Director, Strategic Project Management Office (Project Manager 3)

Do you have experience planning and executing complex information technology projects? Can you utilize and analyze data to make strategic recommendations? Can you collaborate with leadership to not only prioritize and coordinate projects but also ensure organizational alignment? The Pennsylvania Public School Employees' Retirement System (PSERS) is searching to fill a Project Manager 3 position that will serve as the Director of Strategic Project Management. If you want to drive innovation through project management and contribute to the adaptation and continuous improvement of information technology projects  - Apply today.
PSERS (www.psers.pa.gov), is an agency in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania that administers the pension plan for Pennsylvania's public school employees. The mission of PSERS is to be a partner with our members to fulfill the promise of a secure retirement. We deliver on that promise by maintaining a financially sound fund of approximately $84 billion and supporting over a half million members and their school employers with excellent customer service. This position will play a contributing part in ensuring PSERS fulfills its mission. 
 
PSERS is located in Harrisburg, PA, a mid-size city situated along the Susquehanna River. The Harrisburg area is affordable and near many attractions including Hershey, and it is only two hours from major cities like Philadelphia, Baltimore, and Washington D.C

This position oversees strategic, agency-wide projects and supports leadership in delivering major initiatives. It also ensures consistent project management practices across the organization. As a Director of Strategic Project Management, you will perform the following duties:

• Project Leadership: Guide large and complex strategic projects for the agency
• Portfolio Oversight: Monitor the agency project portfolio and identify potential issues
• Methodology Development: Establish consistent project management practices for all initiatives
• Cross-Agency Coordination: Collaborate with IT and security offices to ensure thoughtful change management
• Governance Communication: Serve as liaison to senior leaders on matters related to agency initiatives

Interested in learning more? Additional details regarding this position can be found in the position description.

Work Schedule and Additional Information:

• Full-time employment
• Work hours are 8:00 AM to 4:30 PM, Monday - Friday, with a 60-minute lunch.
  • Hours may be flexible, to be discussed during interview process.
• Telework: You may have the opportunity to work from home (telework) part-time. This position will be required to report to the office 1 day a week, and any additional days depending on operational needs. In order to telework, you must have a securely configured high-speed internet connection and work from an approved location inside Pennsylvania. If you are unable to telework, you will have the option to report to the headquarters office in Harrisburg. The ability to telework is subject to change at any time. Additional details may be provided during the interview.
• Salary: In some cases, the starting salary may be non-negotiable.
• You will receive further communication regarding this position via email. Check your email, including spam/junk folders, for these notices.

QUALIFICATIONS

Minimum Experience and Training Requirements:

• Six years of experience in leading IT projects and a bachelor’s degree; or
• An equivalent combination of experience and training that includes six years of experience in leading IT projects.

Other Requirements:

• This particular position also requires six or more years of full-time professional experience in a senior leadership role (reporting directly to the CIO, Deputy Secretary, Agency Head, other C-Suite executive or equivalent) responsible for leading high-impact, cross-functional strategic initiatives or enterprise-wide projects from concept through execution and demonstrating measurable outcomes in cost savings, performance improvements, or stakeholder alignment
• This particular position also requires completion of at least one (1) complex (multi-agency or cross functional team and involving both internal and external stakeholders) organizational change initiatives, such as digital transformation, operational restructuring, or policy implementation. (This includes successful management planning, adoption strategies, communication, as measured by improvements in efficiency, culture, or service delivery.)
• You must meet the PA residency requirement. For more information on ways to meet PA residency requirements, follow the link and click on Residency.
• You must be able to perform Essential Functions as presented in the linked Position Description.

Legal Requirement:

• You must pass a background investigation.

How to Apply:

• Resumes, cover letters, and similar documents will not be reviewed, and the information contained therein will not be considered for the purposes of determining your eligibility for the position. Information to support your eligibility for the position must be provided on the application (i.e., relevant, detailed experience/education).
• If you are claiming education in your answers to the supplemental application questions, you must attach a copy of your college transcripts for your claim to be accepted toward meeting the minimum requirements. Unofficial transcripts are acceptable.
• Your application must be submitted by the posting closing date. Late applications and other required materials will not be accepted.
• Failure to comply with the above application requirements may eliminate you from consideration for this position. 
• All application materials and interview responses must reflect the applicant’s own experience, qualifications, and work. Applicants may use generative AI tools for preparation purposes only. Use of AI to misrepresent or falsify information, or to assist during interviews, is not permitted. Review the Guidance for Generative AI Tools & Job Seekers for additional information.

Veterans: 

• Pennsylvania law (51 Pa. C.S. §7103) provides employment preference for qualified veterans for appointment to many state and local government jobs. To learn more about employment preferences for veterans, go to www.pa.gov/agencies/employment/how-to-apply.html and click on Veterans.

Telecommunications Relay Service (TRS): 

• 711 (hearing and speech disabilities or other individuals).

If you are contacted for an interview and need accommodations due to a disability, please discuss your request for accommodations with the interviewer in advance of your interview date.

The Commonwealth is an equal employment opportunity employer and is committed to a diverse workforce. The Commonwealth values inclusion as we seek to recruit, develop, and retain the most qualified people to serve the citizens of Pennsylvania. The Commonwealth does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religious creed, ancestry, union membership, age, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, AIDS or HIV status, disability, or any other categories protected by applicable federal or state law. All diverse candidates are encouraged to apply.

• Completing the application, including all supplemental questions, serves as your exam for this position. No additional exam is required at a test center (also referred to as a written exam).
• Your score is based on the detailed information you provide on your application and in response to the supplemental questions. 
• Your score is valid for this specific posting only.
• You must provide complete and accurate information or:
  • your score may be lower than deserved.
  • you may be disqualified.
• You may only apply/test once for this posting.
• Your results will be provided via email.