Executive Director, Business Systems & PMO

Boston Children’s Hospital; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 180,000 - 240,000; Full time

Job summary

Boston Children’s Hospital seeks an Executive Director to lead the Business Systems and PMO, directing strategy, governance, and delivery of enterprise systems in a complex academic medical setting.

You will drive Workday ERP, research administration platforms, and the IT PMO, partnering with Finance, HR, Research, and clinical operations to translate strategy into effective project portfolios and measurable outcomes.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business management, or related field required; MBA or MHA preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, including ERP experience in a large, complex organization.
• Experience with Workday and familiarity with grants management/eRA platforms and ERP integrations.
• Proven experience establishing or leading an IT PMO, including portfolio governance and delivery methodology.
• Knowledge of healthcare regulatory and compliance requirements, including HIPAA and HITECH.

Responsibilities

• Lead strategy, governance, and lifecycle management of Workday and related enterprise business applications.
• Direct teams responsible for system support, configuration, integrations, security, enhancements, and optimization.
• Partner with Finance, HR, Payroll, and Supply Chain to align systems with regulatory and operational requirements.
• Provide systems leadership for research administration, including pre- and post-award, grants management, compliance, and financial systems.
• Lead implementation, integration, and optimization of research administration platforms.
• Advance AI integration, automation, self-service, reporting, and operational efficiency.
• Lead the enterprise IT PMO, including portfolio governance, intake and prioritization, delivery methodology, resource planning, and reporting.
• Ensure effective delivery across clinical, administrative, research, business, and infrastructure initiatives.
• Provide portfolio reporting to senior leadership, including project status, risk, capacity, and financial performance.
• Drive continuous improvement in project delivery, tools, and change management practices.
• Ensure systems and technology initiatives align with healthcare regulatory requirements and broader clinical and IT strategy.
• Partner across clinical informatics, EHR, infrastructure, and cybersecurity to ensure effective integration.
• Build trusted relationships across Finance, HR, Research, clinical operations, and Health Affairs, translating between technical teams and executive stakeholders.
• Manage strategic vendor relationships and represent business systems and PMO priorities in IT governance and capital planning.

Skills

ERP leadership

Workday

PMO leadership

Stakeholder management

Regulatory compliance

Education

Bachelor’s degree in IT or related field

MBA or MHA preferred

Job description

Position Summary

The Executive Director, Business Systems and Project Management Office (PMO) is a senior IT leader responsible for the strategy, governance, and operational excellence of enterprise business systems and IT project delivery. The role oversees three key areas:

• Enterprise resource planning (ERP), with a primary focus on Workday;
• Research administration systems supporting the sponsored research enterprise
• The IT PMO, which oversees prioritization, delivery, and portfolio management for institution-wide technology initiatives.

This leader will partner across Finance, HR, Research, clinical operations, and academic leadership to translate institutional strategy into effective systems and project portfolios.

This is a hybrid role with a monthly onsite expectation.

Key Responsibilities

Business Systems & Research Administration

• Lead the strategy, roadmap, governance, and lifecycle management of Workday and related enterprise business applications.
• Direct teams responsible for system support, configuration, integrations, security, enhancements, and optimization.
• Partner with Finance, HR, Payroll, and Supply Chain to ensure systems align with institutional, regulatory, and operational requirements.
• Provide systems leadership for research administration, including pre- and post-award, grants management, compliance, and financial systems.
• Lead the implementation, integration, and optimization of research administration platforms.
• Advance AI integration, automation, self-service, reporting, and operational efficiency.

IT Project Management Office

• Lead the enterprise IT PMO, including portfolio governance, intake and prioritization, delivery methodology, resource planning, and reporting.
• Ensure effective delivery across clinical, administrative, research, business, and infrastructure initiatives.
• Provide portfolio reporting to senior leadership, including project status, risk, capacity, and financial performance.
• Drive continuous improvement in project delivery, tools, and change management practices.

Enterprise Partnership & Leadership

• Ensure systems and technology initiatives align with healthcare regulatory requirements and broader clinical and IT strategy.
• Partner across clinical informatics, EHR, infrastructure, and cybersecurity to ensure effective integration.
• Build trusted relationships across Finance, HR, Research, clinical operations, and Health Affairs, translating between technical teams and executive, physician, faculty, and administrative stakeholders.
• Manage strategic vendor relationships and represent business systems and PMO priorities in IT governance and capital planning.
• Lead and develop multidisciplinary teams and foster accountability, service excellence, and continuous improvement.
• Manage budgets, staffing, and vendor resources and establish KPIs for systems performance, project delivery, and team effectiveness.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in IT, business management, or related field required; MBA or MHA preferred.
• 15+ years of progressive IT leadership experience, including significant ERP experience in a large, complex organization.
• Experience in a university-affiliated academic medical center or large integrated health system.
• Experience with Workday and familiarity with grants management/eRA platforms and ERP integrations.
• Proven experience establishing or leading an IT PMO, including portfolio governance and delivery methodology.
• Knowledge of healthcare regulatory and compliance requirements, including HIPAA and HITECH.
• Change management expertise supporting large-scale system implementations.
• Demonstrated success leading cross-functional teams and managing significant technology budgets.
• Exceptional executive communication, relationship management, and stakeholder influence skills.
• Executive presence and ability to operate effectively with senior leadership while remaining hands-on when needed.