Executive Director, Enterprise Programs and Governance

Reporting directly to the Chief Information Officer, the Executive Director of Portfolio Management and Governance serves as the senior leader responsible for the successful execution of the university's strategic technology initiatives. The position provides executive leadership for enterprise portfolio management, governance, project delivery, organizational change management, and institutional transformation across the university. The Executive Director ensures that institutional priorities move efficiently from strategy through execution by aligning governance, project management, stakeholder engagement, change management, and executive reporting. This leader partners closely with academic and administrative leadership to guide complex, cross-functional initiatives that advance the university's strategic objectives. The Project Management Office (PMO) and Change Management Office (CMO) report directly to this position.

Responsibilities

Provide executive leadership for the university's enterprise technology portfolio; Develop and maintain an enterprise portfolio management framework; Lead executive portfolio reviews; Drive institutional execution by ensuring strategic initiatives progress from approval through measurable outcomes; Establish enterprise metrics and KPIs for project delivery, organizational adoption, and portfolio success; Partner with university leadership to evaluate emerging initiatives, prioritize investments, and balance competing institutional needs; Serve as executive sponsor for high-impact cross-functional technology initiatives; Assist the CIO in implementation and oversight of ITS strategic plan initiatives; Supervise directors and program directors; Lead and mentor the PMO Director and project management staff; Establish enterprise project management standards, methodologies, templates, and best practices; Ensure appropriate project staffing, resource planning, scheduling, budgeting, and delivery; Oversee customer engagement, project quality assurance, and executive reporting; Remove organizational barriers that impede successful project execution; Provide executive leadership for organizational change management strategies; Lead the Change Management Office and provide strategic direction; Develop enterprise-wide change management frameworks; Ensure communication, stakeholder engagement, training, readiness, and adoption strategies are integrated into every major initiative; Oversee the university's technology governance structure including Workday, Salesforce, Slate committees; Facilitate executive decision-making regarding project prioritization, funding, and resource allocation; Present recommendations, portfolio updates, and strategic analyses to executive leadership

Requirements

Bachelor's degree required; Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required; Ten or more years of progressively responsible leadership experience overseeing enterprise project portfolios and organizational transformation; Demonstrated success leading large-scale enterprise implementations, including ERP, CRM, digital experience, or other institution-wide initiatives; Extensive experience leading Project Management Offices and organizational change management programs; Experience developing governance structures, executive steering committees, and portfolio management processes; Exceptional executive communication, presentation, facilitation, and relationship-building skills; Demonstrated ability to influence senior leaders and navigate complex organizational environments; Experience managing strategic vendor relationships and enterprise procurement processes

Nice to have

Master's degree preferred; Experience within higher education or another similarly complex, decentralized organization; Experience leading enterprise digital transformation initiatives; Familiarity with Workday, Salesforce, enterprise data platforms, website modernization, and cloud technologies; Experience overseeing organizational change across multiple business units; Proven ability to build high-performing teams while fostering a collaborative and service-oriented culture