IT Project Manager – Finance (CEMI)
About The Position
The Cornell Experience Modernization Initiative (CEMI) is a multi-year program designed to improve the experience of students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, patients, and partners by unifying and enhancing administrative systems and processes across all Cornell University locations. The CEMI Finance Team Project Manager is responsible for leading the Finance functional team to deliver critical process design and ERP functionality that will support the financial administration of Cornell University and all of its colleges, business units, and departments. This role will support a diverse group of stakeholders across central administration and university leadership. It will be responsible to balance technology requirements with institutional functions, policies, governance structures, and campus‑wide priorities. The CEMI Finance Team Project Manager oversees the full project lifecycle, including planning, requirements gathering, resource coordination, scheduling, risk management, communication, and implementation. They ensure project tasks are completed on time, within scope, and within budget while maintaining a strong focus on service excellence and end‑user experience. The Project Manager must be skilled in facilitating consensus, navigating complexity, and working with cross‑functional teams in a decentralized IT structures, shared services, and collaborative governance. Key strengths for this role include the ability to communicate effectively with both technical and non‑technical stakeholders, manage multiple projects simultaneously, and adapt to evolving institutional needs. The role requires a blend of technical understanding, project management expertise, stakeholder engagement, and the ability to support mission‑driven initiatives that advance teaching, learning, research, and operational effectiveness. This is a 2 year term appointment which may be ended or extended based on organizational needs, funding availability, and performance. While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.
Requirements
- Bachelor’s degree in information technology, business, project management, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- 3-5 years of project management experience, preferably within IT or technical environments.
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent projects of varying size, complexity, and scope.
- Strong understanding of project management methodologies (Agile, Waterfall, Hybrid).
- Experience coordinating cross‑functional technical teams.
- Strong analytical, organizational, and problem‑solving skills with sound judgment and attention to detail.
- Experience with requirements gathering, scope definition, scheduling, resource coordination, and risk management.
- Demonstrated skills in communication, negotiation, facilitation, and consensus‑building.
- Proven ability to build relationships, facilitate collaboration, manage stakeholder expectations, and lead teams without formal authority.
- Ability to work effectively in decentralized, matrixed, or higher‑education environments.
- Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage priorities, and adapt to shifting organizational needs.
- Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, MS Project, Smartsheet, Trello, Confluence, SharePoint, Teams).
- Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Nice To Haves
- Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Scrum Master (CSM), PMI‑ACP, or similar certification.
- Experience managing IT projects in a higher‑education environment.
- Experience with custom software development, web projects, or systems integrations.
- Knowledge of change management methodologies (e.g., Prosci/ADKAR).
- Experience working with vendors, contracts, and RFP processes.
- Understanding of accessibility, data privacy, and security standards applicable to higher education.
Responsibilities
- Define project scope, objectives, requirements, deliverables, and success criteria; develop detailed project plans and schedules.
- Coordinate cross‑functional technical and operational teams, monitor progress, and ensure timely delivery of project activities.
- Serve as the primary point of contact for project stakeholders; facilitate communication, manage expectations, and support effective decision‑making.
- Manage project scope, track milestones, maintain schedules, and monitor budgets; evaluate and document change requests.
- Identify risks early, develop mitigation strategies, resolve project issues, and escalate concerns as needed.
- Prepare and deliver project updates, status reports, dashboards, and documentation for diverse technical and non‑technical audiences.
- Ensure project deliverables meet functional, technical, accessibility, security, and policy requirements.
- Support vendor management, procurement activities, and internal resource allocation as appropriate.
- Facilitate project wrap‑up activities, including documentation, lessons learned, and transition to operational support teams.
- Provide feedback on processes, identify opportunities for enhancement, and collaborate with peers to strengthen standard methodologies across the organization.
Benefits
- Comprehensive health care options
- Generous retirement contributions
- Access to wellness programs
- Employee discounts with local and national retail brands
- Health and personal leave
- Three weeks of vacation
- 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
- Two additional floating holidays
- Tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program
- Tuition aid for external education
- Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
