Manager, Project and Change Management

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Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:
 

Grade: Management_Executive 609Pay Range: $116,600.00 - $209,900.00

Job Description

Leads a team of project managers while also actively practicing project and change management. This role is intentionally designed as a lead while doing position: the manager models excellent project management, change leadership, and stakeholder engagement while developing a high trust, high accountability team culture. This leader reports to the Senior Vice President in the School of Business and partners closely with senior leadership, academic stakeholders, and cross functional teams to ensure that initiatives are clear, ready, well communicated, and aligned before change enters or exits the school.
This role balances people leadership, hands on project and change execution, and strategic influence in a highly matrixed environment.

Job Profile Summary

The Manager of Project Management leads a team of project managers while also actively practicing project and change management. This role is intentionally designed as a lead‑while‑doing position: the manager models excellent project management, change leadership, and stakeholder engagement while developing a high‑trust, high‑accountability team culture. This leader reports to the Senior Vice President in the School of Business and partners closely with senior leadership, academic stakeholders, and cross‑functional teams to ensure that initiatives are clear, ready, well‑communicated, and aligned before change enters or exits the school.

This role balances people leadership, hands‑on project and change execution, and strategic influence in a highly matrixed environment.

Lead the Team and the Work

• Leads, coaches, and develops a team of project managers while also directly managing complex, high‑impact projects and change initiatives.
• Models strong project management practices by actively participating in project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, risk management, and closure.
• Establishes a culture of trust, motivation, accountability, and care where team members feel supported, challenged, and empowered to grow.
• Provides regular, actionable feedback and mentorship focused on both performance outcomes and professional development.

Project & Change Management Excellence

• Serves as a change and project leader and change and project manager, ensuring organizational readiness, clarity of scope, and alignment before initiatives move forward.
• Acts as a gatekeeper for senior leadership and academic partners by ensuring change does not move in or out of the school unless it is clearly defined, well‑planned, and appropriately communicated.
• Identifies, assesses, and actively manages risks, dependencies, and constraints across projects and initiatives.
• Uses quantitative and qualitative data to identify trends, risks, and opportunities, translating insights into practical recommendations and actions.
• Proactively resolves issues and removes obstacles at any phase of the project life cycle.

Stakeholder Engagement & Communication

• Builds and sustains strong, trust‑based relationships with stakeholders at all levels, including senior leaders, academic partners, and cross‑functional teams.
• Leads thoughtful stakeholder engagement strategies that prioritize transparency, clarity, and collaboration.
• Ensures consistent, timely, and meaningful communication regarding project status, risks, decisions, and change impacts.
• Translates complex initiatives into clear narratives that help stakeholders understand the “why,” “what,” and “how” of change.

Strategic Partnership & Influence

• Partners with School and University leadership to support decision‑making, prioritization, and execution of strategic initiatives.
• Collaborates across departments to align projects with institutional goals, operational plans, and student experience outcomes.
• Champions continuous improvement by identifying opportunities to strengthen processes, tools, and ways of working.
• Influences without authority in a matrixed organization, balancing competing priorities while maintaining momentum and alignment.

Quality, Governance, and Accountability

• Ensures quality, consistency, and effectiveness of project management and change practices across the team.
• Establishes and upholds clear performance expectations, metrics, and accountability structures.
• Provides regular reporting and updates on project health, change readiness, risks, and delivery targets.

Knowledge, Skill and Abilities:

• Demonstrated ability to lead people with empathy, clarity, and accountability while remaining actively engaged in project work
• Strong project and change management expertise, including risk management and organizational readiness
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to convey complex information clearly, concisely, and appropriately for diverse audiences
• Deep experience with stakeholder engagement, communications, and relationship‑building
• Ability to act as a thoughtful gatekeeper for change, balancing speed with readiness and clarity
• Proven ability to coach, mentor, and motivate teams through complexity and change
• Excellent judgment, decision‑making, and problem‑solving skills
• Ability to work effectively and influence outcomes in a highly matrixed environment
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously

• Strong judgment and decision-making skills, including the ability to navigate complex constraints and build alignment on workable tradeoffs.
• Strong working knowledge of Microsoft Excel and Smartsheet, with the ability to use these tools to manage, analyze, and communicate project information effectively

Job Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in a related field
• 5+ years demonstrated experience leading people and teams while actively managing projects and change
• Broad management knowledge with advanced practical expertise in project and change management

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree in a related field.
• A PMP or similar certification is welcome but not required. Greater value is placed on demonstrated practice in leading people with care, managing change effectively, and delivering complex work successfully.
• Extensive hands‑on experience with stakeholder engagement and communications
• Experience in higher education or similarly complex, regulated environments.

Physical Requirements:

• Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times.

Travel

This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed.  Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements.

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Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at [email protected].

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.