PROJECT DIRECTOR
Talking Stick Resort
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Job summary
Talking Stick Resort in Scottsdale seeks a Project Director to lead enterprise-wide strategic initiatives across gaming, hospitality, and operations. This role directs multiple complex projects, aligning with CEO priorities to ensure on-time, on-budget delivery with measurable results.
The position requires strong leadership, change management, and governance experience, with the ability to influence through collaboration.
Qualifications
- HS/GED required; Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, or related field.
- Minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience in large-scale projects or operations.
- Experience collaborating directly with executive leadership and senior stakeholders.
- Proven track record leading enterprise-wide initiatives across multiple locations.
Responsibilities
- Lead enterprise-wide projects and initiatives aligned with CEO priorities.
- Develop project charters, governance structures, budgets, and success metrics.
- Partner with executive leadership to identify opportunities for improvement and innovation.
- Monitor timelines, budgets, resources, risks, and deliverables.
- Oversee project documentation, status reporting, and executive communications.
- Mentor Project Managers and develop future leaders.
Skills
Education
Tools
Job description
The Project Director serves as the enterprise leader responsible for directing and executing high-impact strategic initiatives across the Gaming Enterprises. This position oversees a portfolio of complex projects that support organizational growth, operational excellence, guest experience enhancement, technology transformation, regulatory compliance, capital investments, and strategic business objectives.
Job Title: Project Director
Department: Administration
Gaming License: Class III
FLSA Status: Exempt
Reports To: Chief Executive Officer
The Project Director serves as the enterprise leader responsible for directing and executing high-impact strategic initiatives across the Gaming Enterprises. This position oversees a portfolio of complex projects that support organizational growth, operational excellence, guest experience enhancement, technology transformation, regulatory compliance, capital investments, and strategic business objectives.
Working directly with the CEO and executive leadership team, the Project Director provides enterprise-wide project governance, creates alignment across departments and properties, and ensures initiatives are completed on time, within budget, and with measurable business results. The role requires exceptional leadership, business acumen, change management expertise, and the ability to influence outcomes through collaboration rather than direct authority.
The Project Director acts as a trusted advisor to executive leadership and serves as the central point of coordination for strategic projects impacting gaming operations, hospitality, food and beverage, hotel operations, technology, marketing, finance, human resources, facilities, public safety, and other support functions.
Directly manages the Program Managers and is responsible for the overall direction and development of these Team Members. Carries out supervisory responsibilities in accordance with the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include interviewing, hiring, and training Team Members; planning, assigning, and directing work; appraising performance; rewarding and disciplining Team Members; addressing complaints and resolving problems.
The Gaming Enterprises are committed to the employment and advancement of Enrolled Community Members (ECMs) of the SRP-MIC. The Gaming Enterprises’ Pathways to Success Program is a comprehensive program designed to provide ECMs with quality casino work experience, educational opportunities and to prepare them to become the Gaming Enterprises’ future leaders. Pathways to Success is designed to foster the participant’s preparedness for success on the job.
A Director level leader is expected to actively support ECMs in their professional and academic goals through:
- Strategic Oversight: Set strategic priorities for ECM development in alignment with organizational objectives. Ensure that developmental initiatives are integrated into departmental plans.
- Culture Building: Foster a culture that values continuous learning, professional advancement, and the sharing of knowledge across teams.
- Cross-Team Initiatives: Champion and facilitate cross-functional developmental programs, promoting collaboration and the exchange of best practices.
- Program Evaluation: Regularly assess the effectiveness of the Pathways to Success programs, soliciting feedback and making data-driven improvements.
- Leadership Pipeline: Identify and nurture high-potential talent, preparing future leaders through targeted development opportunities.
- Lead enterprise-wide projects and initiatives aligned with organizational strategic goals and CEO priorities.
- Develop project charters, business cases, governance structures, implementation plans, and success metrics.
- Partner with executive leadership to identify opportunities for operational improvement, innovation, and organizational effectiveness.
- Prioritize projects based on strategic value, risk, resource requirements, and organizational impact.
- Translate executive vision into actionable project plans and measurable outcomes.
- Ensure project objectives support long-term organizational growth and sustainability.
- Direct the planning, execution, monitoring, and completion of large and complex projects across multiple locations.
- Establish and maintain enterprise project management standards, methodologies, tools, and reporting frameworks.
- Monitor project scope, timelines, budgets, resources, risks, and deliverables.
- Ensure project teams maintain accountability for milestones and commitments.
- Facilitate resolution of barriers, competing priorities, and resource constraints.
- Oversee project documentation, status reporting, and executive communications.
- Establish governance structures that create consistency across all locations while supporting operational needs unique to each department or property.
- Coordinate cross-functional leadership teams to ensure alignment on priorities and execution plans.
- Facilitate executive steering committees and project governance meetings.
- Develop escalation protocols and decision-making frameworks for enterprise initiatives.
- Monitor project compliance with organizational policies, regulatory requirements, and internal controls.
- Collaborate with Finance and Operations leaders to develop project budgets and financial forecasts.
- Analyze project costs, ROI, business benefits, and resource utilization.
- Monitor project expenditures and financial performance throughout implementation.Provide recommendations regarding prioritization and allocation of organizational resources.
- Support capital project planning and execution across gaming, hospitality, and support operations.
- Lead organizational change efforts associated with strategic initiatives.
- Develop stakeholder engagement, communication, and adoption strategies.
- Assess organizational readiness and address resistance proactively.
- Ensure leaders and team members receive the information and support necessary for successful implementation.
- Promote a culture of continuous improvement and innovation.
- Prepare executive dashboards, status reports, presentations, and strategic recommendations.
- Present project updates and business insights to the CEO, executive leadership team, and Board of Directors as assigned.
- Communicate project risks, issues, accomplishments, and critical decisions clearly and effectively.
- Provide data-driven recommendations to support executive decision-making.
- Develop and maintain productive relationships with internal and external stakeholders.
- Coordinate activities among consultants, contractors, technology partners, and vendors.
- Negotiate project deliverables, timelines, and expectations.
- Ensure vendor performance aligns with contractual and operational requirements.
- Lead project teams and cross-functional workgroups to accomplish strategic objectives.
- Foster collaboration, accountability, and shared ownership across departments.
- Develop future leaders by mentoring project team members and emerging leaders.
- Support organizational talent initiatives and leadership development programs.
- Champion a culture of learning, innovation, and continuous improvement.
- Identify opportunities to improve business processes, operational efficiency, and guest experiences.
- Establish performance metrics and evaluate project effectiveness.
- Conduct post-implementation reviews and incorporate lessons learned into future initiatives.
- Benchmark industry practices and recommend enhancements aligned with organizational goals.
HS/GED required. Bachelor's degree in Business Administration, Project Management, or related field required; or a minimum 10 years of progressive leadership experience managing large-scale business projects, strategic initiatives, or operational transformations; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Minimum 5 years of leadership experience in gaming, hospitality, resort operations, healthcare, entertainment, or similarly complex service environments.
Experience collaborating directly with executive leadership and senior stakeholders.
Demonstrated success leading enterprise-wide initiatives involving multiple departments and locations.
- Project Management Professional (PMP)
- Program Management Professional (PgMP)
- Lean Six Sigma Certification
- Change Management Certification (Prosci or equivalent)
To perform this job successfully, an individual should have knowledge of Project Management software; Spreadsheet software and Word Processing software.
Must have a positive personal image with strong administrative, computer and communications skills. Must have strong people management and analytical skills.
Must be able to read, write, speak and understand English.
The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by a Team Member to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this Job, the Team Member is regularly required to stand for prolonged periods of time; walk; use hands and fingers to handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms; climb or balance; stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl and talk or hear. The Team Member must regularly lift and /or move up to 50 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception and ability to adjust focus.
The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those a Team Member encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
While performing the duties of this Job, the Team Member is regularly exposed to moving mechanical parts; high, precarious places. The Team Member is occasionally exposed to outside weather conditions and risk of electrical shock. The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate and occasionally loud.
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