Manager, Project and Change Management

Job Description

Leads a team of project managers while also actively practicing project and change management. This role is intentionally designed as a lead while doing position: the manager models excellent project management, change leadership, and stakeholder engagement while developing a high trust, high accountability team culture. This leader reports to the Senior Vice President in the School of Business and partners closely with senior leadership, academic stakeholders, and cross functional teams to ensure that initiatives are clear, ready, well communicated, and aligned before change enters or exits the school.
This role balances people leadership, hands on project and change execution, and strategic influence in a highly matrixed environment.

Lead the Team and the Work

• Leads, coaches, and develops a team of project managers while also directly managing complex, high-impact projects and change initiatives.
• Models strong project management practices by actively participating in project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, risk management, and closure.
• Establishes a culture of trust, motivation, accountability, and care where team members feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow.
• Provides regular, actionable feedback and mentorship focused on both performance outcomes and professional development.

Project & Change Management Excellence

• Serves as a change and project leader and change and project manager, ensuring organizational readiness, clarity of scope, and alignment before initiatives move forward.
• Acts as a gatekeeper for senior leadership and academic partners by ensuring change does not move in or out of the school unless it is clearly defined, well-planned, and appropriately communicated.
• Identifies, assesses, and actively manages risks, dependencies, and constraints across projects and initiatives.
• Uses quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, translating insights into practical recommendations and actions.
• Proactively resolves issues and removes obstacles at any phase of the project life cycle.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Builds and sustains strong, trust-based relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders, academic partners, and cross-functional teams.
• Leads thoughtful stakeholder engagement strategies that prioritize transparency, clarity, and collaboration.
• Ensures consistent, timely, and meaningful communication regarding project status, risks, decisions, and change impacts.
• Translates complex initiatives into clear narratives that help stakeholders understand the "why," "what," and "how" of change.

Strategic Partnership & Influence

• Partners with School and University leadership to support decision-making, prioritization, and execution of strategic initiatives.
• Collaborates across departments to align projects with institutional goals, operational plans, and student experience outcomes.
• Champions continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, tools, and ways of working.
• Influences without authority in a matrixed organization, balancing competing priorities while maintaining momentum and alignment.

Quality, Governance, and Accountability

• Ensures quality, consistency, and effectiveness of project management and change practices across the team.
• Establishes and upholds clear performance expectations, metrics, and accountability structures.
• Provides regular reporting and updates on project health, change readiness, risks, and delivery targets.