Director, Project Management

The College of New Jersey; Ewing Township (NJ); On-site; USD 135,000 - 155,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health plans

Retirement benefits

Tuition waiver and reimbursement

Pension plan and life insurance

Employee Assistance Program

Job summary

The College of New Jersey is seeking an Associate Director, PMO, a senior IT leadership role responsible for establishing and running the IT Project Management Office. You will oversee end-to-end project governance, portfolio management, and budgeting, guiding multiple complex initiatives across the IT division.

Reporting to IT leadership, you will supervise Project Managers, promote PMO maturity, manage resources, and drive adoption of agile, waterfall, and hybrid methodologies to ensure

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required; master's preferred in a related field.
• PMO leadership experience with governance frameworks and portfolio management.
• 7–10 years in IT project management; 3+ years in senior/lead PM role.
• Experience delivering complex IT projects (ERP, infrastructure, software).
• Experience establishing/leading a PMO and developing governance standards.
• Leadership experience managing Project Managers or cross-functional teams.
• Expertise in Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid methodologies.
• Strong communication with all management levels and campus stakeholders.
• Ability to build collaborative teams and influence outcomes without direct authority.
• Excellent organizational skills and detail-oriented planning/execution.
• Proficiency with PM software and office tools; MS Project, Visio, TeamDynamix preferred.

Responsibilities

• Lead day-to-day PMO operations and manage IT project portfolio.
• Provide executive sponsorship and oversee complex IT initiatives.
• Define scope, goals and deliverables with stakeholders; monitor risks and progress.
• Report portfolio status to CIO and senior leadership; coordinate steering meetings.
• Supervise PMs, coach staff, and foster continuous learning and accountability.
• Develop and track project budgets; drive PMO process improvements.

Skills

PMO leadership

Stakeholder communication

Budget management

Staff development

Governance frameworks

Portfolio management

Multi-project coordination

Leadership

Project lifecycle

Education

Bachelor's degree

Master's degree or MBA preferred

PMP certification preferred

Tools

MS Project

Visio

TeamDynamix

Google/Microsoft productivity suites

Job description

State Title: Director

Bargaining Unit: Non-Unit

Employment Type: 35 hours per week/Full-time

Salary Range: $135,000 - $155,000

NON-UNION POSITIONS

For non-unit positions, salary commensurate with experience and is accompanied by a competitive benefits package.

About TCNJ

Founded in 1855, TCNJ offers a highly personalized and collaborative liberal arts education with over 7,400 undergraduates and 700 graduate students. The college is consistently ranked among the top comprehensive colleges in the nation, offering small classes, a 13:1 student-faculty ratio, and an immersive living-learning experience. With a 4-year graduation rate ranked #1 in New Jersey and #9 among U.S. public institutions, TCNJ is a model for public higher education.

Position Overview

The Associate Director, Project Management Office (PMO) is a senior leadership role within the TCNJ IT Division responsible for establishing, operating, and continuously improving the IT Project Management Office. This position provides end-to-end project oversight for complex, mission-critical IT initiatives across the Division, ensuring projects are delivered within scope, on schedule, and within budget.

The Senior Manager serves as the primary project governance authority within IT, partnering with the CIO, Deputy CIO, and IT departmental leaders to manage the project portfolio, allocate resources, and drive PMO methodology adoption. This role also supervises Project Managers within the PMO and serves as a key advisor to leadership on process improvement, capital budget planning, and cross-divisional technology initiatives.

Responsibilities

• PMO Leadership & Project Portfolio Management: Lead the day-to-day operations of the TCNJ IT Project Management Office. Maintain the IT project portfolio, prioritize projects in alignment with institutional goals, and ensure effective resource allocation across concurrent initiatives. Develop and enforce PMO standards, methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, hybrid), and project governance frameworks.
• Project Lifecycle Management: Provide direct oversight and executive sponsorship for complex, high-priority IT projects. Define project scope, goals, and deliverables in collaboration with IT directors and campus stakeholders. Monitor project status, resolve escalations, manage risks, and ensure delivery milestones are met with accountability.
• Stakeholder Communication & Reporting: Serve as the primary liaison between the IT Division and campus stakeholders on project matters. Provide regular portfolio status reports to the CIO and senior leadership. Facilitate steering committee meetings, manage expectations, and communicate project impacts, dependencies, and budget status with clarity and transparency.
• Team Leadership & Staff Development: Supervise, coach, and evaluate Project Manager(s) within the PMO. Assign project work, develop PM capability, and create a culture of excellence, continuous learning, and accountability within the team. Identify training and professional development opportunities aligned within institutional needs.
• Financial Oversight & PMO Process Improvement: Partner with the Capital Projects Finance Director and IT leadership to develop and track project budgets. Contribute to the continuous improvement of PMO toolsets (e.g., TeamDynamix) and methodologies. Evaluate PMO performance metrics and implement process improvements to enhance delivery effectiveness and project success rates.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited college or university is required. A degree in Computer Science, Information Systems, Business Administration, or a related field is preferred. A Master's degree or MBA is a plus.
• PMP certification (Project Management Professional) or equivalent industry certification is strongly preferred.
• Minimum of 7-10 years of proven, progressive work experience in IT project management, with at least 3 years in a senior or lead project management role.
• Demonstrated experience managing and delivering complex IT projects (e.g., ERP implementations, infrastructure upgrades, enterprise software rollouts, network or security initiatives).
• Demonstrated experience establishing or leading a Project Management Office (PMO), including the development of governance frameworks, PM standards, and portfolio management processes.
• Experience in a leadership or supervisory capacity, including direct management of Project Managers or cross-functional project teams.
• Expertise in Project Lifecycle Management, including proficiency with Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid methodologies. Demonstrated ability to manage multiple concurrent projects in a complex institutional environment.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills, both written and verbal, with the ability to engage effectively with all levels of management, technical staff, and campus stakeholders.
• Demonstrated ability to build collaborative teams, generate a spirit of cooperation, and influence outcomes without direct authority across a multi-departmental organization.
• Excellent organizational skills and meticulous attention to detail in planning, documentation, and execution.
• Strong working knowledge of project management software and office productivity tools. Preference for experience with MSProject, Visio, TeamDynamix, and Google/Microsoft productivity suites.

Preferred Qualifications

• Higher education experience is preferred but not required.
• PMP or equivalent project management certification is strongly preferred.

Persons with disabilities may request reasonable accommodations in order to perform the essential functions of the position. If the requested accommodation(s) cannot be made because it would cause the employer undue hardship, the applicant may not be eligible for the position.

Employer Qualifications

Employment at TCNJ is contingent upon the successful completion of an applicable background check, reference checks, and verification of identity and authorization to work in the United States (Form I-9).

Accommodation: Applicants who require a reasonable accommodation to apply or interview should contact [e-mail].

Employee Benefits

As a member of The College of New Jersey Community, you will be a part of an exciting and rewarding public college career. Eligible full-time employees will be able to take advantage of a generous benefits package that includes health, welfare, and retirement benefits, including:

• Comprehensive benefit plans covering medical, dental and prescription plans
• Generous leave entitlements program and Energy SavingsProgram
• Employee and dependent Tuition Waiver and ReimbursementProgram
• Pension, retirement, and deferred compensation plans, grouplife insurance
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Employee affinity groups
• New Jersey State Employee Discount Program
• Access to extensive learning opportunities

To view a comprehensive list of benefits available to employees, visit our Health Benefits Plans and Programs page to learn more!

The College is committed to fostering a welcoming and inclusive campus community that respects and uplifts individuals from all backgrounds. We value the varied perspectives, experiences, and talents of all members of our community and strive to create an environment where everyone has equitable access to opportunities for success. As an equal opportunity employer, we comply with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. We encourage applications from individuals whose lived experiences and professional interests align with our institutional mission of academic excellence, access, and integrity.