Portfolio Manager I

University of South Florida•Tampa, FL

About The Position

PRIMARY PURPOSE: The Portfolio Manager I supports the prioritization and progression of IT requests through USF's intake and governance processes. They contribute to maximizing impact by helping make work visible, supporting clarity, and reinforcing process quality. In this role, they assist in identifying and tracking valuable work, coordinating governance activities, and escalating issues that may block progress. They are learning to activate flow and decision-making by supporting experienced Portfolio Managers, while helping others improve the quality of requests and increase alignment to USF's strategic goals. This role is pivotal in enabling and operating lean-agile delivery, supporting the Agile Transformation Office’s (ATO) efforts to provide agile training, coaching, tools, and governance. The position works closely with Product Managers and Release Train Engineers (RTEs) to enhance agile practices and align with SAFe principles. ORGANIZATIONAL SUMMARY: Located in the vibrant and diverse Tampa Bay region of Florida’s gulf coast, the University of South Florida (USF) is a Preeminent State Research University with campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and Sarasota-Manatee. Rated as one of the top places to live in the U.S., Tampa Bay offers a high quality of life, year-round sunshine, and easy access to top-rated entertainment. USF is one of the nation’s largest public universities, serving more than 50,000 students with an annual budget of $1.8 billon. Over the past five years, USF has been the fastest-rising university in the nation, public or private, on the U.S. News and World Report's list of best universities, which it ranks as the 44 th best public university in America. USF is proud to be an innovating partner within the Tampa Bay region, listed by Forbes as the top emerging tech city in the country. USF Information Technology (USF IT) provides technology services and support for the University of South Florida. The IT team, led by the Vice President and CIO, provides the following services: Administrative Services, Client Support, Communication Services, Teaching and Learning, Analytics and Reporting, Mobile and Web Services, Consulting Services, Cybersecurity Service and Research Technologies. For more information, please visit : Information Technology | University of South Florida (usf.edu) ADDITIONAL INFO FOR APPLICANTS: The selected candidate must have current work authorization in the United States. This position is not eligible for Visa Sponsorship. USF offers GREAT BENEFITS to full time employees!! Medical Insurance Dental Insurance Vision Insurance Paid Vacation Days Paid Sick Days 11 Paid Holidays Various Retirement Options , including 401K employer match Tuition Assistance (available for yourself, spouse, partner or dependent) For more information about your total compensation package and other USF benefits, please visit: Work at USF

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in Business, Engineering, Computer Science, or an IT-related field, OR 4 years of IT or project management experience, or a combination of relevant experience and education.
Communication
Collaboration
Organization

Responsibilities

Flow Leadership: Ensures the consistent flow of requests by applying portfolio management standards with primary accountability for the process from request initiation through prioritization. Utilizes metrics in accordance with ATO standards (such as Flow Time) to keep requests consistently moving through the portfolio.
Portfolio Governance: Ensures that requests meet standards based on governance as they enter and exit processes within the portfolio. Support facilitation of governance events (e.g., backlog reviews) and help document decisions and ensure resolution of action items.
Coaching & Enablement: Provide coaching to support stakeholders of and roles involved in the processes for requests within the portfolio to be approved and prioritized. Maintain standardized documentation and templates for artifacts that are part of the processes to manage requests through the portfolio.
Portfolio Reviews & Continuous Improvement: Prepare data and materials for Portfolio Reviews. Document key outcomes and help track follow-up actions. Support retrospective activities by gathering feedback and identifying minor improvements.
Strategic Relationships & Communication: Maintain intake tracking systems and help prepare reports and status updates. Respond to stakeholder questions with timely updates under supervision.
Performs other duties as assigned.