive Responsible for ensuring GDPR-compliant documentation of software components and establishing proper processes for data processing and storage. This included creating records of processing activities, managing data processing agreements, and overseeing the review and update of privacy policies, as well as defining and implementing requirements to ensure data security and integrity.
Interim Head of Buying & Category Management | E-Commerce Led the strategic and operational development of the buying department of a fashion e-commerce company, with full responsibility for process optimization and budget management. The role involved building and maintaining supplier relationships, negotiating contracts, and managing a team of 7–10 direct reports, including recruiting and onboarding new employees and a new Head of Buying & Planning. Additionally, a standardized onboarding program was designed and implemented, and close collaboration with the CEO and cross-functional teams ensured alignment with the overall business strategy.
Product Owner | Aviation Led the relaunch of a private jet airline’s website, including the redesign of backend and content management systems. The role covered gathering and structuring stakeholder requirements, defining functional specifications, shaping the visual design and user experience, and coordinating the development team to ensure timely and high-quality implementation.
Consultant | Various Projects: Digital Transformation Retail Provided consulting services on digital transformation, customer engagement/CRM, digital store concepts, and omnichannel strategies. This included developing forward-looking concepts, managing agile software development projects for mobile applications, collaborating closely with developers and UX/UI designers, and supporting IT recruiting efforts.
Neli Georgieva
PMO Lead, Scrum Master, Agile Coach,
Last position:
Cohort Participant at Founder Institute
- Customer discovery and product-market fit validation for an AI tutoring platform
- MVP experiments: customer interviews, landing page tests
- Entrepreneurship training: product-market fit, go-to-market strategy
Michael Gericke
Interim Manager, Project Management Lead
Last position:
Interim Manager, Head of Project Management at Hubert Schlieckmann GmbH
Optimizing and monitoring project management
Internal/external stakeholder management
Conflict and escalation management
Point of contact for customers
Leading team meetings
Planning, coordinating, and controlling projects with consideration of client and project milestones
Developing, monitoring, and ensuring adherence to financial and personnel planning
Tracking deadlines and ensuring project and product quality
Welded assemblies from 7xxx series aluminum extrusion profiles
Complex chassis assemblies made from stamped, forged, and cast parts
Module carriers, structural elements, door components
Progressive and transfer presses, robotic welding, automated assembly, mechanical aluminum profile machining
6 team members
Georg Wagener
Head of PMO
Last position:
Head of PMO at Vivax Net GmbH
- Lead FTTH program management
- Select and implement digitalization software
- Lead process management
- Lead procurement and logistics
Christina Mante
Head of PMO
Last position:
Head of PMO at PriceWhaterhouseCoopers GmbH
- Coaching the PMO team on project management processes and methods
- Project control
- Reporting to project boards
- Risk management
- Change management
- Standards for project documentation
- Creating project documents (project manual, reports)
Hans-Peter Ramatschi
Interim Director Project Management
Last position:
Interim Director Project Management at Heater and air conditioning equipment manufacturer (non-automotive)
- Improved status and performance of the project management department
- Project management "Project Management Excellence"
- Operational coaching in crisis projects
- Root cause analysis
- Developing and implementing improvement measures
- Reporting to Head of R&D
Silke Wöhning
Head of Project Management and Consultancy
Last position:
Head of Project Management and Consultancy at Systemtechnik GmbH
- Planning of projects and consulting services: professional, technical and commercial, focusing on transformation for public transport
- Identification and assessment of project risks with development of measures and recommendations for risk minimization and avoidance
- Evaluation of projects and reporting
- Execution of projects and delivery of consulting services on time, with required quality and within budget
- Project, hardware and consulting services forecasting
- Disciplinary and professional staff management
- Team development and coaching
- Resource planning across various locations
- Stakeholder management
- Client management with service and support
- Development of contingency plans
Ricardo Schaitanow
Head of Project Management Department, Project Manager
Last position:
Head of Project Management Department, Project Manager at BPS Planung GmbH
- Project management team leadership
- Project control, project controlling, quality management
- Overall project management for BIM projects / architectural planning, building services engineering (HVAC/plumbing), infrastructure
- Contract and variation management
- Project acquisition, contract negotiations
Deniz Öztürk
Owner, Director of Projects
Last position:
Owner, Director of Projects at Alfanorm / Integralis
- Developing management strategy for industry-focused, stand-alone Testing, Inspection, and Certification company.
- Developing organizational strategy and planning tactical staffing for more than 150 employees.
- Securing accreditation for management system and related internal auditing processes.
- On behalf of INTERTEK Inc., managed testing inspections and certifications for turnaround project at SOCAR / Petrochemical Plant (20 MM$).
Sven Neumann
Business Executive for Strategy & Operations | International Interim Executive: CFO / COO / CEO or Head of PMO / PMI
Last position:
Acquisition Program Manager at impacts4u
- Strategic planning and management of a transition
- Monitoring the end-to-end execution of the acquisition program
- Stakeholder communication for all acquisition-related communications
- Risk management: identifying potential risks and developing mitigation strategies
- Reporting and analysis during and after the acquisition
Tilman Mürle
PMO Lead
Last position:
PMO Lead at Enterprise AI Governance Program
- Setting up the PMO
- Developing a KPI framework
- Implementing governance processes for over 600 users across international teams
Thomas Kuhn
Senior Project & Interim Manager – Consultant
Last position:
Interim Head of PMO at Boehringer Ingelheim International GmbH
- Interim leadership of the PMO during the ramp-up phase of a new pharmaceutical aseptic liquid fill & finish production facility
Discover over 15,000 top freelancers
Chief Project Officers statistics
Aggregated from the professional profiles of matched freelancers.
Experience
20 years
Position duration
2.4 years
Positions per freelancer
13
Top business areas
Project Management, Strategy, Operations
Top industries
Professional Services, Information Technology, Automotive
Certification focus areas
Project Management, Information Technology, Strategy
Bachelor's degree or higher
100%
Master's degree or higher
69%
Doctorate
15%
Certifications per freelancer
6
Most common languages
English, German, Spanish
Speak two or more languages
93%
Daily Rate Distribution
The chart shows how the daily rates of freelancers in this role are distributed, based on recent contracts on our platform. Each bar covers a rate range — its height shows how many freelancers charge within that range. Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Average rates for Chief Project Officers & Seniority distribution
Rates are based on recent contracts and do not include FRATCH margin.
The average daily rate is the mean of all daily rates from recent contracts of comparable freelancers on our platform.
The median daily rate is the middle value of all daily rates — half of comparable freelancers charge less, half charge more. Unlike the average, it is barely affected by outliers.
Actual rates may vary depending on seniority level, experience, skill specialization, project complexity, and engagement length.
Frequently Asked Questions
Want to learn more? Find helpful information about FRATCH
A Chief Project Officer sets the delivery structure for complex initiatives. The work usually includes governance, portfolio control, escalation handling, and executive reporting. In practice, this means keeping several projects aligned instead of letting each team run on its own.
Look for senior project leadership, strong stakeholder management, and clear judgment under pressure. A solid profile should also understand program governance, risk handling, and how to run a PMO or improve one. The best people can speak to both business leaders and delivery teams without losing detail.
A project manager runs one project. A program manager coordinates related projects. A Chief Project Officer sits higher above that and focuses on portfolio control, governance, and executive-level decisions. This role is closer to leadership than day-to-day coordination.
Freelance makes sense when the need is urgent, temporary, or tied to a specific transformation. It is a good option for recovery programs, ERP changes, reorganizations, and short-term leadership gaps. Companies use it when they need senior direction now, not after a long hiring cycle.
In Germany, this role is often needed by industrial firms, tech companies, and mid-sized businesses with many parallel projects. It also fits organizations that work across departments, sites, or vendors and need tighter control. German-speaking collaboration can help, but English is often enough in international project teams.
Yes, much of the work can be done remotely if reporting, governance, and stakeholder access are in place. On-site time is useful for steering meetings, workshops, and difficult resets. The right setup usually combines remote management with targeted presence where decisions happen.
Ask for examples of recovery work, governance setup, and complex stakeholder environments. A strong Chief Project Officer should show how they improved control, clarified responsibilities, and kept leadership informed. Pay attention to the quality of their reporting, the logic of their escalation paths, and how they explain trade-offs.
They can overlap, but they are not always identical. Head of PMO is often more focused on standards, reporting, and support functions, while project director may own a major delivery stream. A Chief Project Officer usually covers broader leadership across governance, portfolio, and strategic delivery.
The average hourly rate for Chief Project Officers in Germany is 127 €, which corresponds to a daily rate of about 1,018 € based on an 8-hour working day.
Of the freelancers working as Chief Project Officers in Germany, 100% hold at least a Bachelor's degree, 69% hold at least a Master's degree, and 15% hold a doctorate.
On average, freelancers working as Chief Project Officers in Germany have 20 years of professional experience, with a single engagement typically lasting around 2.4 years.
The most common languages among freelancers working as Chief Project Officers in Germany are English (100%), German (93%), and Spanish (20%).
The most common industries among freelancers working as Chief Project Officers in Germany are Professional Services (67%), Information Technology (60%), and Automotive (53%).
The most common business areas among freelancers working as Chief Project Officers in Germany are Project Management (100%), Strategy (87%), and Operations (80%).
FRATCH Chief Project Officers main locations
Our freelancers and interim experts are at home across the DACH region — available on-site in the major business hubs or fully remote. Choose a location to discover matched specialists, local market insights and up-to-date availability.
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Philipp Thomaschewski
FRATCH CEO
