Project Manager, Business Optimization (Contractor)

National University

5d • $38 - $38 • Remote

About The Position

The Project Manager, Business Optimization plays a key role in improving organizational efficiency, coordination, and operational execution across the Academies. They will manage cross-functional initiatives that strengthen business operations, optimize workflows, and ensure progress across strategic priorities. The Project Manager partners with leadership and teams across sales, marketing, product, finance, and client success to coordinate workstreams, improve reporting and dashboards, and ensure initiatives are implemented effectively. They will support operational excellence by translating strategic priorities into clear project plans, improving visibility into organizational performance, and strengthening the systems and processes that enable the organization to scale.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Communications, Education or a related field required.
• Minimum of four (4) to seven (7) years of experience in project management, business operations, or operational strategy required.
• Proven experience working in fast-paced, dynamic environments with a track record of delivering on multiple, complex projects required.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously.
• Ability to build strong working relationships and collaborate effectively across teams and leadership levels.
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to operational efficiency and process improvement.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills with the ability to present information clearly to diverse audiences.
• Ability to adapt to evolving priorities and operate effectively in a dynamic environment.
• High level of discretion and professionalism when managing sensitive information.
• Entrepreneurial mindset with a passion for creating meaningful impact on education.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with process improvement methodologies such as Lean Management, Six Sigma, or continuous improvement frameworks preferred.
• Experience in Leadership and Management in K-12, Ed Tech, or publishing institution, is preferred.
• Strong background in strategic operations and process improvement preferred.
• Experience managing cross-functional teams and collaborating across departments preferred.

Responsibilities

• Leads initiatives and projects that leverage AI to improve organizational systems, workflows, and operational efficiency.
• Identifies opportunities to streamline systems and reduce operational friction.
• Coordinates cross-functional teams to ensure initiatives progress effectively.
• Tracks project timelines, deliverables, and milestones.
• Maintains visibility across key organizational initiatives and projects.
• Tracks progress against priorities across sales, marketing, product, and operations teams.
• Maintains project plans and workstream timelines.
• Identifies risks, bottlenecks, or resource needs and escalate when appropriate.
• Facilitates communication and coordination across departments.
• Builds and maintains executive dashboards tracking key organizational metrics.
• Supports development of reporting frameworks across departments.
• Coordinates collection of operational and performance data.
• Prepares summaries and updates for leadership meetings among diverse stakeholders.
• Supports automation of reporting where possible (e.g., sales pipeline and performance, program implementation metrics, operational efficiency indicators, financial and revenue tracking, strategic initiative progress).
• Supports operational management of philanthropic initiatives.
• Maintains project plans tracking deliverables, milestones, and timelines tied to philanthropic initiatives.
• Coordinates internal teams and cross-functional alignment responsible for implementing funded programs.
• Supports preparation of updates and reporting related to funded initiatives.
• Supports coordination of operational systems and workflow improvements.
• Manages the systemic usage of operational systems such as Salesforce, Workday, Teams, Asana, and SharePoint.
• Documents workflows and system requirements.
• Coordinates with systems administrators and IT teams on implementation projects.
• Supports rollout and adoption of AI tools to support operational workflows.
• Supports development of scalable operational infrastructure.
• Documents Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs).
• Contributes to development and enhancement of the organization’s Operations Playbook.
• Maintains organized documentation within the Shared Services knowledge base.
• Supports adoption of operational processes across teams.
• Supports coordination of major initiatives and leadership events.
• Maintains planning timelines for strategic initiatives and events.
• Coordinates stakeholders and deliverables across teams.
• Tracks key milestones and ensures follow-through on commitments.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Base pay is one component of National University’s total rewards package, as we are dedicated to supporting the needs of the “whole you” with our holistic approach to employee benefits by offering comprehensive well-being benefits for you and your family.
• For full details about our benefit plan offerings, please visit benefits.nu.edu.
• National University prioritizes our employee’s well-being and growth by offering competitive pay and benefits packages, development and advancement opportunities, remote-first work perks, and more.
• We value and reward the hard work of our faculty and staff.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 501-1,000 employees