Manager, Project and Change Management

Western Governors University•Salt Lake, UT

20h

About The Position

Leads a team of project managers while also actively practicing project and change management. This role is intentionally designed as a lead while doing position: the manager models excellent project management, change leadership, and stakeholder engagement while developing a high trust, high accountability team culture. This leader reports to the Senior Vice President in the School of Business and partners closely with senior leadership, academic stakeholders, and cross functional teams to ensure that initiatives are clear, ready, well communicated, and aligned before change enters or exits the school. This role balances people leadership, hands on project and change execution, and strategic influence in a highly matrixed environment.

Requirements

Demonstrated ability to lead people with empathy, clarity, and accountability while remaining actively engaged in project work
Strong project and change management expertise, including risk management and organizational readiness
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly, concisely, and appropriately for diverse audiences
Deep experience with stakeholder engagement, communications, and relationship‑building
Ability to act as a thoughtful gatekeeper for change, balancing speed with readiness and clarity
Proven ability to coach, mentor, and motivate teams through complexity and change
Excellent judgment, decision‑making, and problem‑solving skills
Ability to work effectively and influence outcomes in a highly matrixed environment
Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously
Strong judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to navigate complex constraints and build alignment on workable tradeoffs.
Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Smartsheet, with the ability to use these tools to manage, analyze, and communicate project information effectively
Bachelor’s degree in a related field
Demonstrated experience leading people and teams while actively managing projects and change
Broad management knowledge with advanced practical expertise in project and change management

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree in a related field.
A PMP or similar certification is welcome but not required. Greater value is placed on demonstrated practice in leading people with care, managing change effectively, and delivering complex work successfully.
Extensive hands‑on experience with stakeholder engagement and communications
Experience in higher education or similarly complex, regulated environments.

Responsibilities

Leads, coaches, and develops a team of project managers while also directly managing complex, high‑impact projects and change initiatives.
Models strong project management practices by actively participating in project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, risk management, and closure.
Establishes a culture of trust, motivation, accountability, and care where team members feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow.
Provides regular, actionable feedback and mentorship focused on both performance outcomes and professional development.
Serves as a change and project leader and change and project manager, ensuring organizational readiness, clarity of scope, and alignment before initiatives move forward.
Acts as a gatekeeper for senior leadership and academic partners by ensuring change does not move in or out of the school unless it is clearly defined, well‑planned, and appropriately communicated.
Identifies, assesses, and actively manages risks, dependencies, and constraints across projects and initiatives.
Uses quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, translating insights into practical recommendations and actions.
Proactively resolves issues and removes obstacles at any phase of the project life cycle.
Builds and sustains strong, trust‑based relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders, academic partners, and cross‑functional teams.
Leads thoughtful stakeholder engagement strategies that prioritize transparency, clarity, and collaboration.
Ensures consistent, timely, and meaningful communication regarding project status, risks, decisions, and change impacts.
Translates complex initiatives into clear narratives that help stakeholders understand the “why,” “what,” and “how” of change.
Partners with School and University leadership to support decision‑making, prioritization, and execution of strategic initiatives.
Collaborates across departments to align projects with institutional goals, operational plans, and student experience outcomes.
Champions continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, tools, and ways of working.
Influences without authority in a matrixed organization, balancing competing priorities while maintaining momentum and alignment.
Ensures quality, consistency, and effectiveness of project management and change practices across the team.
Establishes and upholds clear performance expectations, metrics, and accountability structures.
Provides regular reporting and updates on project health, change readiness, risks, and delivery targets.

Benefits

bonuses
medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare
health savings account and flexible spending account
basic and voluntary life insurance
disability coverage
accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages
legal and identity theft coverage
retirement savings plan
wellbeing program
discounted WGU tuition
flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave