PMO Operations Manager

Ascend Learning, a leading healthcare and learning technology company, is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data-driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning. From testing to certification, Ascend Learning products are used by physicians, emergency medical professionals, nurses, allied health professionals, certified personal trainers, financial advisors, skilled trades professionals and insurance brokers.

Headquartered in Burlington, MA, with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America's 2025 Greatest Workplaces as well as America's Best Places to work for Mental Well-Being for 2025.

We're always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you'd thrive, read on to learn more.

For over 37 years, National Academy of Sports Medicine® (NASM®) has set the standard in fitness and wellness credentials and certification with best-in-class, evidence-based programming. An Ascend Learning brand, NASM has delivered over 1.4 million fitness professionals in over 100 countries. From personal training to nutrition coaching, wellness to sports performance, NASM trainers and specialists work at every level to help clients set and reach their unique goals. Join us in igniting potential and making a lasting impact in the fitness and wellness industry.

WHAT YOU'LL DO

Reporting to the PMO Lead, the PMO Operations Manager will own systems and process administration for the Enterprise PMO, spanning NASM's project and work management platform and the ERP intake process. This role is the administrative layer that keeps PMO systems, templates, and documentation accurate, standardized, and self-explanatory.

This role will partner with PMs, Project Owners, the ERP Advisory function, and departmental stakeholders to maintain the project management platform and the ERP process as reliable, well-documented systems, and will support project teams during execution by performing recurring, mechanical scope checks against documented project boundaries. This role does not make scope determinations, ERP intake or tiering decisions, or adjudicate disputes; those decisions remain with the PM, Project Owner, and ERP team function respectively.

WHERE YOU'LL WORK

This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Gilbert, AZ office or remotely within the United States

HOW YOU'LL SPEND YOUR TIME

• Owning the project management platform's governance framework, including field structure, templates, and permission architecture across the Enterprise PMO.
• Maintaining Tier 2 and Tier 3 reporting standards for the project management platform in partnership with Project Owners, who are responsible for day-to-day maintenance at those tiers.
• Building and maintaining dashboards and reporting views that allow project status to be understood without additional verbal interpretation.
• Training PMs, Project Owners, and business stakeholders on the project management platform's standards, templates, and reporting conventions.
• Auditing data quality on the project management platform on a recurring basis to ensure the reporting layer remains clean and dependable.
• Owning administration of the ERP intake process, including forms, workflow configuration, and documentation standards, in partnership with the ERP Advisory function.
• Maintaining ERP process documentation and templates as the intake process evolves.
• Verifying intake submissions for completeness and preparing them for ERP team review, without participating in tiering or approval decisions.
• Auditing ERP process data quality on a recurring basis, mirroring the project management platform's data audit function.
• Training stakeholders on ERP intake procedures and standards.
• Performing a recurring mechanical check comparing new work requests against each project's documented out-of-scope list.
• Flagging potential scope deviations to the PM and Project Owner for their determination, without rendering judgment on whether the work is in or out of scope.
• Supporting PMs in keeping scope documentation current and accurate throughout the project lifecycle.
• Escalating recurring or systemic scope issues to the PMO Lead for governance-level review, as distinct from case-by-case adjudication.
• Maintaining documentation of the PMO's governance framework and operating model, including process definitions, standards, and escalation paths, as they are defined and approved by the PMO Lead.
• Partnering with the PMO Lead to evolve the project management platform's governance standards and templates as the PMO matures.
• Providing administrative support for PMO and ERP governance activities, such as meeting coordination, agendas, and notes for governance cadences.

WHAT YOU'LL NEED

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience in business, project management, or a related field.
• 3+ years of experience administering or governing a work/project management platform (e.g., Wrike, Asana, Smartsheet, or similar). Experience with ERP intake or workflow processes is a plus.
• Strong understanding of PMO operating models, project management methodologies, project lifecycle documentation, and reporting structures.
• Demonstrated ability to build clean, self-explanatory reporting that reduces the need for verbal interpretation.
• Meticulous attention to detail and comfort with recurring, mechanical review processes.
• Strong training and communication skills to support platform adoption across the organization.
• Clear understanding of the boundary between systems governance and project ownership, and comfort operating in a support role rather than a decision-making one.
• Experience with dashboard and template design in a project management platform.

HIRING RANGE

The current full-time, annualized base pay hiring range for this role is $86,700.00-$123,970.00. In accordance with applicable state laws, we are providing the expected pay range for this position. Individual compensation will be determined by various factors, including relevant experience, qualifications, current business needs and local market factors. Most regular, full-time employees are eligible to participate in an Ascend incentive bonus or sales plan.

BENEFITS

• Health, dental, and vision insurance
• Company paid life Insurance
• 401(k) with company match
• Paid time off and parental leave
• Employee assistance program
• Other wellness programs such as Headspace and Airvet
• Charitable matching program

Fostering A Sense of Belonging

Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers. We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued, and be authentic. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.

Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S.-based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States, and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.

Nearest Major Market: Phoenix