Director of Projects

The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH

3d

About The Position

The Director of Projects serves as a key liaison between the AVP of Facilities Design and Construction (FDC), project managers across the academic and auxiliary portfolios, institutional stakeholders, technical subject matter experts (SMEs), and external partners. This role holds direct accountability for the successful execution and outcomes of projects within the academic and auxiliaries’ team, as defined by the goals and expectations of university leadership, customers, and stakeholders. SME Leads will partner with the Director of Projects to provide technical assistance and mentoring to project managers and key projects which may require interface with customers, stakeholders, and university leaders. The senior director of projects plays a central role in bridging strategic planning with operational execution, acting as a bridge between strategic intent and operational delivery, the Director of Projects ensures that each project is executed in alignment with Ohio State’s mission, design and construction standards, and long-range physical planning goals. This role is central to delivering projects that are not only on time and within budget, but that also meet or exceed customer expectations and deliver tangible value to the university.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in architecture, engineering, construction management, project management, or related field.
• Minimum 10 years of progressively responsible experience managing large-scale capital projects in higher education, healthcare, or institutional environments.
• Demonstrated experience managing a project portfolio and leading a team of professional staff.
• Strong knowledge of project delivery methods (CMR, DBB, DB), construction processes, and public procurement practices.

Nice To Haves

• Minimum 12-15 years of supervisory or leadership experience and experience working within or in partnership with large public-sector institutions or universities
• Familiarity with State of Ohio OFCC guidelines and OSU technical standards.

Responsibilities

• Oversee the assignment of projects, workload balancing, and performance management of project managers and supporting project delivery staff.
• Establishes and enforces the consistent use of standardized project management processes, tools, templates, and reporting structures to ensure alignment with FDC protocols, university policies, and state regulatory requirements.
• Ensures rigorous documentation practices, transparent communication, and full financial accountability across the capital projects portfolio.
• Monitors and drives performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs), including schedule adherence, budget compliance, staffing efficiency, and client satisfaction, with a commitment to continuous improvement and exceeding targets.
• Leads oversight of a diverse capital project portfolio, ensuring alignment with Ohio State’s strategic capital priorities, funding frameworks, and space programming requirements.
• Conducts regular portfolio reviews to monitor progress, assess risk, identify emerging issues, and ensure timely escalation and appropriate resource allocation.
• Collaborate with Finance, Planning, Environmental Health and Safety (EHS), and Operations to ensure project transparency, accuracy of institutional reporting, compliance with applicable regulations, and seamless turnover of completed projects to operational teams.
• Supervises and supports a team of project managers with a focus on coaching, mentoring, accountability, and professional growth.
• Encourages collaboration, continuous learning, and a culture of responsiveness and service excellence.
• Leads recruitment in conjunction with the AVP of FDC, onboarding, and performance evaluations of project staff in coordination with HR and FDC.
• Serves as the primary point of contact for academic and auxiliaries team clients / stakeholders during project initiation, planning, and execution.
• Ensures that client expectations are clearly defined, actively managed, and translated into actionable scopes of work that align with university priorities, leadership objectives, approved budgets, and project schedules.
• Builds trusted relationships with university partners through transparent communication and results-driven leadership.
• Works in close partnership with SME Leads to ensure project managers are supported on technical, design, construction, construction, constructability, and code compliance issues.
• Leads coordination across internal roles to ensure seamless integration of administrative, technical, and operational efforts.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline workflows, reduce administrative burden, and improve project delivery outcomes.
• Supports the AVP and senior leadership in advancing initiatives related to digitization, process automation, and strategic project management practices.

Benefits

• Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Director
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees