OU Education Services (OUES) is a nonprofit corporation established to manage and expand online learning for the University of Oklahoma System. As a growing education technology organization, we are dedicated to delivering innovative solutions that enhance learning outcomes, improve student experiences, and support the university's mission of providing high-quality education to learners everywhere.

At OUES, we prioritize collaboration and provide opportunities for our teams to work closely to deliver meaningful, impactful results. We are a talent focused organization and encourage applicants from all regions, we have a preference for candidates who are in or open to relocating to the Oklahoma City metro area. Being part of our vibrant community fosters richer collaboration and a stronger alignment with OU and the OUES mission.

 

We are seeking a dynamic Project Manager to drive key initiatives that will transform the student experience, benefiting from our strategic alliance with the University of Oklahoma. You'll be responsible for the full project lifecycle, from planning to launch, for efforts aimed at optimizing the student journey, diversifying program offerings, and strengthening recruitment and retention. This role requires managing complex projects, forging strong partnerships with internal and external stakeholders, and collaborating closely with two Program Managers to proactively identify and mitigate student issues, directly contributing to overall student success. The ideal candidate is an expert communicator and organizer, comfortable navigating the complexities of a university environment, and deeply committed to positively impacting the student journey.

·      Lead the end-to-end project management for new academic programs, certificates, workshops, and other educational initiatives, from conception through launch and initial evaluation.

· Develop comprehensive project plans, including scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, resource allocation, and risk mitigation strategies, utilizing Agile and Scrum techniques where appropriate.

· Coordinate with diverse stakeholders, including university faculty, academic departments, admissions, marketing, IT, and administrative staff, to ensure timely and successful program launches.

· Apply knowledge and demonstrated experience to run prioritization and decision-making frameworks and manage their associated cadences.

· Partner with two Program Managers to proactively identify, analyze, and mitigate potential student issues or roadblocks that could impact their experience, retention, or success.

· Manage projects focused on optimizing and improving key touchpoints within the student lifecycle, from initial inquiry and application through enrollment, academic progress, and graduation.

· Identify pain points and opportunities for improvement in the student experience, developing and implementing solutions in collaboration with relevant university departments.

· Facilitate cross-functional communication to address complex student-related challenges effectively.

· Utilize data and feedback to inform project design and evaluate the effectiveness of implemented initiatives on student satisfaction and success.

· Oversee projects designed to strengthen student recruitment pipelines and enhance student retention rates.

· Collaborate with admissions, marketing, and academic advising teams to develop and execute strategies for attracting and retaining a diverse and qualified student body.

· Monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) related to recruitment and retention, providing regular reports and insights to stakeholders.

· Champion and integrate Agile and Scrum methodologies into daily work habits, including facilitating brief daily check-ins (stand-ups) for project visibility and swift issue identification.

· Utilize visual project management tools (e.g., Kanban boards) to track progress, limit work-in-progress, and ensure transparency.

· Plan work in short iterations (sprints), focusing on high-value deliverables while maintaining a flexible backlog to prioritize tasks dynamically.

· Proactively build in "slack" or buffer time to accommodate unpredictable problems, urgent requests, and deep work, ensuring the ability to respond effectively to emergent needs without derailing core initiatives.

· Promote a mindset of continuous improvement through regular retrospectives, adapting processes based on lessons learned to enhance efficiency and effectiveness.

· Serve as the primary point of contact for all assigned projects, ensuring clear, consistent, and timely updates to all stakeholders.

· Facilitate regular project meetings, documenting discussions, decisions, and action items.

· Build and maintain strong working relationships with university faculty, staff, and external partners.

· Proactively identify and resolve project conflicts, issues, and dependencies.

· Develop and standardize project management processes, tools, and templates to ensure consistency and efficiency across initiatives.

· Maintain thorough project documentation, including scope documents, meeting minutes, risk logs, and post-mortem reports.

· Contribute to the continuous improvement of the affiliate's project management methodologies.

The ideal candidate will demonstrate the following behaviors:

 · Strategic Collaborator: You excel at partnering with diverse stakeholders, building consensus, and leveraging collective intelligence to advance strategic organizational goals.

 · Anticipatory Problem-Solver: You possess a keen ability to foresee potential issues, conduct thorough analysis to understand underlying causes, and develop innovative, lasting solutions.

 · Innovator Mindset: You embrace new ideas and approaches, comfortably navigate ambiguity, and demonstrate flexibility and creativity in adapting plans to achieve desired outcomes in a changing landscape.

 · Results-Oriented & Accountable: You are singularly focused on achieving measurable impact, taking full accountability for project success and delivering against all defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs), while setting a high bar for excellence.

· Impactful Communicator: You communicate complex information with clarity, precision, and persuasiveness, ensuring key messages are understood and acted upon by all relevant parties.

 · Data-Informed Decision Maker: You consistently leverage data and analytics to inform your decisions, measure progress, and drive continuous improvement.

Education: Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in Higher Education Administration, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field strongly preferred.

· Minimum of 7-9 years of progressive experience in project management, with a strong preference for experience within a higher education institution or a non-profit organization supporting higher education.

· Demonstrated experience collaborating effectively with other program or project managers on shared initiatives, particularly in problem identification and resolution.

· Proven track record of successfully launching new programs or initiatives from conception to completion.

· Experience with student recruitment, retention, or student success initiatives is highly desirable.

· Experience having managed technology implementation, services, or SaaS platform integration, required.

· Exceptional project management skills, including planning, execution, monitoring, and closing.

· Demonstrated expertise and practical application of Agile and Scrum methodologies.

· PMP Certification, Required

· CSM (Certified ScrumMaster), CSPO (Certified Scrum Product Owner), or similar Agile certification is highly preferred.

· Excellent interpersonal and communication skills (written and verbal), with the ability to effectively engage and influence diverse stakeholders at all levels.

· Strong collaborative skills, with the ability to work effectively in a team-oriented environment.

· Demonstrated ability to manage multiple complex projects simultaneously in a fast-paced environment.

· Proficiency in project management software (e.g., Asana, Monday.com, Jira, Microsoft Project, Airtable, etc.,).

· Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with a data-driven approach to decision-making.

· High degree of autonomy and self-motivation, with the ability to work independently and as part of a team.

· Familiarity with CRM systems (e.g., Salesforce, Slate) is a plus.

 

 

·      Competitive salary and benefits package

·      401(k)

·      Volunteer days

·      Wellness reimbursement

·      Opportunities for professional development and career growth.

·      Hybrid work environment promoting work-life balance.