Senior Director for IT Strategy and Project Management

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

7d • $170,000 - $210,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

The Senior Director of IT Strategy and Project Management reports directly to the Managing Director of Administrative IT, and plays a multifaceted role in driving impactful outcomes for 25,000 students, 1,800 faculty and instructional staff, and 500 administrative staff. The Senior Director is responsible for aligning decision support, strategy, vision, and project planning across the four Administrative IT (AIT) units (ERP Systems, Platform Solutions, Infrastructure, and Project and Product Management).

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree
• Minimum of ten years of relevant work experience
• Supervisory experience

Nice To Haves

• Demonstrated adaptability, versatility, and flexibility in response to shifting conditions.
• Experience successfully building relationships within and external to IT.
• Demonstrated skill challenging other’s positions constructively.
• Ability to direct large, complex cross divisional strategic projects.
• Experience working across organizational boundaries to achieve results.
• Demonstrated team performance skills, service mindset approach, and the ability to act as a trusted advisor.
• Demonstrated skill influencing at all levels to ensure ownership of assigned tasks and objectives.
• Demonstrated skill facilitating group discussions.

Responsibilities

• Partners strategically with the AIT Managing Director, providing insights and decision-making support to advance organizational objectives.
• Acts as an advisor, providing a wide ranging inputs on strategic and tactical matters.
• Provides strategic coordination to integrate and unify AIT workstreams, connect teams, and facilitate communication between leadership and the organization.
• Evaluates departmental metrics to gauge effectiveness and identify areas of improvement.
• Advises DCE's Executive Leadership Team (ELT) on collaborations with HUIT, School partners, and vendor relationships.
• Chairs the Project Planning Governance board, assessing proposals, scoping projects, identifying risks, and recommending prioritizations to the ELT.
• Collaborates with the Chief of Staff in the Office of the Dean on DCE-wide processes, guidelines, and operations.
• Represents DCE in University initiatives, including the University Project Review Committee (PRC), which evaluates project proposals for well-defined business case, cost, scope and stakeholder involvement.
• Leverages Harvard experience and institutional knowledge to advance DCE initiatives and align the Division with university-wide efforts.
• Guides teams, provides expert advice, and enhances overall efficiency.
• Fosters relationships across the organization and drives cross-divisional collaboration.
• Oversees strategic planning and alignment with organizational goals, identifying growth opportunities within AIT.
• Represents AIT externally, liaising with Harvard units, partner organizations, and other stakeholders.
• Represents the Managing Director in meetings, providing briefings and updates to the Leadership Team.
• Ensures strategic IT service delivery, streamlining processes and leading projects to enhance AIT operations.
• Identifies evolving needs and skill gaps to support business growth and team career development.
• Liaises with AIT leadership to collect, review, and compile budget input for the annual planning cycles.
• Oversees the Product Ownership model, which defines product visions, manages backlogs, and works as a liaison between the developer, stakeholder and vendor teams to ensure effective communication and timely feature delivery.
• Oversees management of project governance, methodology, portfolio management, and tools and standards for Project Management.
• Manages staff (5 FTE), including recruitment, training, performance management, and fostering an inclusive work environment.
• Responsible for effective staff management and professional development, including hiring of innovative technology talent, mentoring, and performance management.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

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