THECB - Senior Project Manager (ITS)

Job Description

• Your job application must be completely filled out. Resumes do not take the place of the requirement to include this information on the application*

Number of Openings: 2

About the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB) works to ensure that all Texans have access to high-quality, affordable higher education opportunities that prepare students for successful careers and strengthen the states workforce and economy. Through collaboration with colleges, universities, policymakers, and education partners across Texas, THECB advances initiatives that expand educational opportunity, promote student success, and support the future of higher education.

About Information Technology Services

The Information Technology Services (ITS) Division advances THECBs mission by delivering secure, reliable, and customer-focused technology services that enable agency staff to effectively serve Texas students, institutions, and communities.

Our organization is committed to operational excellence through modern technology, strong governance, strategic partnerships, and continuous improvement. We are modernizing how technology services are delivered by strengthening infrastructure and operational resilience, advancing cloud-first and hybrid infrastructure, improving platform reliability and security, and building a culture centered on accountability, collaboration, innovation, and service excellence.

At THECB, we believe technology is more than infrastructure and support. It is a strategic business partner that enables our agency to better serve students, institutions, and the State of Texas.

About the Role

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is seeking an experienced and collaborative project management professional to serve as a Senior Project Manager within the Information Technology Services (ITS) Division.

This position is responsible for leading multiple concurrent information technology projects of varying scope, complexity, and duration. The Senior Project Manager guides projects through initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, implementation, and closure while maintaining appropriate controls for scope, schedule, cost, quality, risk, dependencies, decisions, and communication.

The Senior Project Manager serves as a senior project delivery resource, working closely with business stakeholders, Product Owners, Business Analysts, engineering teams, ITS leadership, vendors, and external partners to coordinate work and maintain alignment around project objectives and delivery commitments. The role requires sufficient technical fluency to understand systems, integrations, dependencies, and operational constraints and to facilitate productive discussions between technical and non-technical stakeholders.

Responsibilities include developing and maintaining integrated project plans and schedules; managing risks, issues, dependencies, resources, and financial information; facilitating stakeholder decisions and cross-functional coordination; preparing executive and governance reporting; maintaining project documentation; and ensuring project information accurately reflects delivery health and supports timely decision-making.

This position does not have formal supervisory responsibility but operates with considerable independence and may provide informal guidance to project team members and peers while helping strengthen consistent project delivery practices across ITS.

Why Join Our Team

This is an exciting opportunity to help strengthen how complex technology projects are delivered at the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board.

As a Senior Project Manager, youll work across business and technology teams to bring structure, transparency, and accountability to important technology initiatives while helping stakeholders navigate risks, dependencies, competing priorities, and delivery decisions.

In this role, youll have the opportunity to:

• Lead complex and highly visible technology projects that support agency programs, operations, and strategic priorities.

• Work closely with business stakeholders, Product Owners, Business Analysts, engineering teams, vendors, and ITS leadership to coordinate successful delivery.

• Bring clarity to complex initiatives by establishing realistic plans, milestones, ownership, dependencies, and delivery expectations.

• Help leaders make informed decisions by providing clear, accurate, and timely information about project health, risks, tradeoffs, and decisions needed.

• Strengthen project governance, documentation, communication, and delivery practices while helping teams focus on outcomes rather than administrative process.

• Apply your experience to resolve delivery challenges, manage cross-functional dependencies, and help projects recover when commitments are at risk.

• Make a meaningful impact by helping technology enable THECBs mission of expanding educational opportunity and strengthening higher education across Texas.

If you are an experienced project manager who is comfortable navigating complexity, communicating candidly, coordinating across organizational boundaries, and taking ownership for driving work forward, we encourage you to apply.

General Description:

Performs advanced (senior-level) project management work for the Information Technology Services (ITS) Division of the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board (THECB). Work involves directing, developing, and managing multiple concurrent projects at various levels of completion, complexity, and duration. Responsibilities include coordinating project planning and initiation, monitoring progress and schedules, managing risks and issues, and ensuring project deliverables meet defined objectives and organizational priorities.

Work involves serving as a senior project delivery resource, collaborating with internal teams, leadership, and external partners to orchestrate delivery across multiple concurrent projects, applying working technical fluency to facilitate informed discussions, manage dependencies, and resolve delivery conflicts. This role is responsible for maintaining project controls related to scope, schedule, cost, quality, and communication, and for providing timely, accurate project information to support decision-making, governance, and accountability.

Responsibilities include leading project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure; developing and maintaining project schedules, resource forecasts, and cost estimates; managing risks, issues, dependencies, and project changes; coordinating cross-functional teams and external partners; preparing project communications and decision-support materials; and maintaining project documentation in accordance with established governance, compliance, and audit requirements. Collaborates with Product Owners, Business Analysts, engineering teams, agency stakeholders, vendors, and ITS leadership to support coordinated and successful delivery of technology initiatives.

Works under minimal supervision, with considerable latitude for the use of initiative and independent judgment in planning, executing, and managing assigned projects. May provide informal guidance to project team members and peers, using practical technical understanding to support consistent application of delivery practices rather than formal supervisory responsibility. This position reports to the Director of Portfolio Management. Performs other duties as assigned.

General Duties and Responsibilities:

• Enterprise Project Planning & Execution - Directs, develops, and manages multiple concurrent information technology projects of varying scope, complexity, and duration. Leads project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure activities to ensure delivery of approved outcomes aligned with organizational priorities. Establishes project objectives, scope, milestones, roles, responsibilities, and delivery expectations and ensures project plans remain current and actionable throughout the project lifecycle.
• Project Communication, Stakeholder Engagement & Reporting - Develops and executes project communication strategies within the scope of assigned projects, providing delivery transparency and decision-support information for stakeholders, leadership, and governance bodies. Prepares and delivers clear, accurate project status updates, executive summaries, decision-support materials, meeting documentation, and other project communications. Facilitates stakeholder engagement and ensures material changes, risks, issues, and decisions are communicated timely and at the appropriate level.
• Schedule, Resource & Financial Management - Develops and maintains integrated project schedules, resource forecasts, cost estimates, and related project planning information. Monitors progress against approved baselines and manages adjustments to maintain delivery commitments within established constraints. Identifies resource conflicts, schedule impacts, and financial variances and works with appropriate stakeholders and leadership to develop mitigation strategies or recommend changes.
• Risk, Issue & Dependency Management - Oversees and integrates risk, issue, and dependency management across assigned projects or initiatives. Identifies, evaluates, documents, and monitors project risks, issues, assumptions, and dependencies; develops mitigation and resolution strategies in partnership with stakeholders; and ensures appropriate ownership and follow-through. Escalates material risks, trends, dependencies, and variances through established governance channels to support informed decision-making and delivery stability.
• Cross-Organizational & External Coordination - 15%

Leads and facilitates coordination across projects and initiatives, partnering with internal teams, agency business areas, state agencies, governmental entities, vendors, and external partners as appropriate. Coordinates cross-team and cross-project dependencies, facilitates resolution of delivery conflicts, aligns commitments and timelines, and ensures required decisions, approvals, and stakeholder actions support successful project delivery.

• Governance, Compliance & Documentation - Applies established project governance and documentation practices across assigned projects to ensure consistency, accuracy, transparency, and compliance with agency standards and applicable requirements. Maintains and validates project artifacts, decisions, risks, issues, performance information, and supporting documentation; ensures project records are complete and current; and supports audit readiness, governance reporting, organizational transparency, and knowledge continuity.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Knowledge Skills and Abilities

The successful candidate will possess the knowledge, skills, and abilities needed to perform the role effectively and contribute to reliable, customer-focused technology services.

Knowledge

• Knowledge of project management principles, practices, methodologies, and project lifecycle management.
• Knowledge of project planning, scheduling, scope management, cost management, resource planning, quality management, risk management, and change control practices.
• Knowledge of predictive, Agile, iterative, and hybrid project delivery methodologies.
• Knowledge of risk, issue, assumption, dependency, and decision management practices.
• Knowledge of project governance, status reporting, escalation, performance measurement, and decision-support practices.
• Knowledge of information technology concepts, systems, application delivery, integrations, and common technology project environments.
• Knowledge of stakeholder management, organizational communication, vendor coordination, and cross-functional project delivery practices.
• Knowledge of documentation, records management, audit, compliance, and governance requirements applicable to project delivery.

Skills

• Skill in directing, developing, and managing multiple concurrent information technology projects of varying scope, complexity, and duration.
• Skill in developing and maintaining project plans, integrated schedules, milestones, resource forecasts, cost estimates, and delivery commitments.
• Skill in managing project scope, schedule, cost, quality, risks, issues, dependencies, assumptions, decisions, and changes.
• Skill in identifying project risks and delivery barriers, developing mitigation strategies, and escalating issues appropriately.
• Skill in coordinating cross-functional teams, stakeholders, vendors, external partners, and organizational dependencies.
• Skill in preparing clear, accurate project status reports, executive summaries, decision-support materials, governance documentation, and presentations.
• Skill in facilitating meetings, resolving delivery conflicts, documenting decisions, establishing accountability, and driving assigned actions to completion.
• Skill in communicating technical and project information in clear business terms for technical and non-technical audiences.
• Skill in using project management, work management, collaboration, scheduling, reporting, and documentation tools.
• Skill in applying working technical fluency to facilitate informed discussions, understand delivery dependencies, and support effective project decision-making.

Abilities

• Ability to maintain accurate visibility into project health and communicate emerging risks, issues, dependencies, and variances in a timely manner.
• Ability to analyze project information, identify trends and delivery risks, and recommend appropriate corrective actions.
• Ability to distinguish between issues that can be resolved within the project team and those requiring leadership or governance escalation.
• Ability to coordinate work across business, product, project, engineering, vendor, and external stakeholder groups.
• Ability to maintain project discipline while adapting project management practices to the size, complexity, risk, and delivery methodology of assigned work.
• Ability to work independently with considerable latitude for initiative and judgment while operating within established governance and organizational standards.
• Ability to provide informal guidance to project team members and peers and support consistent application of project delivery practices.
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing, with technical and non-technical audiences, including executive leadership.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with agency leadership, staff, vendors, business partners, governmental entities, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to demonstrate professionalism, sound judgment, accountability, integrity, and a strong commitment to public service.
• Ability to attend work regularly and reliably.

Required In-Office Days:

This position is authorized for a hybrid telework schedule. Employees are required to work in the office three (3) days per week, with the remaining two (2) days eligible for telework. Specific in-office days may be determined by the department to meet business needs.

Military Crosswalk: https://hr.sao.texas.gov/Compensation/MilitaryCrosswalk/MOSC_ProgramManagement.pdf

Qualifications

Required Minimum Education and Experience:

• Bachelors degree from an accredited four-year college or university with major coursework in Business Administration, Public Administration, Information Systems, Project Management, Computer Science, Management, or a related field.
• Five (5) years of progressively responsible professional experience in project management, program management, information technology, business operations, or a related field.
• Three (3) years of experience managing complex projects involving multiple stakeholders, workstreams, teams, or organizational areas.
• Experience independently managing multiple concurrent projects through planning, execution, monitoring, and closure.
• Additional related work experience may substitute for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Preferred Experience and Education:

Preference will be given to candidates who possess one or more of the following:

• Extensive experience managing complex information technology projects involving multiple teams, stakeholders, dependencies, and organizational areas.
• Experience simultaneously managing multiple information technology projects of varying scope, complexity, duration, and organizational visibility.
• Experience managing application development, modernization, cloud, infrastructure, data, SaaS, enterprise platform, or other technology initiatives.
• Experience developing and maintaining integrated project schedules, resource forecasts, cost estimates, financial information, and project performance measures.
• Experience managing project risks, issues, dependencies, scope changes, corrective actions, and escalation processes.
• Experience coordinating project delivery across Product Owners, Business Analysts, engineering teams, business stakeholders, vendors, and external partners.
• Experience preparing executive-level status reporting, governance materials, project dashboards, decision-support information, or portfolio reporting.
• Experience working within an established Project Management Office, portfolio management function, or formal project governance model.
• Experience applying predictive, Agile, iterative, and hybrid delivery methodologies based on project needs.
• Experience supporting project audit, compliance, records management, governance, or formal documentation requirements.
• Experience working in Texas state government, higher education, public sector, or another complex or regulated environment.
• Professional certification related to project, program, Agile, or organizational change management, such as PMP, PMI-ACP, Certified ScrumMaster, Prosci, or equivalent certification.

Physical Requirements and/or Working Conditions:

Work is performed in a standard office environment and requires:

• Regular, reliable, and punctual attendance at work.
• Frequent use of personal computers, copiers, printers, telephones, and other standard office equipment.
• Frequent sitting, with occasional standing, walking, and movement throughout the office.
• Frequent interaction with agency leadership, staff, vendors, and external stakeholders.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet established deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

Workforce:

Must be able to:

• Demonstrate a strong commitment to customer service and the agencys mission.
• Provide strategic leadership that promotes collaboration, accountability, innovation, and continuous improvement.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with agency leadership, staff, vendors, and external stakeholders.
• Show flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities, assignments, and organizational needs, including working extended hours when necessary.
• Adhere to the agencys internal management policies, procedures, and applicable federal and state requirements.
• Contribute to the agencys strategic goals, organizational performance measures, and mission.

Application Requirements:

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board is an Equal Opportunity Employer. A State of Texas application is required to apply. For more information on how to apply for this position, go to the Coordinating Boards employment opportunities website at https://www.highered.texas.gov/careers/.

The Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board participates in E-Verify for each new employees Form I-9 to confirm work authorization. For questions, please call the HR Department at 512-427-6190. For vocal and/or hearing assistance call 7-1-1.

Notes to Applicant:

If you require any reasonable accommodation for the interview process, please inform the hiring representative who calls to schedule your interview. This position has been designated as a security sensitive position. A criminal background investigation will be conducted on the final candidate for this position.

Your job application must be completely filled out. Your application must contain dates of employment, job titles, name of employer and a description of duties performed in a way that demonstrates you meet the minimum qualifications for the position for which you are applying. Resumes do not take the place of the requirement to include this information on the application. If this information is not submitted, your application may be rejected because it is incomplete.

Veterans Information: THECB is committed to hiring Veterans. To receive Veterans Preference, a copy of the FORM DD214 -member #4, must be attached when submitting your application.

AN EQUAL EMPLOYMENT OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER: THECB does not discriminate on the basis, of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, or disability in employment or the provision of services.

Job offer and continuation of employment with THECB is contingent upon:

Proof of education and experience listed on the application.

Eligibility/authorization to work in the U.S.

Satisfactory results from a pre-employment criminal history background check.

Compliance with the Selective Service Law for males ages 18-25. Please be advised that under Texas law, names and other information concerning applicants or nominees may be subject to disclosure upon request.

THECB does not allow dual employment with other state of Texas agencies or institutions.

Skills assessment may be conducted at time of interview.

Salary for this position will be commensurate with experience and qualifications.

No phone calls or emails, please. Due to the high volume of applications, we do not accept telephone calls and cannot reply to all email inquiries. Only candidates selected for interview will be contacted.