Job Description

Posting Summary
The Program Management Director works closely with the senior program sponsor to provide strategic and executive-level leadership, oversight, and management of university-wide impacting programs including but not limited to the overall Catamount LEAP implementation process and related activities, with leadership and facilitation of the Catamount LEAP Steering Committee, oversight of the Catamount LEAP Core Team and the necessary functional sub teams. Catamount LEAP is a multi-year, digital transformation initiative to elevate student and employee experiences, streamline operations, assess and integrate Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools/capabilities, and align with institutional goals. The University’s Project Management Office (UPMO) is core to these efforts and will be under the direct supervision of the Director of Program Management.

This role serves as a visible champion for change, responsible for communicating program vision, progress and challenges to all levels of the university ensuring successful adoption of new systems and processes. They are expected to interact at all levels of the institution to provide guidance and create a roadmap to business efficiency around Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP) implementation and the broader enterprise environment. This position will be responsible for managing stakeholder buy in, communication strategies, understanding budget needs and constraints, performing to a deadline and communicating problems to leadership while simultaneously removing roadblocks from the project(s). The Program Management Director will lead a team who will be supporting these same efforts and must have personnel management skills in addition to strong program and project management experience in addition to a broad technology background. This position plays a key role in the university’s ability to pivot, modernize, and evolve in its technology portfolio, business process and needs analysis.

While reporting to the university Chief Information Officer (CIO), this position will also play a role in guiding the Enterprise Technology Services’ (ETS’) Enterprise Application Services (EAS) Director. The EAS Director has in its portfolio all of the current ERP systems including HR, Finance and student systems. Collaboration with EAS is crucial to the success of Catamount LEAP and future major programs around technology currency. The EAS Director directly reports to the CIO but will have a dotted line association with the Program Management Director.
Minimum Qualifications (or equivalent combination of education and experience)
Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience
Knowledge of policies, organizational dynamics, business processes and best practices, and compliance procedures in a higher education environment.
Broad knowledge of technology stacks including major ERP systems, integration technologies and database structures.
7+ Years of demonstrated excellence in project management practice, experience leading organizational-wide programs involving complex systems and business process redesign.
Demonstrated experience leading major technology programs/implementations.
A broad understanding of the needs of students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders.
Excellent administrative, organizational, communication, and supervisory skills.
Ability to deal effectively with vendors and a wide range of individuals.
Proven ability to work creatively and analytically to adjust to shifting priorities, demands, and timelines demonstrating teamwork, innovation and excellence.
Strong leadership skills including the ability to lead up, across, and down with emotional intelligence, influence and the ability to inspire and mobilize teams through ambiguity and transition.
Exceptional communication (written, verbal, and presentation) and interpersonal skills with a track record of communicating complex change to diverse audiences
Experience influencing and gaining buy-in from executive sponsors, team members, stakeholders, and peers.
Demonstrable skill and knowledge of successful change management practices.
Demonstrate thoughtful understanding of Artificial Intelligence adoption and best practices.
Demonstrated decisiveness in resolving problems, making decisions, and managing priorities.
Expertise in change management methodologies (e.g. Prosci, Kotter, ADKAR, or similar)
Demonstrated expertise in change management frameworks and best practices.
Desirable Qualifications
5 or more years of personnel management
Project Management certification(s)
5 or more years of higher ed professional experience
Anticipated Pay Range 155,000-185,000
Other Information
Final pay determination to be commensurate with candidate’s experience level and length, independent of anticipated pay range.
Special Conditions A probationary period may be required, Occasional evening and/or weekends required (if non-exempt position, may result in overtime), This position is eligible for a hybrid schedule with an option to split time between campus and elsewhere, in accordance with the university telecommuting policy, Background Check required for this position