Innovation and Technical Services Operational Project Manager

Environmental-Charter-School; Pittsburgh (Allegheny County); On-site; USD 80,383 - 98,246; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

403b retirement plan

Paid time off

Disability insurance

Job summary

Environmental Charter School is seeking an Innovation and Technical Services Operational Project Manager to lead the IT Services team and translate strategy into scalable, on-time technology delivery across the district.

The role combines infrastructure, integrations, and security to support educational goals, with emphasis on collaboration, proactive risk handling, and sustainable IT practices in a K-12 environment.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience with IT leadership and large deployments.
• Ability to run an Agile stand-up, map a Kanban board, and manage timelines.
• Strong cross-functional collaboration between technical teams and district stakeholders.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and data privacy standards (MS-ISAC, E-Rate familiarity helpful).
• Proven problem-solving skills and proactive process improvements.
• Commitment to delivering sustainable, equitable technology in education.

Responsibilities

• Lead and develop the Technology Services team with hiring, evaluation, and growth.
• Own the IT operations roadmap, from strategy to on-time execution and risk management.
• Refine helpdesk processes and improve support quality across staff and devices.
• Plan full lifecycle projects, defining scope, timelines, and resource needs.
• Coordinate software renewals and system integrations across departments.
• Establish security guardrails and ensure regulatory compliance across systems.

Skills

Agile stand-up

Kanban

Cross-functional collaboration

Cybersecurity awareness

Education

Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Information Technology, or related field

Tools

Student Information System (SIS)

Identity and Access Management

Financial systems

Rostering systems

Job description

Innovation and Technical Services Operational Project Manager

The Environmental Charter School has an immediate need for an Innovation and Technical Services Operational Project Manager. Successful candidates must be progressive-minded and embody a can-do spirit and work ethic with an interest in environmental education and sustainability.

OUR PHILOSOPHY AND MISSION

As the world changes and becomes increasingly more complex, global citizens will need to be equipped with skills that allow them to be flexible thinkers, creative problem solvers, and effective leaders.

ECS offers a program that develops students into critical thinkers, thoughtful innovators, and well-rounded scholars. We provide students with the tools and educational foundation to become tomorrow’s global citizens, and we strive to teach students how their choices impact the world around them. By using environmental content as a lens for instruction, ECS provides students a context in which to explore ideas and observations, to practice inquiry, and to actively problem solve. Throughout their academic career at ECS, students build core skills across all disciplines and then actively apply these skills to support the impact of learning.

WORKING AT THE ENVIRONMENTAL CHARTER SCHOOL

The Environmental Charter School’s faculty and staff are passionate, talented, and uncompromising with a mission to make sure all students succeed at a high level. Every aspect of our organization and program is designed and continually refined to ensure that goal. Our work is student-centered, constantly improving, and reflective. ECS’s progressive approach to education challenges faculty to take risks. We strongly value collaboration and recognize the power of systems thinking. Our high achievement scores, long waiting list and unique location in the city of Pittsburgh serve as a model in environmentally focused education.

OVERVIEW

The Innovation and Technical Services Operational Project Manager (ITSOPM), will be the technical project manager behind our district's technology operations, turning strategy into well-run, on-time, scalable execution. The ITSOPM will lead the IT Services team and serve as the link between technical engineering and the departments it supports, keeping our operational backbone resilient, automated, and high-performing. Workflows will be read through a systemic lens, treating infrastructure, integrations, and security not as isolated utilities but as one ecosystem that powers our educational mission. Thinking this way, the Manager will grow over time into a natural partner for our innovation work, helping turn new ideas into plans that can actually be executed. If this intersection of technical delivery, people, and possibility excites you, this is your next challenge.

Key Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

IT Team Leadership & Management

• Lead and develop the Technology Services team, including hiring, evaluation, and supervision, and providing clear structure and meaningful professional growth.
• Manage the team's daily task queue, helpdesk metrics, and hardware/software deployment schedules.
• Build cross-training into the team's routines so support stays high-quality and systems stay redundant.
• Oversee and refine the helpdesk (Incident IQ) to ensure timely resolution and consistent communication with staff.

Operational Project Planning & Execution

• Develop and maintain detailed project plans across the full lifecycle of technology and innovation initiatives- defining scope, objectives, timelines, and resource needs.
• Keep documentation transparent and accessible to every stakeholder using modern project management tools.
• Lead the "Now, Near-Term, and Mid-Term" system-level projects, such as the multi-year classroom display modernization and network upgrades.

Systems & Software Stewardship

• Coordinate and project-manage the implementation and modernization of internal systems- including the Student Information System (SIS), financial systems, identity and access management, and automated rostering- keeping vendors, technical staff, and stakeholders aligned to deliver on time.
• Establish and maintain a structured device lifecycle and refresh strategy that replaces fragmented management with one clear approach.
• Partner with departmental Points of Contact (POCs) to coordinate software renewals and keep systems integrated across Finance, Enrollment, and Academics.

Compliance, Security & Risk Mitigation

• Identify and mitigate project risks, resolving technical barriers before they stall progress.
• Ensure all systems and procedures meet data privacy, cybersecurity, and E-Rate compliance requirements.
• Conduct technology workflow assessments across departments to strengthen operational efficiency for non-teaching staff.
• Manage security partnerships that strengthen our posture, including MS-ISAC and the Digital Trust Hub, among others.
• Build internal compliance frameworks that set clear security guardrails while intentionally preserving the flexibility teachers and systems need to innovate.

Educational Background and Work Experience

• Bachelor's degree in Project Management, Information Technology, or a related field, or equivalent experience, plus a track record managing IT teams, tech operations, and large-scale technology deployments, ideally in a K-12 setting.
• Ability to run an Agile stand-up, map a Kanban board, and build a project timeline that technical teams actually respect.
• Talent for cross-functional collaboration, serving as the bridge between technical teams and district stakeholders. Ability to talk API integrations with a developer and student engagement with a third-grade teacher in the same hour.
• Working knowledge of cybersecurity frameworks and data privacy standards. Names like MS-ISAC, E-Rate, and data privacy compacts read as essential tools to you.
• Skill at facilitating collaborative problem-solving on complex, school-wide challenges.
• A self-starting, proactive nature that spots opportunities and efficiencies aligned with our strategic priorities.
• A commitment to building a sustainable world. You actively build inclusive, resilient IT infrastructure that guarantees every student equitable access to quality education while responsibly managing our impact on the planet and its people.
• Minimum starting salary of $89,315 with consideration given for years of experience.
• ECS offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, short and long-term disability insurance, generous paid time off, and participation in a generous 403b retirement plan.

Clearances current within one year of hire date will be required and include Arrest & Conviction Disclosure, Pennsylvania Child Abuse History Clearance (Act 151), Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Record Clearance (Act 34), and FBI Criminal Background Check (Act 114). Commonwealth of PA Sexual Misconduct/Abuse Disclosure Release (Act 168) and Mandatory Reporter Training will also be required.

ECS is an equal opportunity employer.