Director, Project Management

National Endowment for Financial Education; Denver (CO); Hybrid; USD 93,000 - 104,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Parental leave

Insurance package

EcoPass

Parking in Downtown Denver

Tuition reimbursement

403(b) match

Defined benefit plan

Job summary

National Endowment for Financial Education seeks a Director of Project Management to lead the organization’s project management framework and act as a hands‑on project manager for cross‑functional initiatives. You will prioritize, plan, and execute work aligned with strategic goals, reporting to the Chief of Staff.

You will establish standards, drive adoption of PM practices, and partner with leadership to translate strategy into executable plans.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations, or related field; equivalent experience considered.
• 5+ years of professional experience leading complex cross‑functional projects.
• Experience developing and implementing project management practices and tools within an organization.
• Proven ability to establish standards, make sound decisions, and exercise authority related to project governance.
• Demonstrated ability to build strong relationships across departments to drive adoption of PM practices.
• Strong facilitation, communication, and change management skills.
• Expertise in project management platforms and Microsoft Office Suite.

Responsibilities

• Lead the assessment of current practices and develop a unified project management philosophy with standards for initiation, timelines, and accountability.
• Conduct organization-wide needs assessment to identify capacity constraints and improvement opportunities.
• Directly manage a portfolio of complex cross-functional projects, defining scope and timelines, managing risks and issues.
• Partner with leadership to translate strategy into executable project plans and priorities.
• Oversee the selection, implementation, and long-term management of the project management tool with IT.
• Establish standards for documentation, reporting, and tool usage to ensure consistency and transparency.
• Design and deliver training on PM practices and tool usage to support adoption and execution.
• Provide coaching to leaders on project planning, prioritization, and delivery.
• Support prioritization decisions by providing visibility into workloads and dependencies.
• Maintain project reporting mechanisms with dashboards and metrics to show timelines and outcomes.
• Monitor and improve PM practices based on feedback.

Skills

Leadership

Cross-functional

Communication

Change management

Facilitation

Organization

Microsoft Office

PM platforms

Education

Bachelor's degree

Advanced degree (MBA/MPA/MS)

Tools

PM platforms

Job description

Position Overview

The Director, Project Management, is responsible for developing, implementing, and sustaining the organization’s project management framework, practices, and tools. This role serves as both the strategic leader of project management practices and a hands‑on project manager, directly managing complex and cross‑functional initiatives while ensuring consistent, effective project delivery across the organization.

As a director‑level individual contributor, this position establishes how work is prioritized, planned, and executed, supporting organizational clarity, accountability, and alignment with strategic goals.

This position reports directly to the Chief of Staff and works in close partnership to align project prioritization, sequencing, and execution with the organization’s strategic plan and overall priorities.

Essential Duties/Responsibilities

• Lead the assessment of existing project management practices across departments and the development, implementation, and ongoing refinement of a unified organizational project management philosophy, including standards for project initiation, roles, decision‑making, timelines, and accountability
• Conduct an organization‑wide needs assessment to evaluate current project management practices, capacity constraints, and opportunities for improvement
• Directly manage a portfolio of complex, high‑impact, and cross‑functional projects, including scope definition, timeline development, risk management, and issue resolution
• Partner with leadership across all levels to translate organizational strategy into executable project plans and priorities
• Lead the evaluation, selection, implementation, and long‑term management of the organization’s project management tool in partnership with Information Technology
• Establish standards and expectations for project documentation, reporting, and tool usage to ensure consistency and transparency
• Design and deliver training on project management practices and tool usage to support adoption and effective execution
• Provide coaching and guidance to leaders and teams on project planning, prioritization, and delivery
• Support organization‑wide prioritization and capacity decision‑making by providing visibility into workloads, dependencies, and sequencing
• Establish and maintain clear project reporting mechanisms, including progress tracking, metrics, and dashboards, to provide visibility into timelines, risks, dependencies, and outcomes
• Monitor the effectiveness of project management practices and make continuous improvements based on organizational needs and feedback
• Serve as the organization’s project management subject matter expert and trusted advisor

Other Duties/Responsibilities

• Other duties delegated as appropriate

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, operations, or related field; equivalent experience considered
• 5+ years professional experience, including experience leading complex cross‑functional projects
• Demonstrated experience leading and delivering complex projects
• Experience developing and implementing project management practices and tools within an organization
• Proven ability to establish standards, make sound decisions, and exercise authority related to project governance, prioritization, and execution
• Demonstrated ability to build strong, trust‑based relationships across departments and levels of the organization to drive alignment and adoption of project management practices
• Strong facilitation, communication, and change management skills
• Excellent organizational skills, attention to detail, and sound judgment
• Demonstrated expertise in project management platforms, including configuration and ongoing management
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management certification (PMP, Agile, or similar) or equivalent professional experience
• Experience working in a non‑profit or mission‑driven organization
• Advanced degree such as MBA, MPA, MS in Project Management, MS in Information Systems, or MS in Organizational Development.

Physical/Mental Demands of the Job

Work hours are generally 8:30 AM -5:00 PM Monday – Friday – up to 50% remote work is offered under normal circumstances. Employees work directly with their supervisor and HR to determine the best work schedule, providing sufficient overlap with other NEFE employees.

At NEFE we focus on possibilities not limitations. To do your job effectively, you need the ability to communicate with people; move about a workspace; utilize a computer, job‑related software and a telephone. We will attempt to make reasonable accommodations to support the fulfillment of the physical and mental requirements of this position.

Travel Required

Regular travel is not anticipated for this position.

Compensation/Benefits

The base salary for this position is $92,600 - $103,500. In accordance with Colorado’s Equal Pay for Equal Work Act and NEFE’s internal compensation structure, this hiring range is fixed and non‑negotiable. Final salary offers will be made within the posted range based on relevant experience.

• NEFE provides a comprehensive benefits package, including vacation, sick leave, holidays, six weeks of paid parental leave, and health, dental, vision, and life/AD&D/disability insurance.
• Additional benefits include an EcoPass, paid parking in Downtown Denver, professional development opportunities, tuition reimbursement, an employee assistance program, a 403(b) employer match, and contributions to a defined benefit plan.

NEFE is committed to creating a diverse environment and is proud to be an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.

Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the United States. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa at this time.