Transformation Manager

PeopleAdmin, Inc.; Chapel Hill (NC); On-site; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

UNC-Chapel Hill is seeking a Transformation Manager to lead university-wide improvement efforts across Operational Excellence. You will steer projects from definition through implementation, collaborating with faculty, staff and students to identify high-impact opportunities and measurable outcomes.

The role emphasizes change management, stakeholder engagement, and data-driven decision making to deliver tangible process improvements across campus.

Qualifications

• Master’s and 1-2 years’ experience; or Bachelors and 2-4 years’ experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution

Responsibilities

• Provide leadership and direction for projects that will transform the University’s operations.
• Define project scope through interviews and data analysis, identifying opportunities aligned with priorities.
• Work with faculty, staff, and students to identify high-impact opportunities and scope work.
• Facilitate structured solution design with diverse campus perspectives and plan implementation.
• Oversee project and change management during execution and monitor deliverables.
• Track metrics to measure success and drive tangible improvements.

Skills

Strategic leadership

Project management

Change management

Communication

Facilitation

Data analysis

Stakeholder management

Education

Master’s degree

Bachelor's degree

Tools

Microsoft PowerPoint

Microsoft Excel

Job description

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC -Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Operational Excellence applies a holistic lens to solving campus-wide challenges and advancing opportunities to improve administrative and operational functions supporting the University’s mission. Operating in three buckets, Operational Excellence plans and executes executive level projects, transforms administrative operations, and develops continuous improvement competencies campus-wide.

Position Summary

The Operational Excellence (OE) team acts as a catalyst for change and a champion of transformation to support the University’s mission of teaching, research, and public service. The OE Transformation Manager is a full-time, permanent staff member on the OE team working across Carolina to lead and ensure the overall success of projects initiated by the Office of the Chancellor or Provost. Depending on the complexity and/or scope of the project, the Transformation Manager may be responsible for only one project at a time or may lead two to three projects. Primary Responsibilities include, but are not limited to, the following: Transformational Leadership: Provide leadership and direction for projects that will transform the University’s operations. Provide strategic thought partnership and share best practices with university leaders, leveraging the knowledge and experience of the Operational Excellence team. Project Definition: Research problems from every angle through interviews and data analysis, then define a project to address the root cause. Work with faculty, staff, and students to identify opportunities that align with the University’s priorities and are high-impact or add significant value. Meet with subject matter experts to define, scope, and prioritize projects. Work with the Associate Vice Chancellor for Operational Excellence and Chief Transformation and Integration Officer to understand the goal of each project, what success looks like, and how it can be measured. Solution Design: Facilitate structured solution design for complex challenges by bringing together diverse perspectives from across campus to evaluate a problem, design a solution, and plan for implementation. Provide guidance on feasibility and impact of proposed solutions. Implementation (Project and Change Management): Provide dedicated support for initiating and implementing a change. Oversee the implementation of complex university-wide or high priority projects. Monitor deliverables throughout the project lifecycle to ensure completeness, consistency, and quality. Identify and track metrics to measure success. Deliver tangible and quantifiable process and operational improvements. Manage the people side of change to ensure successful implementation, adoption, and reinforcement. Introduce tools and methodologies that enable continuous quality improvement. Proactively flag issues or barriers to success and work with the project team to create a relevant action plan.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

Master’s and 1-2 years’ experience; or Bachelors and 2-4 years’ experience; or will accept a combination of related education and experience in substitution

Required Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

None

Preferred Qualifications, Competencies, and Experience

The successful candidate will have a demonstrated understanding of complex enterprise-wide projects and/or strategic and operational reviews, preferably within a higher education or non-profit environment.

• Excellent problem-solving skills, ability to help others organize problem solving and act
• Project management experience, preferably with organizational metrics component
• Change management experience, preferably certification
• Excellent interpersonal communication skills
• Group facilitation and presentation skills
• An ability to distill insights from multiple sources of information into an executive-level overview
• An ability to influence others, even without direct management responsibility
• An analytical orientation, comfortable with understanding inputs to metrics and setting realistic targets
• An ability to establish strong standing and respect within the organization
• A strong understanding of business and policy issues faced by organizations in higher education
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft PowerPoint and Excel

Special Physical/Mental Requirements

Campus Security Authority Responsibilities

Department Contact Name and Title

Karen West, HR and Business Ops. Specialist

Department Contact Telephone or Email

Office of Human Resources Contact Information

If you experience any problems accessing the system or have questions about the application process, please contact the Office of Human Resources at [phone] or send an email to [e-mail]
Please note: The Office of Human Resources will not be able to provide specific updates regarding position or application status.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume
• Cover Letter

Optional Documents

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the response below that describes your level of education that best or most closely satisfies the education requirements for this position.
  • Bachelor’s degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Bachelor's degree in any field/discipline
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in required discipline(s) listed or related field
  • Master's degree or Doctorate degree in any field/discipline
  • None of the above