Senior Program Manager

Princeton University seeks a Senior Program Manager who is knowledgeable and passionate about technology to lead project portfolio governance and program management for an extensive and complex set of enterprise-level technology infrastructure services projects.  

Princeton University’s technology infrastructure services are delivered through cloud-based and on-premise infrastructure and include the wireless and wired networks, IT service monitoring, identity, access and directory services, email infrastructure and web hosting platforms, integrated telephony services, compute and storage, the University’s main data centers and network hub sites, as well as IT support for the University’s critical infrastructure. Managing the full lifecycle of these services requires a robust and continuously evolving portfolio of projects ranging from small, short-term projects to larger-scale, multi-year initiatives.  

Reporting to the Director for Strategic Projects and Operations within Enterprise Infrastructure Services (EIS), and working closely with IT infrastructure service owners, you will manage EIS’s project portfolio and help ensure the department realizes its strategic objectives through its project delivery. The portfolio spans the full-service lifecycle. You will also lead EIS’s collaboration with the Office of Information Technology’s (OIT’s) central project management team, the Project and Technology Consulting Office (PATCO).

Leadership:

• Lead EIS sponsored collaborations with academic and administrative departments designed to standardize and bolster infrastructure management practices across campus 
• Chair and prepare for meetings with key stakeholders to ensure critical decisions affecting EIS’s highest priority strategic projects are made in a timely manner 
• Proactively assesses project and program management processes to identify and champion opportunities for continuous improvement 
• Demonstrate a commitment to fostering a diverse organization and an inclusive culture
  

Program and Project Management:

• Lead and project manage select high priority departmental projects 
• Lead efforts with service owners and project team members to assess project staffing requirements, funding needs, and cross-team dependencies to facilitate department-wide project portfolio and program management decisions 
• Partner with service owners responsible for EIS’s highest priority strategic projects to identify and escalate project issues and risks to the director for strategic projects and operations for timely remediation 
• Lead EIS’s twice per year project portfolio planning process to ensure new EIS projects aligned with EIS’s strategic priorities are identified, prioritized, and included in OIT’s interdepartmental project portfolio (IPP) planning process 
• Provide the EIS leadership team with a comprehensive and consolidated view into EIS’s project portfolio with schedule, staffing, funding, and other key insights highlighted for review 
• Ensure tools used to support EIS’s project and program management processes are kept up-to-date and evolve, as needed  
• Perform other special projects, project administration and operational duties, as requested 
• Maintain confidential data in the strictest confidence and ensure privacy, security, and proper use in accordance with University Information Security Policy 
• Help ensure project activities comply with asset, change, incident, and problem management processes and policies
  

Professional Development:

• Complete training and certifications to keep current with industry standard project and program management practices 
• Keep up to date on project management methodologies and lead efforts to ensure EIS incorporates relevant practices from new methodologies 
• Represent EIS Program Management at relevant conferences and participate in University peer groups for continuous learning and development in topics involving project and program management 

Essential Qualifications:

• 10+ years of project and program management experience with progressively increasing responsibilities 
• 5+ years of experience working in and supporting technology organizations 
• Excellent interpersonal skills, including identifying mutual interests and creating consensus among stakeholders
  
• Demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple complex initiatives and projects simultaneously
  
• Exceptional problem-solving skills; attention to detail coupled with the ability to think strategically using a data-informed approach 
• Demonstrated ability to gather, analyze, interpret, and present data, including financial information, for varying stakeholders and purposes 
• Strong ability to develop ideas and strategies to communicate with a stakeholder having various levels of technical proficiency  
• Understanding of the agile project management methodology and experience working on agile projects 
• Extensive knowledge of project management principles and methodologies 
• Familiarity with and enthusiasm for enabling artificial intelligence (AI) capabilities in a responsible way 
• Ability to work independently with high energy and self-initiative 
• Ability to communicate effectively across all levels of the organization  
• Ability to mobilize and lead teams toward a shared vision or goal 
• Strong facilitation and collaboration skills 
• Highly organized 
• Dedication to career and professional development 
• Education: Bachelor's degree, or equivalent work-related experience 

Preferred Qualifications:

• Management experience 
• Agile scrum master or other project management certification 
• Advanced degree preferred  

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS