Executive Director of the Project Management Office

Job no : 492939

Work type : Full-time

Location : St. Louis, MO, Remote

Categories : Project Management

Posting Details

Job Summary / Basic Function

The Executive Director of the Project Management Office will help transform the higher education experience for Maryville University’s learners by driving the achievement of the strategic plan through alignment, prioritization, execution, and management of key strategic technology projects.

This individual will be responsible for establishing and maintaining project management best practices, standards, and governance frameworks to ensure the successful delivery of projects that align with the university's mission, goals, and objectives.

The successful applicant will lead the PMO and will supervise two additional members of the Project Management Team.

Essential Responsibilities :

Strategic Leadership :

• Ensure alignment between projects / initiatives and the university’s strategic plan, with a laser focus on the learner’s life-long journey as the foundation and motivation for all projects and initiatives.
• Establish project management methodologies, standards and best practices to ensure consistency and efficiency across all projects.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to prioritize projects based on institutional needs and resource availability.
• Collaborate with senior leadership and OSI to develop real time dashboards and reporting metrics for the PMO
• Lead communications via PMO slack channel
• Lead and serve on committees related to projects and other strategic initiatives

Team Management :

• Lead and mentor a team of project managers, fostering a culture of accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Provide guidance and support to team members in project planning, execution, and problem solving.
• Develop a culture within the PMO that constantly stays abreast of the project management field and the technologies that are used within it.

Project Management and Oversight :

• Manage execution of multiple concurrent projects / initiatives across the full life cycle and oversee the projects managed by the PMO team to achieve project deliverables on time and within scope and within budget.
• Monitor progress, identify potential risks or issues, and implement proactive mitigation strategies.
• Leverage data to inform project planning, prioritization, and resource allocation. Utilize data to document and report progress to senior leadership.

Stakeholder Service and Engagement :

• Collaborate with cross-functional teams to understand requirements, inform decision making, promote alignment, and drive accountability to support achievement of project goals and objectives.
• Facilitate communications with key stakeholders to provide clarity, alignment, and visibility.
• Collaborate with subject matter experts in human resources, marketing, and communications to support change management across the university by promoting adoption, driving engagement, and increasing visibility.
• Partner with key stakeholders to manage resource allocation. Optimize resource utilization and identify opportunities for cost savings or process improvements.
• The PMO is a service organization and is measured by how well it engages DLX and our greater Collective.
• Engage with senior leaders as a business partner and serve as a translator and controller between technology and functional areas.

Quality Assurance :

• Establish quality assurance processes and metrics to measure project success and ensure deliverables meet institutional standards.
• Facilitate after-action reviews to identify and share key learnings and successes from completed projects; incorporate lessons learned into next projects

Minimum Qualifications

• 3+ years of experience in a project management leadership role, preferably specializing in technology projects
• 5+ years of experience in project management
• Strong understanding of project management methodologies and tools.
• Strong competencies in use of various technologies and tools, such as Microsoft Office suite, Slack, and Asana
• Basic knowledge of enterprise systems such as Salesforce CRM. Knowledge of Ellucian Colleague a plus.
• Knowledge of higher education business processes a plus
• Strategic thinker with ability to align project initiatives with institutional goals and priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to use organizational and project management skills to pursue projects to completion
• Demonstrated ability to lead and drive change management
• Ability to be adaptable, intuitive, and flexible with regard to tasks and priorities in a dynamic environment
• Ability to provide excellent customer service, maintain confidentiality, and be diplomatic
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to communicate and Excellent interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to effectively engage with stakeholders at all levels of the organization
• Demonstrated ability to lead and motivate teams to achieve high levels of performance and meet strategic objectives
• Strong sense of initiative; self-starter
• Passion for technology, innovation, and the student experience
• Ability to meet strict deadlines

Preferred Qualifications

PMP or other relevant certification are a plus.

Physical Demands

Open Until Filled

Special Instructions to Applicants

An offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion of a background screening.

Applicants requiring University sponsorship to obtain employment authorization will not be considered for this position.

Maryville University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity and prohibits discrimination on the basis of age, disability, gender, genetic information, marital status, national origin, race / color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, veteran status, or any other status protected by law.

This extends to all aspects of the employment relationship, including recruiting, hiring, training, on-the-job treatment, promotion, layoff, and termination.

Advertised : April 23, 2024

Applications close : Open until filled