JOB TITLE SUMMARY

Job Title: Director, Project Management Office

Division: Information Technology

Evaluation Group: Staff Administrator

FLSA Status: Exempt

Reports To: Director, Enterprise Systems and Application Development

Positions Supervised: Project Manager, Lead Business Analyst, Business Analyst, Project Coordinator

Job Summary

The Director of the Project Management Office (PMO) provides strategic leadership and oversight for all Information Technology (IT) Project Management Office (PMO) responsibilities at the University. This position is responsible for establishing, maturing, and continually improving project management standards, methodologies, and tools to ensure successful delivery of institutional IT initiatives.

Essential Job Functions and Performance Indicators

The intent of this job description is to provide a representation of the types of duties and level of responsibility that will be required of positions given this title. This job description shall not be construed as a declaration of the total of the specific duties and responsibilities of any particular position. Employees may be directed to perform job-related tasks other than those specifically presented in this description.

Job Responsibilities and Execution

• Establishes, maintains, and continuously improves PMO frameworks, methodologies, standards, and tools aligned with Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) and industry best practices
• Develops and enforces project management policies, procedures, and governance processes to ensure alignment with institutional IT strategy and priorities
• Manages the IT project portfolio, including intake, prioritization, resource allocation, and status reporting across all active and pipeline initiatives
• Participates in institutional IT governance committees to advocate for project priorities, resource needs, and policy decisions
• Develops and maintains a project management information system (PMIS) and ensures consistent use of project tracking tools across the PMO team
• Prepares and presents executive-level portfolio dashboards, activity reports, and progress updates for senior leadership and key stakeholders
• Conducts project audits and post-implementation reviews to identify lessons learned and drive continuous improvement
• Directly manages IT projects from initiation through closure, serving in a Senior Project Manager capacity as needed
• Oversees development of comprehensive project plans including scope, schedule, budget, resource, risk, communication, and change management components
• Leads cross-functional project teams, facilitating collaboration between IT departments and institutional stakeholders to deliver enterprise-class solutions on time and within budget
• Identifies, assesses, and proactively manages project risks, issues, and dependencies; escalates critical concerns to leadership with recommended mitigation strategies
• Manages vendor relationships and contract negotiations related to project delivery, professional services, and software implementations
• Facilitates project steering committees, working groups, and stakeholder engagement sessions to drive decision-making and maintain alignment
• Ensures proper project documentation, change control, and closure procedures are completed for all initiatives.

Leadership and Strategic Thinking

• Collaborates with the Information Technology eadership to prioritize, plan, and manage the strategic IT project portfolio
• Partners with IT management staff on enterprise-wide infrastructure, architecture, security, and capacity planning initiatives to ensure projects are appropriately resourced and sequenced
• Establishes long- and short-term strategic goals for the PMO based on assessment data, industry standards, and institutional priorities
• Adapts and modifies PMO methodology and team structure in response to new information, organizational changes, and evolving project demands
• Aligns PMO purpose and operations with university initiatives, IT strategic plans, and higher education technology trends

Employee Management and Development

• Supports the mission of the University and serves as an ambassador of the Q2 culture of service excellence
• Models, supports, and holds others accountable to the University9s values
• Recruits, interviews, recommends, welcomes, observes, and monitors performance of department staff
• Sets clear performance expectations and holds employees accountable
• Conducts annual employee evaluations based on evidence, observation, and feedback
• Fosters an inclusive, collaborative team environment that values diverse perspectives and professional growth
• Identifies professional development opportunities, mentors team members, and builds a high-performing, engaged PMO team
• Manages workload distribution and resource assignments across the team to optimize capacity and ensure project success
• Provides coaching and guidance to Project Managers and Business Analysts on complex problems, stakeholder dynamics, and professional growth

Job may require other duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications - An equivalent combination of education, training, and experience will be considered. Additional requirements may be designated by position.

• Bachelor9s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Computer Science, or related field
• Minimum of 10 years9 progressive experience in project management, including at least 3 years managing IT projects in a complex organizational environment
• Minimum of 3 years9 experience in a supervisory or people management role
• Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required; PMI-ACP, PgMP, or equivalent advanced certification strongly preferred
• Experience leading or building a Project Management Office

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities - May be representative, but not all inclusive, of the knowledge, skills, and abilities necessary to perform this job competently.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from diverse communities and cultures
• Comprehensive knowledge of Project Management Body of Knowledge (PMBOK) standards and methodologies; familiarity with Agile/Scrum frameworks
• Strong knowledge of business analysis practices, including requirements management, process modeling, and stakeholder facilitation
• Knowledge of IT Service Management (ITSM) and Information Technology Infrastructure Library (ITIL) frameworks
• Excellent analytical, critical thinking, and complex problem-solving skills
• Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to translate technical concepts for non-technical audiences
• Strong customer service orientation with demonstrated ability to build relationships and meet the needs of diverse departments
• Excellent attention to detail with the ability to manage and prioritize multiple projects and competing demands simultaneously
• Strong professional integrity and ability to maintain strict confidentiality
• Knowledge of costing, budgeting, and risk and financial analysis as applied to project and portfolio management
• Knowledge of quality assurance concepts, procedures, and project governance best practices
• Familiarity with enterprise project management tools and PMIS platforms (e.g., Smartsheet, MS Project, Jira, ServiceNow PPM)
• Knowledge of data analytics and performance management best practices as applied to portfolio reporting
• Skills in strategic planning, program analysis, and organizational change management
• Knowledge of security issues, crisis management, and business continuity as they relate to project delivery

Work Environment - Environmental or atmospheric conditions commonly associated with the performance of this job9s functions. Please click here to view Lindenwood University9s flexible work designation descriptions.

• General office setting
• Non-Standard Flex Schedule

Physical Abilities - The physical demands described below are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform this job9s essential functions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.

• Ability to work effectively at a computer for extended time daily
• Ability to sit/stand for extended periods of time
• Ability to lift/carry items commonly found in an office setting including, but not limited to, documents, laptops, keyboards, etc.
• Ability to use repetitive wrist, hand, and finger movements to type regularly
• Regular attendance is a necessary and essential function