Project Manager (Strategic Initiatives)/Career Opportunity

Description

The Project Manager will report to the Manager of Strategic Initiatives and will work closely with the Change Manager to support projects through financial tracking, project reporting, task management, and resource planning. The position is a critical cross-departmental role overseeing projects to ensure they are completed on time and within budget. This person should find working across departments at all levels of an organization exhilarating, love problem solving, and take strong initiative while also knowing when to ask for help. This person should also have exemplary written and verbal communication skills that will be used to share project information and status updates with stakeholders at all levels. As a developing position for the organization, the Project Manager will become intricately familiar with the organizations existing strategic plan to be prepared for ways to advance, help, and track organizational goals, objectives, and cross-cutting imperatives.

About the Work

Follow proper project management methodologies and help maintain the departmental “playbook” of templates for use in all organization-wide projects/initiatives.

Set up meetings and document activities of the project team, including but not limited to schedules, meeting notes, agendas, status reports, dashboards, and Microsoft Teams channels.

Manage teams in a matrixed project environment to draft business documents as deliverables, including requirements, RFPs, scorecards, optimization lists, and project schedules.

Maintain and update centralized project schedules, and specific migration plans including tasks and milestones.

Maintain and document new and important processes used by the project management team.

Craft internal and external communications relevant to the impact of new systems and procedures implemented for the organization.

Negotiate with project stakeholders to identify resources, resolve issues, and mitigate risk.

About You

Education

Required high school diploma or equivalent with 5 years of related experience or bachelors degree or higher (or global equivalent) with 3 years of related experience

Preferred bachelors degree in business, nonprofit, project management, or a related field, or the equivalent combination of education and work experience.

Preferred Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or other demonstrated continuing education track in project management.

Experience

Required 3 years of project management experience with working knowledge of change/impact created by new initiatives and projects and their influence on organization operations and procedures and effective internal communication planning.

Preferred Proven change management success in a cross-functional and dynamic work environment and with crafting process/procedure and implementation of both.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

A general understanding of the change process as well as the different ways employees experience and are impacted by change.

An understanding of project management, including but not limited to project planning, timeline development, staff supervision, budget development/management, results-oriented planning, data gathering/analysis, and communicating with stakeholders and partners.

Display advanced competencies in critical questioning, problem-solving, and trust-building.

Passion for team building and collaboration.

Ability to quickly adapt new skills in a continually evolving, rapid-paced culture of visionary thinkers.

Expert verbal and written communication skills to design policies, communications, and documentation.

Problem-solving and root cause identification skills.

Ability to manage a conversation with diverse stakeholders and know when to use the right anecdotes to offer solutions.

Preferred general knowledge of IT systems and how they connect to form a technology ecosystem.

Understanding of project management lifecycle and methods.

Detailed-oriented with strong time management skills.

Strong team player.

Ability to identify problems and suggest solutions.

Ability to utilize project management tools such as Smartsheet, Jira, Microsoft, or Airtable for task management, scheduling, and workflow automation.

About Chautauqua Institution

Chautauqua Institution (https://www.chq.org/) is a not-for-profit global convener of dialogue on the most significant issues of the day through engagement across four pillars the arts, education, religion, and recreation. The Chautauqua community is located on the shores of Chautauqua Lake in southwestern New York State and comes alive each summer with a unique mix of visual and performing arts, lectures, interfaith worship/programs, and recreational activities. Chautauqua Institution owns and operates Chautauqua Hotel Company (https://www.chq.org/discover-chautauqua/accommodations/athenaeum-hotel/) , a comprehensive hotel, food & beverage, conferencing, and events organization. The Institution’s office in Washington, DC is located strategically for an ongoing role in the cultural conversations of the nation.

About Your Work Schedule & Location

This position is at Chautauqua Institution’s main campus in Southwestern New York (Chautauqua County) (https://www.choosechq.com/live-chq/) . The schedule is full-time and may include daytime and evening hours, weekdays, and weekends, especially in the busy summer operating season and during project go-live periods. The position will be based on the main campus in Chautauqua, New York, but some travel may be required. This position offers a hybrid work arrangement, which provides a blend of onsite work and work from home, but candidates are not eligible to work fully remote from home.

About Your Department

Department of Strategic Initiatives reporting through the Office of the Executive Vice President is searching for a talented Project Manager to join its operations team. This department plays a crucial role in addressing the needs of the entire organization while driving improvements across various operational initiatives. The team is currently in the final phase of Project 360, a multi-year initiative aimed at designing and implementing a technology ecosystem and data governance program in support of the organization’s 150 Forward (https://150fwd.chq.org/) strategic plan.

Total Rewards for Our Talent

Compensation for this position starts at $60,000 – $70,000/annual. Chautauqua Institution’s competitive compensation and benefits suite includes a national health insurance network with Highmark, flexible spend (or health savings) account options, dental and vision insurance, complimentary life insurance, wellness incentives, an employee assistance program, supplemental life insurance, and long-term disability options. The Institution supports planning for retirement through a discretionary employer retirement plan contribution, which has recently been 10n 10% of gross compensation following the designated service period.

About the Referral Program

Chautauqua Institution’s Referral Bonus Program (https://www.chq.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/03/Referral-Bonus-Program-3-8-22.pdf) is a talent solution to recruit, develop, and retain a diverse workforce that encompasses all the skills and experience necessary to deliver on our goals and objectives. Chautauqua Institution will provide a $500 referral bonus (less taxes) for active employees referring a new candidate who is hired and remains employed for at least 90 days from the first physical date of work. In the case of seasonal positions working less than 6 months, the new candidate must remain actively employed for at least 30 days from the first physical date of work and until the closing date of the season. The closing date of the season is the last Sunday in August.

Discovering Your Chautauqua Experience

There are countless ways that our talent will engage with our mission, vision, and diverse communities, and you are invited to immerse yourself in our programming as a gateway to this experience. Employees will receive a traditional Chautauqua gate pass, free of cost, which provides access to many of our programs at the Amphitheater. In addition to a traditional gate pass, employees and their families will receive full access to our current and historical programs online at CHQ Assembly (https://assembly.chq.org/) .

Commitment to Values of IDEA

Chautauqua Institution values Inclusion, Diversity, Equity, and Accessibility (IDEA) (https://www.chq.org/about/idea/) as a priority in our strategic plan, 150 Forward (https://150fwd.chq.org/) . One of our five core values is “The dignity and contributions of all people.” We are committed to creating conditions in which everyone feels that they can engage as full and valued participants in the Chautauqua experience. The Institution is an equal opportunity employer committed to equitable and inclusive hiring practices and applicants will not be discriminated against based on any status protected under federal, state, or local law. We especially welcome applications from those who can demonstrate experience, engagement, and professional expertise in IDEA.

Joining Our Talent Community

Join our talent community online at CHQ.org/employment. You are encouraged to learn more about Chautauqua Institution at CHQ.org and view the 150 Forward Strategic Plan at 150fwd.CHQ.org.

Qualifications

Skills

Preferred

Project Management: Intermediate

Change Leadership: Some Knowledge

Administrative Support: Some Knowledge

Active Listening: Some Knowledge

Behaviors

Preferred

Enthusiastic: Shows intense and eager enjoyment and interest

Team Player: Works well as a member of a group

Detail Oriented: Capable of carrying out a given task with all details necessary to get the task done well

Motivations

Preferred

Ability to Make an Impact: Inspired to perform well by the ability to contribute to the success of a project or the organization

Education

Preferred

Bachelors or better in Nonprofit Administration

Bachelors or better in Business Administration

Licenses & Certifications

Preferred

Project Management Prof

Project Management Cert