Assistant Director, Transformation & Portfolio Management

Reporting to the Assistant Vice President for Finance Operations and Strategy in the Office of Finance, the Assistant Director, Transformation & Portfolio Management provides project and portfolio management support for a range of cross-functional transformation initiatives sponsored by Finance.

Working with the Assistant Vice President, executive sponsors, and functional leaders, the Assistant Director translates approved objectives into structured implementation plans; organizes workstreams and governance; maintains schedules, milestones, and project documentation; and tracks progress, risks, dependencies, decisions, and resource needs.

The position ensures that responsibilities are clearly assigned, commitments are followed through, and significant barriers are elevated for resolution. Essential Functions Transformation Project & Portfolio Management Translates approved priorities and future-state objectives into structured implementation plans with defined workstreams, responsibilities, owners, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, and measures of success.

Develops and maintains project schedules, roadmaps, responsibility matrices, decision logs, risk and issue trackers, and other core project documentation.

Monitors progress across the transformation portfolio, follows up on commitments, and identifies changes in timing, scope, resources, or dependencies, or other factors that may affect successful implementation.

Maintains a consolidated portfolio view of major Finance-sponsored initiatives, supporting the prioritization, sequencing, coordination, and ongoing management of cross-functional transformation work.

Governance & Implementation Coordination Coordinates working sessions, cross-functional project teams, steering groups, and executive reviews and ensures appropriate stakeholders are engaged at key decision points.

Develops agendas, status reports, decision materials, and follow-up documentation and maintains clear records of decisions and assignments.

Identifies and tracks project risks, resource requirements, dependencies, and unresolved issues and elevates significant barriers to the Assistant Vice President and appropriate project sponsors.

Supports current-state assessments, gap analyses, and implementation roadmaps needed to move initiatives toward defined future-state objectives.

Reporting & Decision Support Develops dashboards and executive updates summarizing progress, milestones, risks, decisions, resource needs, and expected impact.

Partners with Finance Planning and Analytics and other subject-matter experts on business cases, financial analysis, research, and performance measures.

Maintains accessible portfolio documentation and support communications that demonstrate the purpose, progress, and institutional impact of major initiatives.

Contributes to the development and continuous improvement of common transformation-management tools, templates, and practices. Essential Functions Note This list is not intended to be an exhaustive list. The University may assign additional related duties as necessary. Management Responsibilities May provide peer-level coordination or subject-matter guidance to colleagues performing similar work and/or student, part-time workers, including helping organize tasks, clarify priorities, or review work for quality or consistency. Additional Functions Supports special projects led by Finance or other administrative leadership related to strategic priorities.

Recommends improvements to operational processes, governance structures, and initiative execution practices.

Contributes to strengthening the University’s internal capacity for transformation and cross-functional collaboration.

Bachelor’s degree.

Minimum of five years of relevant experience in project or program management, transformation initiatives, strategy implementation, consulting, or a related field.

Required Qualifications: Knowledge and Skills Demonstrated experience managing multiple complex, cross-functional projects or initiatives.

Experience developing and maintaining project plans, schedules, dashboards, risk and issue logs, and executive status reporting.

Experience supporting business cases, resource assessments, financial analysis, or performance measurement in a complex organization.

Strong project-management and organizational skills, with the ability to translate broad objectives into defined workstreams, deliverables, milestones, dependencies, and accountability structures.

Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to identify risks, resource constraints, and barriers to implementation.

Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information and prepare concise executive-level materials and status reporting.

Strong facilitation and stakeholder-management skills, with the ability to coordinate work across functional and organizational boundaries.

Demonstrated ability to manage multiple initiatives simultaneously, maintain attention to detail, and follow through on commitments and deadlines.

Ability to exercise sound judgment regarding when issues require escalation or executive intervention.

Ability to work effectively in a complex, decentralized, and matrixed organization.

Knowledge of and commitment to Fordham’s Jesuit mission., Advanced degree in business administration, public administration, higher education, organizational leadership, or a related field.

Experience in higher education or another complex, mission-driven institution.

Experience in a transformation office, project management office, consulting environment, or strategic implementation function.

Familiarity with sustainability planning, AASHE STARS, or institutional sustainability reporting.

Experience with project- and portfolio-management platforms, dashboards, collaboration tools, or data visualization., 1. * Do you have a bachelor’s degree?

• Yes
• No 2. * Do you have a minimum of five years of experience in strategy execution, transformation initiatives, counseling or complex project management?
• Yes
• No 3. * Do you have demonstrated experience coordinating cross-functional initiatives involving multiple stakeholders?

Project-management, change-management, Lean, Six Sigma, or comparable certification. Minimum Starting Salary $115,500 Maximum Starting Salary $125,000 Note Salary is commensurate with qualifications, experience, and skills. Is this a Union position? No Posting Detail Information, Sitting Often Repetitive Hand Motion (such as typing) Often Hearing, Listening, Talking Often Standing Seldom Walking Seldom Running Not Required Bending, Stooping, Kneeling, squatting, Crouching, Crawling Not Required Climbing stairs Not Required Climbing ladders Not Required Reaching overhead Not Required Pulling, pushing Not Required Shoveling Not Required Lifting - up to 20 pounds Not Required Lifting - up to 50 pounds Not Required Lifting - over 50 pounds Not Required Work Environment

Work Environment Office Environment: Employees are protected from weather conditions or contaminants, but not necessarily occasional temperature changes.

Founded in 1841, Fordham is the Jesuit University of New York, offering an exceptional education distinguished by the Jesuit tradition to more than 16,000 students in its nine colleges and schools. It has residential campuses in the Bronx and Manhattan, a campus in West Harrison, N.Y., the Louis Calder Center Biological Field Station in Armonk, N.Y., and the London Centre in the United Kingdom.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes medical, dental, and vision insurance; flexible spending accounts; retirement plans; life insurance; short and long-term disability; employee assistance program (EAP); tuition remission; and generous time off.

Successful candidates should have a knowledge of and commitment to the goals of Jesuit Education.