Penn State Job Catalog

Additional levels that exist for this job profile can be seen below.
Missing levels within the leveling matrix can be added based on business need.

The defined natural career progression within or between job profiles.

Project Management

The Manager of Project Management provides leadership and direction for organizational project management activities through the supervision of project management professionals and oversight of complex and strategic project portfolios; directs the planning, execution, monitoring, and delivery of projects through subordinate project managers; establishes and maintains project management methodologies, governance frameworks, standards, tools, and performance metrics; ensures projects are appropriately prioritized, resourced, governed, and aligned with organizational objectives; advises senior leadership on project portfolio performance, priorities, risks, resource requirements, and organizational project management practices; leads continuous improvement initiatives to strengthen project delivery capabilities, processes, and organizational project management maturity.

• Provide leadership and direction for project management activities, including complex, strategic, and organizational transformation initiatives; establish priorities and ensure alignment with institutional objectives
• Direct the work of project managers and project management teams; hire, develop, coach, assign work, and evaluate the performance of staff
• Oversee the project portfolio, including project priorities, dependencies, resource requirements, schedules, budgets, risks, and organizational impacts; provide leadership with information to support portfolio decisions
• Establish, implement, and continuously improve project management methodologies, standards, governance frameworks, tools, templates, processes, and performance metrics based on industry best practices
• Establish project governance and oversight practices appropriate to the size, complexity, and risk of projects; facilitate steering committees, executive reviews, portfolio reviews, and stakeholder decision-making processes
• Meet with sponsors, senior leaders, customers, and other stakeholders to analyze needs, define objectives, evaluate alternatives, and develop solutions for complex organizational initiatives
• Monitor and evaluate project and portfolio performance, including scope, schedule, budget, staffing, quality, risks, and issues; identify obstacles and direct the development of mitigation, contingency, and recovery strategies
• Review project plans, business cases, schedules, resource requirements, cost estimates, risk assessments, and other deliverables; provide guidance to ensure quality, consistency, and alignment with established project management practices
• Analyze and evaluate vendor proposals, feasibility studies, and alternative solutions; oversee cost-benefit analyses and project-related procurement, contracting, and vendor activities as appropriate
• Direct cross-functional coordination of projects and initiatives; serve as a liaison among project teams, organizational units, external customers, vendors, and other stakeholders to facilitate collaboration and resolution of issues
• Ensure project management activities comply with institutional policies, governance requirements, regulatory obligations, contractual requirements, and applicable industry standards
• Provide advanced consultation and thought leadership on project management, business analysis, organizational change management, portfolio priorities, resource requirements, and project delivery strategies
• Participate in strategic planning and organizational decision-making; assess project management capabilities and identify opportunities to improve project delivery, organizational capacity, and project management maturity
• Maintain awareness of developments and emerging practices in the project management profession; promote professional development, knowledge sharing, and adoption of effective practices among project management staff
• May develop, monitor, and administer budgets and other administrative functions associated with project management operations

Level:

– Principal Manager

Base Description:

– Manages direct reports where primary duty is the management of a working unit.

Level Summary:

– Demonstrates awareness of broad issues and management trends. Applies exemplary management principles. Evaluates impact of policy and adjusts accordingly. Ensures appropriate skills are developed and maintained within team/unit. Realigns staff responsibilities to meet desired changes. Provides administrative and policy direction. Develops and articulates broad goals. Fosters collaboration between units. Engages in written and verbal communications that reach a university-wide and/or broad external audience. Develops and implements solutions to highly complex and often controversial problems.

Supervisory Responsibilities:

– Oversees teams of other supervisors/managers
– Leads a business unit

Fiscal Responsibilities:

– Plans, forecasts, develops, and/or approves budgets
– Typically has final signature authority for business unit

Problem Solving:

– Encounters highly varied and complex problems that may have a significant impact on multiple units and/or the University
– Regularly develops creative and/or novel approaches to resolve the most difficult problems
– Creates an environment that encourages imaginative solutions to problems

Independence of Action:

– Work results are not clearly defined and may be frequently changing
– Sets own goals and determines how to accomplish results with few or no guidelines to follow
– Oversees completed work of others and is accountable for unit results
– Delegates advanced tasks to others and provides guidance to team members

Communication and Collaboration:

– Communicates with both internal and external audiences
– May represent the University externally
– Collaborates closely with team members and other leaders across the University
– Communicates a compelling vision that inspires and motivates others

• Comp Grade – 16
• Minimum – $130,596.00
• MidPoint – $166,536.00
• Maximum – $202,464.00

• Adaptability
• Budget Management
• Conflict Resolution
• Cost management
• Process development
• Project Management
• Quality control
• Resource management
• Risk Management
• Stakeholder management
• Time Management
• Vendor management