Operations Planning and Execution - Mgr - Portfolio Planning and Execution

Golden 1 Credit Union; Sacramento (CA); Hybrid; USD 125,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Golden 1 Credit Union is seeking a Manager of Portfolio Planning and Execution to lead the Service Operations project portfolio, coach Project Managers, and drive delivery excellence. This role partners with executives to balance demand, capacity, and strategy, ensuring value and transparency across the portfolio.

You will oversee a team, govern project management practices, and deliver reporting on status, risks, and outcomes, while promoting collaboration and continuous improvement.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, project management, finance, or related discipline is required.
• Advanced degree in a related area is required or preferred.

Responsibilities

• Project Portfolio Leadership & Delivery Oversight
• Guides the execution of complex projects to ensure business value and measurable outcomes.
• Manages a team of Project Managers responsible for delivering projects and initiatives across Service Operations.
• Provides strategic ownership of the Service Operations project portfolio, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, business objectives, available capacity, and delivery outcomes.
• Assigns project resources based on workload, expertise, project complexity, and organizational priorities.
• Directly manages high-impact, high-risk, or strategically significant projects as assigned.
• Serves as the primary escalation point for Project Managers, providing guidance and facilitating resolution of risks, issues, dependencies, and delivery challenges.
• Ensures project plans, schedules, reporting, and governance activities are maintained consistently across the portfolio.
• Partners with business leaders to evaluate project requests, make prioritization recommendations, and align project demand with available resources.
• Maintains visibility into portfolio health, milestone achievement, delivery risks, and resource capacity.
• Promotes effective stakeholder engagement, communication, and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Provides leadership with timely and accurate reporting regarding project status, risks, issues, dependencies, and anticipated outcomes
• Governance, Planning & Resource Management
• Oversees project intake, prioritization, and planning activities to ensure initiatives are appropriately evaluated and aligned to strategic objectives.
• Supports and promotes consistent utilization of the Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) platform to maintain portfolio transparency and reporting accuracy.
• Delivery Maturity, Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
• Conducts periodic project health reviews and quality assessments to identify risks, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Maintains project documentation, reporting, and records in accordance with regulatory requirements

Skills

People management

Education

Bachelor’s Degree Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, or related discipline

Advanced Degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, or other related area

Job description

Job Title: Mgr - Portfolio Planning and Execution

Status: Exempt

Reports to: Sr Manager - Portfolio Planning and Execution

Department: Operations Planning and Execution

Job Code: 12103

Pay Range: $124,700.00 - $140,000.00 Annually

Location: Hybrid in Sacramento CA

Who We Are

Golden 1 Credit Union is among the top credit unions in the country. As a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative, Golden 1 is guided by the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” We are committed to empowering our members and uplifting our communities as we create a more equitable and financially inclusive California. We welcome all who embrace our Core Values.

Who You Are

You are a collaborative leader who develops and empowers Project Managers, providing coaching, guidance, and direction to ensure successful project delivery and professional growth. You are a strategic partner who effectively balances project demand, resource capacity, and organizational priorities while building strong relationships with business leaders and stakeholders. You bring a continuous improvement mindset, leveraging portfolio insights, delivery metrics, and lessons learned to strengthen project management practices, improve transparency, and drive successful business outcomes.

What You'll Do

• Project Portfolio Leadership & Delivery Oversight
• Guides the execution of complex projects to ensure business value and measurable outcomes.
• Manages a team of Project Managers responsible for delivering projects and initiatives across Service Operations.
• Provides strategic ownership of the Service Operations project portfolio, ensuring alignment with strategic priorities, business objectives, available capacity, and delivery outcomes.
• Assigns project resources based on workload, expertise, project complexity, and organizational priorities.
• Directly manages high-impact, high-risk, or strategically significant projects as assigned.
• Serves as the primary escalation point for Project Managers, providing guidance and facilitating resolution of risks, issues, dependencies, and delivery challenges.
• Ensures project plans, schedules, reporting, and governance activities are maintained consistently across the portfolio.
• Partners with business leaders to evaluate project requests, make prioritization recommendations, and align project demand with available resources.
• Maintains visibility into portfolio health, milestone achievement, delivery risks, and resource capacity.
• Promotes effective stakeholder engagement, communication, and decision-making throughout the project lifecycle.
• Provides leadership with timely and accurate reporting regarding project status, risks, issues, dependencies, and anticipated outcomes
• Governance, Planning & Resource Management
• Ensures adherence to established project management methodologies, governance standards, and portfolio management practices.
• Oversees project intake, prioritization, and planning activities to ensure initiatives are appropriately evaluated and aligned to strategic objectives.
• Supports and promotes consistent utilization of the Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) platform to maintain portfolio transparency and reporting accuracy.
• Conducts periodic project health reviews and quality assessments to identify risks, gaps, and opportunities for improvement.
• Monitors project resource utilization and capacity to support balanced workload distribution and effective project delivery.
• Collaborates with leadership to identify portfolio risks, competing priorities, and resource constraints affecting successful delivery.
• Ensures project documentation, reporting, and records are maintained in accordance with organizational and regulatory requirements
• People Leadership & Talent Development
• Leads and develops a high-performing team of project professionals by setting clear performance standards, conducting regular coaching, identifying development opportunities, and reinforcing accountability for team and portfolio outcomes.
• Fosters a culture of collaboration, trust, psychological safety, and shared purpose, rooted in core values and inclusive leadership.
• Coaches team members to elevate skills in project delivery, risk management, stakeholder engagement, and strategic alignment.
• Provides clear direction, regular feedback, and structured development planning to support individual growth and career progression.
• Supports hiring, onboarding, role alignment, and workforce planning activities to ensure the team has the skills and capacity needed to support portfolio priorities.
• Drives accountability by setting clear performance expectations, monitoring progress, and addressing performance gaps through proactive coaching.
• Creates and adjusts performance improvement plans according to department strategy and goals; holds downstream accountable to expectations; exercises consistent performance management discipline and employee conduct expectations.
• Actively contributes to communities of practice and supports cross-functional knowledge sharing to elevate delivery maturity across Service Operations.
• Foster a positive and engaging work environment for each team member by promoting skill development, coaching for improvement and growth, inspiring others through your words and actions, ensuring positive employee morale throughout Golden 1.
• Develops understanding of industry trends and business needs to enhance business insights; develops knowledge of business and technology decision-making processes and increases organizational awareness.
• Delivery Maturity, Operational Excellence & Continuous Improvement
• Promotes a culture of continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to enhance delivery methods, frameworks, tools, and practices across Service Operations.
• Leads the adoption and scaling of reusable project artifacts and a common project language to improve efficiency and consistency.
• Guides project professionals in applying delivery best practices, leveraging lessons learned, and contributing to the evolution of Service Operations standards.
• Collaborates with peers and leaders to drive delivery maturity across Service Operations by sharing insights, surfacing improvement opportunities, and modeling new ways of working.
• Champions the use of the Strategic Portfolio Management (SPM) platform to foster transparency, strengthen portfolio reporting, and support a data-driven delivery culture.
• Supports transformation initiatives that improve organizational agility, operational effectiveness, and alignment with strategic goals.
• Helps shape and sustain Communities of Practice, encouraging knowledge sharing, capability building, and a learning-oriented team environment
• Provides senior leaders with an accurate view of challenges to adoption; recognizes, clarifies, and prioritizes concerns; engages key business sponsors to support change management activities
• Introduce enterprise or industry specific best practices or lessons learned that impact the organization and provide guidance to implement.
• Shapes change activities in projects and programs to support transformational activities across the credit union.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of state and federal laws and regulations related to credit union compliance including bank secrecy and anti-money laundering laws appropriate to the position.

Qualifications And Preferences

• Bachelor’s Degree Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, or related discipline is required. Advanced Degree in Business Administration, Project Management, Finance, or other related area required
• 7+ years combined experience in project portfolio management, project analysis, coordination, and management. 4 of these years must be in a people management capacity, overseeing project management and/or process improvement teams, in a medium-to-large organization, preferably within the financial services industry. required
• Experience managing complex projects end-to-end. required

Why Join Us

Golden 1 Credit Union provides its employees a market-competitive and internally equitable total rewards compensation package through a variety of programs. These programs are designed to attract, motivate, and retain employees that drive and support the achievement of Our Mission, Vision, and Strategic Goals. The Credit Union is committed a total rewards philosophy built on; a comprehensive compensation package, well-being and work-life balance, career development and growth, rewards and recognition, and a commitment to Diversity, Equity and Inclusion. We believe in fostering a workplace where every employee is recognized, valued, and motivated to contribute their best.

Disclaimer/Intent And Function Of Job Descriptions

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by team members within this classification. Because the nature of positions and job functions can change over time, this job description is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all essential functions, duties, responsibilities and qualifications requirements of team members assigned to this job. Job duties may be changed or modified in the Credit Union’s discretion. The Credit Union will keep team members updated on key functions, duties, and requirements of their position by communications from the Credit Union and by updating the job description from time to time. Any team member with questions about the nature of their job duties is encouraged to consult with their supervisor.