Senior Project Manager Lead

Inside Higher Ed; Los Angeles (CA); Hybrid; USD 105,700 - 150,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Comprehensive benefits starting on day one

Flexible work arrangement

Professional development opportunities

Job summary

A leading educational institution in Los Angeles is seeking a Senior Project Manager Lead to oversee IT projects and ensure successful execution. The role requires at least 5 years of experience in project management and knowledge of organizational dynamics within large public universities. The Senior Project Manager will coordinate multi-workstream initiatives, manage risks, and utilize project management methodologies to meet strategic goals. A Bachelor's degree in a relevant field and certifications are preferred. Compensation ranges from $105,700 to $150,000 annually.

Qualifications

• 5 years experience in project management or related fields.
• Ability to lead teams in a management role.
• Thorough knowledge of project management principles.

Responsibilities

• Lead enterprise program delivery within the Project Management Office.
• Coordinate with cross-functional teams for seamless execution.
• Implement methodologies to optimize project efficiency.

Skills

Project management

Information technology

Data services

Application services

IT service management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Problem-solving skills

Education

Bachelor's Degree in information technology or related field

PgMP, PfMP, Agile Scrum, LEAN Six Sigma, ITIL, and/or OCM certification

Job description

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Department Summary

Situated on 419 acres, five miles from the Pacific Ocean, the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) is enriched by the cultural diversity of the dynamic greater Los Angeles area, as well as the geographic advantages of Southern California. One of the world’s preeminent public research universities, UCLA is an international leader in breadth and quality of academic, research, health care, wellness, cultural, continuing education and athletic programs, with more than 5,200 faculty members who teach approximately 47,500 students in the UCLA College and 12 professional schools. UCLA is consistently ranked among the top institutions nationally for research funding, having generated $1.7 billion in research grants and contracts in the last fiscal year alone. The Digital and Technology Solutions (DTS) department at UCLA is a vital part of the university community, providing essential technology services and support to ensure the campus can effectively pursue its mission. It is UCLA’s spirited tradition of thought leadership and commitment to excellence that enables an ambitious and resourceful approach to transforming our networked, ever-changing campus environment.

Position Summary

Strategy, Planning, and Operations leads and manages a large and complex portfolio of IT projects and programs while establishing partnerships and stakeholder engagement efforts with students, faculty, staff, and external partners on behalf of the IT organization. The Strategy, Planning, and Operations Office also manages organizational initiatives and efforts, including general administrative functions, financial management and budgeting, vendor management and licensing, billing, internal communications, department human resources, talent management, and culture development. The Enterprise Program Management team operates as a centralized, strategic IT function that works with IT executives and key university decision makers to facilitate the strategic alignment, planning, prioritization, and value realization of all enterprise-wide IT projects, programs, and portfolio planning and management activities. The Senior Project Manager Lead will lead enterprise program and project delivery within the Enterprise Program Management Office and is responsible for executing comprehensive program plans, outlining program objectives, scope, timelines, budgets, and resource allocation for large, multi‑workstream IT efforts. The role coordinates with cross‑functional teams and stakeholders to ensure seamless execution of complex program activities, identifies and mitigates potential risks and issues throughout the program lifecycle, tracks and monitors program progress, ensures milestones are met and deliverables are completed on time and within budget, and implements best practices and methodologies, including Agile and change management, to optimize project efficiency and effectiveness. The Senior Project Manager Lead evaluates program success and performance, identifies opportunities for continuous improvement, and aligns outcomes with the university’s strategic goals, providing day‑to‑day oversight of team activities to ensure accountability, alignment, and progress across all workstreams.

Salary & Compensation

• UCLA provides a full pay range. Actual salary offers consider factors, including budget, prior experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business considerations. Salary offers at the top of the range are not common. Visit UC Benefit package to discover benefits that start on day one, and UC Total Compensation Estimator to calculate the total compensation value with benefits.

Qualifications

• 5 years Experience working in one or more of the following fields: project management, information technology, data services, application services, IT service management, or related. (Required)
• Experience participating in activities to advance an inclusive environment that values equity, diversity, inclusion and belonging. (Required)
• Experience working in a project‑based environment using leading project management practices including schedule management, status reporting, and communication. (Required)
• 7+ years Experience working in one or more of the following fields: project management, information technology, data services, application services, IT service management, or related. (Preferred)
• Experience in complex higher education environments, serving academic and administrative functions of a large public university. (Preferred)
• 2+ years Experience leading teams in a management or leadership role, particularly in a fast‑paced, service‑oriented environment. (Preferred)
• Thorough knowledge of project management principles, theories, and concepts. (Required)
• Effective skill at tracking effort and project progress. Demonstrated highly advanced organization and project management skills. Demonstrated strong conceptual and planning skills to analyze projects of broad and diverse scope. (Required)
• Demonstrated capacity to anticipate obstacles and plan for contingencies. Understands the cost impact of projects, project tracking tools and metrics. (Required)
• Demonstrated attention to detail. Demonstrated ability to determine relevance and prioritize tasks. (Required)
• Demonstrated competency in selecting and implementing project management methods and techniques. (Required)
• Demonstrated ability to integrate critical information across disciplines. Understands how projects relate to other business strategies and initiatives. (Required)
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and is able to communicate complex technical ideas to a diverse community of colleagues and stakeholders. Can relay technical information to audiences of technical and non‑technical stakeholders. (Required)
• Able to establish and advance positive working relationships and a strong rapport with a diverse community of colleagues including team members, stakeholders, and customers. (Required)
• Advanced organizational skills and is able to balance competing priorities and deliver concurrent projects to various stakeholder types. (Required)
• Advanced problem‑solving skills; ability to uncover root of difficult problems and scope solutions based on knowledge of available resources and timelines as well as awareness of vision and strategy. Seeks information from multiple and diverse sources to inform solutions. (Required)
• Thinks creatively and introduces innovations such as the incorporation of new technologies or processes. Thrives in an ever‑changing, fast‑paced environment. (Required)
• Demonstrated ability to supervise and mentor staff. (Required)

Education, Licenses, Certifications & Personal Affiliations

• Bachelor's Degree or equivalent combination of experience/training in one or more of the following fields: information technology, computer science, public administration, business administration. (Required)
• PgMP, PfMP, Agile Scrum, LEAN Six Sigma, ITIL, and/or OCM certification (Preferred)

Special Conditions for Employment

• This is a three‑year contract appointment. This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement that includes regular visits to campus as needed (for those who work remotely, travel/lodging expenses are not eligible for reimbursement). The anticipated pay range for this position is $105,700 - $150,000, annually; salary is dependent upon the skills and experience of the selected finalist.
• NOTE: This position REQUIRES that a RESUME and COVER LETTER be submitted in addition to the application. Please have these two files ready to upload when applying.
• Background Check: Continued employment is contingent upon the completion of a satisfactory background investigation.
• Live Scan Background Check: A Live Scan background check must be completed prior to the start of employment.

Schedule

8 a.m. to 5 p.m., Pacific Time, Monday‑Friday and/or variable based on operational needs.

Union/Policy Covered

99-Policy Covered