We are seeking a Sr. Project Manager to lead, manage, and execute high-priority university initiatives from concept to implementation with a high level of independence. Working in the Project Management Office (PMO) for the university's central Finance & Administration (F&A) function, the SPM oversees a portfolio of key strategic projects, ensuring that all assigned projects successfully meet institutional goals, deliver impactful results, and drive excellence.
The SPM is responsible for ensuring the successful completion of their portfolio of projects within the approved schedule, scope, and budget, and escalating major risks and issues to university leaders as appropriate. In partnership with other project stakeholders, the SPM leads the design and implementation of individual projects.
The SPM will lead high-priority initiatives for the Finance & Administration function of the university, engaging at all phases of the project lifecycle (e.g. from concept development through implementation) and frequently providing the quantitative analysis leadership needs to make critical decisions. The person in this role will interact on a daily basis with senior leaders from across the university on sensitive matters that may be timebound and shift as conditions evolve. They therefore must be comfortable collaborating across functions, on aggressive timelines and engaging with multiple senior stakeholders simultaneously.
Specific Duties & Responsibilities
Manage the scope of projects, including goals, timelines, budgets, and objectives.
Develop and execute project plans, budgets, timelines, and risk mitigation strategies, monitoring and reporting on progress and outcomes.
Complete individual activities required to complete the projects, including analysis, benchmarking, data collection, and deliverable development.
Identify and resolve any conflicts, challenges, or barriers that may arise during the project lifecycle, and escalate them as appropriate.
Flex into various project roles as necessary to fill gaps and ensure projects proceed as needed.
Oversee project teams and resources, including project managers and staff from other offices.
Develop and manage key project deliverables, including project plans, budgets, timelines, status reports, presentation materials, reports, and risk mitigation strategies.
Manage the risk, issue, and change resolution process, and work with other leaders to take corrective action as needed.
Provide leadership with the information needed to make decisions for the projects.
Interface with key leaders to define project priorities and communicate project risks, issues, and opportunities.
Monitor KPIs for special projects, reporting progress and status to senior leaders.
Perform individual activities required to complete the projects, including analysis, benchmarking, data collection, and materials development.
Develop high-quality project deliverables, including written reports, presentations, spreadsheets, and data visualizations.
Make presentations to and communicate with senior university leaders in support of their projects.
Collaborate with project managers and staff outside of the PMO to implement the project management methodology and best practices to positively impact the institution and support the strategic initiatives.
Coach and mentor project management practitioners outside the PMO and share knowledge of best practices.
Aid senior F&A leaders with the design, business case development, and authorization of strategic projects and initiatives.
Other duties as assigned.
Project Management & Execution
Lead cross-functional teams to deliver initiatives that develop new revenue streams and/or cost-saving measures for the university.
Quantitative Analysis
Lead project-specific analyses that include (but are not limited to) national datasets, creation of financial models, and targeted evaluation of university datasets.
Fact Based Development
Draft persuasive materials that enable strategic decision-making and often require strategic framing of an opportunity, using quantitative and qualitative data to identify critical insights, outlining risks and potential mitigations and then mapping operational plans to drive implementation.
Performance Tracking
Act as the anchor on all projects in a previously aligned portfolio, monitoring deliverable development and progress toward key milestones, stepping in when work is off track and diplomatically escalating to select stakeholders, as needed.
Required Skills
Project Planning, Scoping & Tracking
Proven ability to translate strategy into workplans, collaborate with cross functional teams to implement them and use tracking tools (e.g. SmartSheet) to share progress.
Data Analysis, Visualization & Storytelling
High proficiency in Advanced Excel (e.g. Pivot Tables, VLOOK UP) for financial modeling, revenue projections and cost-savings analysis coupled with seasoned PowerPoint and word document skills that enable storytelling to a non-financial audience.
On call or non-standard work hour requirements
Some priority projects periodically require rapid response. Consequently, weekend or evening work is occasionally necessary.
Minimum Qualifications
Bachelor's Degree.
Seven years of related experience.
Additional education may substitute for required experience, and additional related experience may substitute for required education beyond a high school diploma/graduation equivalent, to the extent permitted by the JHU equivalency formula.
Preferred Qualifications
Three to five years in a consulting firm or strategy department of a corporation.
Technical Qualifications & Specialized Certifications
Demonstrated ability to use Microsoft Office Suite software applications, along with general understanding of other JHU applications to retrieve data for reporting and analysis.
Knowledge of Smartsheet or comparable project planning software.
Technical Skills & Expected Level of Proficiency
Project Planning - Intermediate
Financial Forecasting - Intermediate
Critical Thinking - Intermediate
Project Management Life Cycle - Intermediate
Project Documentation - Intermediate
Risk Management - Intermediate
Workflow Management - Intermediate
Industry Acumen
Understanding of Higher Education fundamentals, trends and strategic frameworks is preferred.
Comfort with Senior Leaders
Demonstrated ability to communicate concisely, rapidly shift priorities and influence without authority is preferred
The core technical skills listed are most essential; additional technical skills may be required based on specific division or department needs.
Classified Title: Sr. Project Manager
Role/Level/Range: ATP/04/PF
Starting Salary Range: $85,500 - $149,800 Annually (Commensurate w/exp.)
Employee group: Full Time
Schedule: Monday - Friday 8:30am - 5:00pm
FLSA Status: Exempt
Location: Homewood Campus
Department name: EVP for Finance and Admin Off of
Personnel area: University Administration
Equal Opportunity Employer
All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
