Principal Project Manager

University of Texas at Austin • Austin, TX

2d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Principal Project Manager provides strategic leadership for Enterprise Technology's most complex and high-impact technology initiatives, helping shape how transformational programs are planned, governed, and delivered across the university. This role partners with executive leadership and stakeholders across the institution to lead enterprise-wide initiatives that advance strategic priorities, improve operational effectiveness, and deliver meaningful outcomes for the university community. In addition to leading large, cross-functional programs, the Principal Project Manager helps evolve project management practices by advancing governance frameworks, delivery methodologies, and standards that support successful execution across Enterprise Technology. The role champions continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to streamline processes, leverage automation and AI-enabled capabilities, and adopt modern tools that improve efficiency, consistency, and project outcomes.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in information technology, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field.
• 12+ years of progressive project and program management experience, including 5+ years in enterprise-level roles.
• Demonstrated success leading enterprise-scale, multi-year technology programs with cross-institutional impact.
• Recognized expertise in multiple project management methodologies (Agile, SAFe, waterfall, hybrid) and change management frameworks.
• Experience establishing or significantly contributing to PM organizations, centers of excellence, or communities of practice.
• Proficiency with project tracking tools (e.g., Microsoft Project, Smartsheet, Jira).
• Strong executive-level communication and stakeholder engagement skills.
• Deep understanding of IT governance, portfolio management, and benefits realization frameworks.
• U.S. Citizen, resident, or officially recognized asylee - Applicant selected will be subject to government security investigation and must meet eligibility requirements for access to classified information at the level appropriate to the project requirements of the position.
• Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.
• Must be authorized to work in the United States on an ongoing, full-time basis for any employer without sponsorship.
• This position requires you to maintain internet service and a mobile phone with voice and data plans to be used when required for work.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in a higher education, research university, or academic medical center environment.
• PMP or equivalent advanced certification.
• SAFe Program Consultant (SPC) or equivalent scaled Agile certification.
• PROSCI Change Management Practitioner or equivalent.
• Master’s degree in a related field.

Responsibilities

• Serve as program or project lead for the organization’s most complex, multi-year technology initiatives, including major enterprise system implementations, institutional transformation programs, and cross-functional modernization efforts.
• Maintain end-to-end accountability for program outcomes including scope, schedule, budget, quality, risk, and benefits realization across the full program lifecycle.
• Establish comprehensive program governance structures ensuring appropriate oversight and decision-making at each level.
• Drive resolution of escalated risks, issues, and strategic decisions by coordinating across institutional units, technical teams, and senior leadership.
• Ensure all program reporting and documentation meet institutional governance, compliance, and audit requirements throughout the program lifecycle.
• Serve as a central point of contact for project updates, status reporting, and key stakeholder communication.
• Serve as a trusted advisor to university leadership on program strategy, delivery risk, and institutional technology priorities, providing expert guidance on complex program decisions and trade-offs.
• Contribute to Enterprise Technology’s long-range planning and portfolio prioritization processes.
• Support governance bodies ensuring sound oversight of major initiatives and clear documentation of institutional decisions.
• Advise stakeholders across academic and administrative units on the delivery implications of strategic decisions, recommending approaches that balance institutional priorities with program integrity.
• Oversee coordination across the broadest organizational scope, spanning academic units, administrative departments, external implementation partners, and technology vendors for the university’s most complex programs.
• Identify and manage strategic-level dependencies across concurrent institutional initiatives, proactively surfacing conflicts, capacity constraints, and integration risks to senior leadership.
• Design and facilitate governance structures and cross-institutional working groups that enable effective decision-making and accountability at the enterprise level.
• Lead change management efforts for enterprise-scale technology transformations, applying structured methodologies such as PROSCI ADKAR or equivalent to plan and execute comprehensive change strategies.
• Partner with academic and administrative unit leaders to assess organizational readiness, tailor change approaches to institutional culture and operating context, and address resistance effectively.
• Build long-term institutional capability for managing change and sustaining adoption, evaluating and reporting on change effectiveness throughout each program.
• Define, maintain, and continuously improve the organization’s project management standards, frameworks, tools, templates, and governance processes, ensuring alignment with industry best practices, higher education norms, and institutional requirements.
• Establish and facilitate communities of practice that promote knowledge sharing, methodological consistency, and professional development across all Enterprise Technology project managers.
• Assess organizational PM maturity and develop improvement roadmaps covering tooling, training, process changes, and governance enhancements.
• Identify, evaluate, and implement automation opportunities across the project management lifecycle including AI-assisted drafting of project charters, status reports, meeting summaries, risk logs, and other recurring deliverables to reduce manual effort and increase team capacity for strategic work.
• Continuously evaluate emerging technologies and methodologies for their applicability to program delivery, piloting and scaling those that improve outcomes for the team and its stakeholders.
• Work with Engagement and Experience leaders and other Enterprise Technology leadership to identify and allocate necessary resources to support project execution.
• Provide input on resource planning and staffing needs.
• Perform other related functions as assigned.

Benefits

• Competitive health benefits (employee premiums covered at 100%, family premiums at 50%)
• Voluntary Vision, Dental, Life, and Disability insurance options
• Generous paid vacation, sick time, and holidays
• Teachers Retirement System of Texas: a defined benefit retirement plan
• Additional Voluntary Retirement Programs: Tax Sheltered Annuity 403(b) and a Deferred Compensation program 457(b)
• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses
• Robust free training access through LinkedIn Learning plus professional conference opportunities
• Tuition assistance
• Expansive employee discount program including athletic tickets
• Free access to UT Austin's libraries and museums with staff ID card
• Free rides on all UT Shuttle and Austin CapMetro buses with staff ID card

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Principal