| Location | Oakland, CA |
We are seeking a highly experienced, results-driven Senior IT Project / Program Manager to lead infrastructure and security initiatives within Digital Innovation and Technology (DigIT), in collaboration with the Project Management Office (PMO).
The ideal candidate will independently lead complex, cross-functional infrastructure and security projects from initiation through successful completion, including initiatives such as the Cryptographic Key Rotation project, certificates and secrets management improvements, and other infrastructure and security initiatives. The position will take project direction and priorities from the Infrastructure Director, partnering closely with infrastructure, information security, technical teams, vendors, and business stakeholders. Exceptional verbal and written communication, facilitation, and delivery leadership are essential.
We are seeking a proactive, hands-on leader who takes ownership, drives accountability, navigates ambiguity, and consistently moves initiatives forward with minimal oversight.
The Infrastructure Director sets project priorities and approves changes to the scope or priority. The Project Manager owns plans, schedules, status reporting, and risk escalation, and works with the PMO Manager to align with the PMO process and reporting standards.
Key Responsibilities:
Project and Program Leadership
Lead and own assigned IT projects and programs from initiation through planning, execution, implementation, and closure, ensuring successful delivery within defined scope, schedule, and budget.
Lead complex, cross-functional initiatives spanning IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud technologies, enterprise applications, and other IT services.
Translate direction and priorities from the Infrastructure Director into actionable project plans, milestones, dependencies, resource needs, and implementation schedules.
Proactively identify and resolve risks, issues, and roadblocks, escalating appropriately with clear ecommendations and proposed solutions.
Drive project execution by establishing accountability, managing commitments, and ensuring timely completion of action items and deliverables.
Coordinate infrastructure engineers, security specialists, technical and business stakeholders, vendors, and implementation partners to achieve project outcomes.
Manage multiple concurrent initiatives, balancing competing priorities while maintaining delivery commitments.
Ensure successful project implementation, operational transition, and formal closure.
Plan and drive cryptographic keys and certificate lifecycle projects, including key rotation; inventory of keys, certificates, and dependent systems; dependency mapping; sequencing; cutover; validation; and rollback planning.
Establish a repeatable rotation schedule and operational handoff so that completed work transitions to ongoing operations.
Stakeholder Engagement, Communication, and Facilitation
Demonstrate exceptional verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and confidently at all organizational levels.
Independently plan, lead, and facilitate project meetings, workshops, stakeholder discussions, and executive status reviews.
Drive productive meetings with clear objectives, structured discussions, documented decisions, assigned actions, and timely follow-through.
Prepare high-quality executive communications, project status reports, presentations, meeting summaries, and decision documents.
Translate complex technical information into clear, actionable updates for both technical and non-technical audiences. Build strong working relationships and influence stakeholders across teams, including situations where direct authority is limited.
Proactively communicate project progress, risks, dependencies, decisions, and issues to leadership and stakeholders.
Facilitate alignment, resolve conflicting priorities, and drive timely decisions to keep projects moving forward.
Required Qualifications Education and Certifications
Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, Project Management, or a related field.
Active Project Management Professional (PMP) certification required. Proof of certification must be provided.
Professional Experience
Minimum 8 years of progressively responsible project management experience, including leadership of complex, cross-functional IT projects and programs.
Demonstrated success independently leading projects from initiation through completion.
Proven experience managing multiple concurrent initiatives involving diverse stakeholders, technologies, and competing priorities.
Experience collaborating with executive leadership, technical teams, external vendors, and implementation partners.
Minimum 3 years leading infrastructure or cybersecurity projects in change-controlled production environments
Skills and Abilities
Exceptional written and verbal communication skills are essential, including the ability to prepare polished executive-level communications and presentations.
Strong project and program leadership skills, with demonstrated ability to lead teams, facilitate discussions, influence decisions, and drive results.
Advanced meeting facilitation, stakeholder management, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
Advanced knowledge of project management methodologies, including Waterfall, Agile/Scrum, and hybrid delivery approaches, including milestone-driven planning suited for change-controlled infrastructure and security work.
Advanced understanding of the end-to-end project management lifecycle (PMLC).
Strong executive reporting, presentation development, and business writing capabilities.
Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and take initiative without requiring continuous direction.
Proven ability to navigate ambiguity, manage competing priorities, and bring structure to complex situations.
Strong analytical, organizational, problem-solving, and decision-making skills.
Demonstrated ability to drive accountability, follow through on commitments, and deliver measurable outcomes.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and commonly used project management and collaboration tools. (e.g., ServiceNow, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, JIRA)
Preferred Qualifications
Previous experience in higher education, public sector, or similarly complex organizations.
Experience managing enterprise IT infrastructure, cybersecurity, cloud, and application implementation projects.
ITIL Foundation or Certified ScrumMaster (CSM) certification.
Ideal Candidate Profile :
The successful candidate will be a hands-on senior project/program leader, not simply a project coordinator or status reporter.
Lead: Independently take ownership of projects, meetings, workstreams, and deliverables while driving teams toward successful outcomes.
Communicate: Deliver polished, concise, and actionable written and verbal communications tailored to executives, stakeholders, and technical teams.
Execute: Translate objectives into actionable plans, proactively remove obstacles, and drive initiatives through completion.
Facilitate: Lead productive discussions, navigate challenging stakeholder situations, drive decisions and ensure accountability and follow-through.
Collaborate: Build trusted relationships, influence stakeholders, and work effectively with the PMO Manager and project teams.
Operate Independently: Anticipate needs, identify next steps, make informed recommendations, and move work forward without waiting for direction.
Success in this role requires strong leadership, exceptional communication, sound judgment, and the ability to deliver infrastructure and security projects under the direction of the Infrastructure Director while supporting PMO process improvements.