Director, Strategic Project Management Office (Project Manager 3)

Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; Pennsylvania; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 130,000; Full time

Job summary

PSERS in Harrisburg, PA is seeking a Director of Strategic Project Management to oversee large IT initiatives and ensure alignment with leadership. You will drive governance, portfolio oversight, and cross-agency coordination to deliver high-impact programs.

The role requires six+ years of IT project leadership and a senior leadership track record. Hybrid telework is available; occasional in-office presence in Harrisburg will be required.

Qualifications

• Six years of experience in leading IT projects or an equivalent combination of experience and training.
• Six or more years in a senior leadership role reporting directly to CIO/Agency Head or equivalent, leading cross-functional strategic initiatives.
• Completion of at least one complex organizational change initiative (digital transformation, operational restructuring, or policy implementation).
• PA residency required and ability to perform essential functions as described.

Responsibilities

• Oversee strategic, agency-wide IT projects and support leadership in delivering major initiatives.
• Monitor the project portfolio and identify potential issues.
• Establish and enforce consistent project management practices across initiatives.
• Coordinate with IT and security offices to ensure effective change management.
• Serve as liaison to senior leaders on agency initiatives.

Education

Bachelor's degree

Job description

THE POSITION

Do you have experience planning and executing complex information technology projects? Can you utilize and analyze data to make strategic recommendations? Can you collaborate with leadership to not only prioritize and coordinate projects but also ensure organizational alignment? The Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) is searching to fill a Project Manager 3 position that will serve as the Director of Strategic Project Management. This position will enable you to drive innovation through project management and contribute to the adaptation and continuous improvement of information technology projects.

PSERS (www.psers.pa.gov), is an agency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that administers the pension plan for Pennsylvania's public school employees. The mission of PSERS is to be a partner with our members to fulfill the promise of a secure retirement. We deliver on that promise by maintaining a financially sound fund of approximately $84 billion and supporting over a half million members and their school employers with excellent customer service. This position will play a contributing part in ensuring PSERS fulfills its mission.

PSERS is located in Harrisburg, PA, a mid-size city situated along the Susquehanna River. The Harrisburg area is affordable and near many attractions including Hershey, and it is only two hours from major cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C.

DESCRIPTION OF WORK

This position oversees strategic, agency-wide projects and supports leadership in delivering major initiatives. It also ensures consistent project management practices across the organization. As a Director of Strategic Project Management, you will perform the following duties:

• Project Leadership: Guide large and complex strategic projects for the agency
• Portfolio Oversight: Monitor the agency project portfolio and identify potential issues
• Methodology Development: Establish consistent project management practices for all initiatives
• Cross-Agency Coordination: Collaborate with IT and security offices to ensure thoughtful change management
• Governance Communication: Serve as liaison to senior leaders on matters related to agency initiatives

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 60-minute lunch.
• Hours may be flexible, to be discussed during interview process.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time. This position will be required to report to the office 1 day a week, and any additional days depending on operational needs. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

Required Experience, Training & Eligibility

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements

• Six years of experience in leading IT projects and a bachelor’s degree; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes six years of experience in leading IT projects.

Other Requirements

• This particular position also requires six or more years of full-time professional experience in a senior leadership role (reporting directly to the CIO, Deputy Secretary, Agency Head, other C-Suite executive or equivalent) responsible for leading high-impact, cross-functional strategic initiatives or enterprise-wide projects from concept through execution and demonstrating measurable outcomes in cost savings, performance improvements, or stakeholder alignment.
• This particular position also requires completion of at least one (1) complex (multi-agency or cross-functional team and involving both internal and external stakeholders) organizational change initiatives, such as digital transformation, operational restructuring, or policy implementation. (This includes successful management planning, adoption strategies, communication, as measured by improvements in efficiency, culture, or service delivery.)
• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency.
• You must be able to perform Essential Functions as presented in the linked Position Description.

Legal Requirement

• You must pass a background investigation.

Veterans

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. 7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS)

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

EXAMINATION INFORMATION

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions.
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or: your score may be lower than deserved. you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.