Project Manager- Hybrid- Genesco

Genesco Inc.; Nashville (TN); On-site; USD 110,000 - 140,000; Full time

Job summary

Genesco Inc. is seeking a Project Manager to turn approved initiatives into clear, decision-ready project packages. You will define scope, requirements, value, costs, resources, milestones, risks, and approvals aligned with PMO standards.

The role leads mobilization, governance, and readiness before handing a structured package to delivery teams. The ideal candidate has 6+ years of IT project management experience, preferably in retail or fashion, with strong stakeholder influence and experience

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in IT, Business Administration, Project Management, or related field, or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of progressive IT project management experience with success in initiation, discovery, planning, governance, and executive support.
• Experience in fast-paced retail, fashion, or footwear environments preferred.
• Experience managing internal, vendor, and offshore teams.
• Strong knowledge of PMO stage gates, financial approvals, risk and dependency management, and vendor delivery models.
• PMO or project governance certifications (PMP, Agile, ITIL) preferred.
• Excellent facilitation, organization, communication, and stakeholder-influence skills.

Responsibilities

• Lead discovery and turn concepts into project definitions, high-level plans, timelines, budgets, resource needs, scope, requirements, milestones, and deliverables.
• Guide approved initiatives through financial governance, approvals, and PMO stage gates.
• Coordinate stakeholders across business, IT, and vendors; brief internal or outsourced delivery teams.
• Deliver concise status updates on risks, dependencies, and readiness during mobilization and handoff.
• Support governance continuity across regions while accommodating regional requirements.

Skills

Project management

Stakeholder management

Vendor management

Team coordination

PMO governance

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Job description

The Ideal Candidate

The Project Manager turns approved, prioritized initiatives into clear, decision-ready project packages. Starting with an initial concept or developing brief, this role defines the scope, requirements, expected value, costs, resources, milestones, risks, dependencies, and approvals in alignment with consistent PMO standards.

This role leads initiatives through mobilization, project readiness, financial governance, and project-methodology stage gates before handing a structured package to the assigned delivery project manager or execution team. Primarily focused on the United States, the Project Manager may also manage or coordinate early-stage projects in the United Kingdom, oversee multiple projects at once, and align business, IT, TCS, and vendor stakeholders without owning the full delivery lifecycle.

How You Will Make an Impact

Project Mobilization & Planning

• Take ownership once an initiative is approved or prioritized through the portfolio process, and redirect unapproved ideas to the appropriate sponsor or portfolio leader.
• Lead discovery and turn concepts into project definitions, high-level plans, timelines, budgets, resource needs, scope, requirements, milestones, and deliverables.
• Build and maintain clear qualification and business-case information, including classification, value, sizing, assumptions, participants, suppliers, costs, and expected outcomes.
• Identify inherited deadlines, assess the rationale behind them, and document constraints, dependencies, and critical-path considerations.
• Establish initial risk and dependency information, and coordinate early actions to remove barriers and prepare the work for delivery.
• Validate information and assumptions with sponsors and stakeholders, then confirm shared understanding.

Governance & Decision Readiness

• Guide approved initiatives through established financial governance, required approvals, and project-methodology stage gates.
• Use consistent templates, definitions, and information standards so leaders can compare initiatives at the same level of detail.
• Coordinate the people accountable for business, financial, functional, technical, security, and vendor input; complete the work directly when appropriate and ensure required decisions are made.
• Deliver concise updates on status, risks, dependencies, and readiness during mobilization, and elevate unresolved gaps or decisions.
• Support consistent governance across United States and United Kingdom initiatives while accommodating approved regional requirements.

Stakeholder Coordination & Delivery Handoff

• Engage the right stakeholders, organize fragmented information, facilitate decisions, and secure sponsor confirmation.
• Coordinate early exploration of solution approaches, participants, suppliers, indicative costs, and functional and technical deliverables.
• Set readiness and handoff criteria, assemble the project package, and brief the assigned internal or outsourced delivery project manager and execution team.
• Stay connected after handoff to clarify assumptions, support governance continuity, and resolve mobilization issues without managing day-to-day delivery.

Experience and Skills You'll Bring

• Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field, or equivalent experience.
• 6+ years of progressive IT project management experience, with a track record of success in project initiation, discovery, planning, governance, and executive decision support.
• Experience in fast-paced retail, fashion, or footwear environments is preferred.
• Experience managing internal, vendor, and offshore teams.
• Experience creating project definitions, business cases, high-level plans, budgets, resource models, risk information, and governance materials.
• Strong knowledge of PMO stage gates, financial approval processes, risk and dependency management, and outsourced or vendor-supported delivery models.
• Excellent facilitation, organization, communication, and stakeholder-influence skills, with the confidence to challenge assumptions and drive decisions.
• Ability to create structure from ambiguity and manage multiple concurrent project mobilizations across functions, regions, and technologies.
• PMP, Agile, ITIL, or a related certification is preferred; retail or wholesale experience is a plus.
• A self-motivated, highly organized, and detail-oriented approach, with the ability to work independently in a fast-paced environment.
• Occasional after-hours support and travel may be required.

Why You'll Love Working Here

• Day-one medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Day-one 401(k) eligibility with company match and rollover options for existing retirement accounts
• 40% employee discount across all Genesco-owned brands and retail concepts
• Paid time off
• Nine paid holidays plus one floating holiday
• Life and disability insurance
• Flexible spending and health savings account options
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)