Portfolio Manager

Focus on the Family•Colorado Springs, CO

48d•$95,800 - $111,892•Onsite

About The Position

The Portfolio Manager position exists to own the process by which strategy is developed, scored, and governed across the portfolio of constituent-facing programs and initiatives. This role does not own the content of individual program strategies; instead, it designs, operates, and continuously improves the systems, frameworks, and decision rights (including scoring models and veto authority) that ensure proposed strategies are rigorously evaluated, aligned with Focus on the Family’s mission and priorities, and advanced or declined through a transparent, consistent process. Working in partnership with ministry stakeholders, the ePMO, and cross-functional teams, the Portfolio Manager safeguards portfolio integrity and stewardship of organizational resources.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in related field
5-7 years of progressive experience in portfolio management, program governance, strategy process ownership, PMO/ePMO, or a closely related role, preferably with responsibility for scoring systems, stage gates, or formal decision rights over a portfolio of offerings.
Strong experience designing and operating strategy-development, prioritization, or portfolio-governance processes (ideation through decision and performance management).
Demonstrated ability to build and apply scoring frameworks, stage-gate processes, and decision-rights models that balance rigor with practicality.
Experience performing or leading scenario modeling, business-case analysis, and trade-off evaluations that inform investment and prioritization decisions.
Proven ability to design and improve cross-functional workflows and to hold a process accountable even when individual stakeholders own the content of proposals.
Strong analytical skills with the ability to define process and portfolio metrics, interpret performance data, and drive continuous improvement of the system itself.
Excellent stakeholder management, facilitation, and communication skills (written and verbal) across all levels—especially the ability to explain and defend scoring outcomes and veto decisions with clarity and fairness.
Ability to operate effectively in a matrixed, mission-driven environment with competing priorities while maintaining process integrity.
Working knowledge of technology concepts relevant to digital and multi-channel program delivery and to decision-support systems.
Familiarity with AI capabilities and practical applications (e.g., research synthesis, scoring assistance, process automation, predictive insights) and the judgment to apply them appropriately in a ministry context.
Comfort collaborating with technology and data teams; ability to translate between ministry/process needs and technical possibilities.
Genuine alignment with and enthusiasm for Focus on the Family’s mission, vision, and foundational values.
Consistent personal witness for Jesus Christ and commitment to living out biblical principles in professional and personal life.
High integrity, humility, collaboration, and a stewardship mindset—especially the ability to say “no” or “not yet” with clarity and respect when the scoring system or portfolio criteria require it.
Ability to balance strategic thinking with practical process design and rigorous attention to consistency and fairness.

Nice To Haves

Experience in a nonprofit, ministry, media, or mission-driven organization is a plus.
Experience managing or governing a portfolio of related programs or initiatives, including formal prioritization and gate-keeping responsibilities.
Familiarity with enterprise project/portfolio management practices and working within or alongside a PMO/ePMO.
Experience designing or operating scoring models, decision frameworks, or stage-gate systems in a complex organization.
Prior exposure to AI tools or digital transformation initiatives that support decision-making or process automation.

Responsibilities

Designs, documents, and continuously improves the end-to-end process by which strategy for constituent-facing programs and initiatives is developed, reviewed, and decided.
Facilitates strategy-development workshops and intake processes so that ministry and executive stakeholders can propose strategy within a clear, consistent framework.
Ensures the strategy process remains aligned with Focus on the Family’s mission, guiding pillars, and organizational priorities while remaining efficient and well-understood across the organization.
Maintains visibility of the full portfolio of constituent-facing programs, their interdependencies, and the status of strategy proposals moving through the process.
Develops, maintains, and applies consistent scoring frameworks that evaluate proposed strategies and initiatives (impact, strategic alignment, feasibility, resource requirements, risk, and other defined criteria).
Operates the systems and decision forums through which scored proposals are prioritized, advanced, deferred, or declined.
Exercises and stewards formal veto or gate-keeping authority over strategies and initiatives that do not meet established thresholds or portfolio criteria, ensuring decisions are transparent, documented, and consistent.
Conducts scenario modeling and what-if analyses to support investment decisions, resource allocation, and trade-off discussions; present recommendations and trade-off analyses to leadership and the ePMO.
Designs, documents, and continuously improves cross-functional workflows and stage-gate processes that support the portfolio lifecycle (ideation ® research ® scoring/prioritization ® decision ® development/launch ® distribution ® performance management).
Partners with the ePMO and operational teams to ensure governance processes are efficient, scalable, and consistently applied.
Facilitates effective handoffs and collaboration between strategy proposers, content/creative, technology, marketing, distribution, and performance teams within the governed process.
Defines success metrics and KPIs for the strategy process and portfolio system itself (throughput, decision quality, cycle time, alignment adherence, resource stewardship, etc.) as well as for programs once they are approved and launched.
Establishes ongoing monitoring, reporting, and review cadences for both process health and portfolio performance.
Leads post-decision and post-launch analysis; identifies opportunities to improve the scoring systems, decision processes, or downstream execution; drives data-informed enhancements to the governance system.
Maintains a working understanding of relevant technologies and AI capabilities that can enhance research synthesis, scoring, prioritization, workflow efficiency, decision support, measurement, and overall process effectiveness.
Identifies opportunities to apply technology and AI thoughtfully and responsibly within the strategy-development and scoring systems to increase rigor, transparency, and operational excellence.
Partners with technology and data teams to evaluate, pilot, and scale appropriate tools that strengthen the portfolio governance system.
Serves as the primary advocate and steward of the portfolio governance process across ministry areas, ePMO, marketing, content, technology, and other support functions.
Facilitates workshops, alignment sessions, and decision forums required by the scoring and veto process.
Communicates clearly and persuasively with both technical and non-technical stakeholders, including senior leadership, especially when explaining scoring outcomes, trade-offs, or veto decisions.
Practices strong stewardship of people, time, and financial resources by ensuring only strategies that meet established criteria consume organizational capacity.
Continuously refines the strategy-development process, scoring models, decision rights, and supporting tools to increase clarity, speed, fairness, and impact.
Contributes to the broader maturity of portfolio management and governance practices within the ePMO and the organization.
Performs all other duties as assigned