DIRECTOR PROJECT MANAGEMENT

Description

OVERALL JOB PURPOSE

At Sandia Area Federal Credit Union, every position plays a vital role in fulfilling our mission to deliver high-value banking and lending services that strengthen the financial well-being of our members and community. Each team member is expected to embody our core values of Service, Sustainability, Efficiency, Trust, Stewardship, and Growth, contributing to our vision of empowering lifelong achievement through better banking. While specific responsibilities vary by role, every position carries universal expectations aligned with its level of responsibility and authority across the organization.

As the Director of Project Management at Sandia Area Federal Credit Union, you provide strategic oversight for your department, ensuring its initiatives align with organizational goals and values. You are entrusted with fostering cross-departmental collaboration, driving innovation, and modeling the accountability and stewardship necessary to achieve long-term success. Your leadership directly contributes to the credit union’s ability to deliver on its mission of empowering members and the community through better banking.

Reporting directly to the Chief Operating Officer, the Director of Project Management is responsible for all aspects of planning, leading, overseeing, and directing activities to ensure projects are coordinated properly and completed on time, within budget, and aligned with Sandia Area’s goals and objectives. The Director of Project Management leads cross-functional teams to ensure the completion of projects by their set deadlines to support Sandia Area’s initiatives. The Director manages resources for multiple projects simultaneously and collaborates and communicates around risk and concerns to ensure the completion of projects.  The Director of Project Management plays a key role in fostering collaboration, mitigating risks, and driving a culture of continuous improvement to support the organization’s strategic initiatives.

PRIMARY DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Leadership and Team Management

• Lead by example, reinforce, and consistently uphold Sandia Area’s Values: Service, Sustainability, Efficiency, Trust, Stewardship, and Growth.

• Provide strategic leadership to department managers and teams, ensuring alignment with organizational goals and priorities.

• Mentor and develop leaders within the department, fostering growth and succession planning.

• Establish departmental strategies, set clear goals, and monitor progress to ensure success.

• Drive collaboration across departments to ensure cohesive strategies and shared accountability.

• Oversee large-scale projects and initiatives, managing resources effectively and meeting organizational timelines.

• Implement performance improvement initiatives, balancing short-term needs with long-term goals.

Planning & Organizing

• Lead the organization with adoption of project management best practices and identify opportunities to continuously improve delivery in our dynamic business environment

• Develop and propose project plans, including scope, budget, schedule and resources required; ensure a clear project plan is created and approved, set targets for milestones, and adhere to deadlines.

• Lead project team meetings, mentor team members, and provide guidance throughout the project lifecycle.

Monitoring & Risk Management

• Manage the project plan through holding others accountable to tasks, acting as a change agent and leading through influence

• Perform risk assessments throughout a project’s lifecycle; identify potential risks, issues, and dependencies; develop and execute mitigation strategies

• Drive consistency in risk management across all project phases.

Communication & Problem Solving

• Organize and guide discussions to support integrated planning, determine the root cause of issues, and lead the decision-making process

• Asses project requirements and advocate for additional resources when necessary; adjust schedules and targets as needs or resources change.

• Mediate and resolve conflicts to maintain project momentum.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for project-related communication with senior leadership and stakeholders.

Reporting & Evaluation

• Create and present detailed project reports, including updates, budget(s), schedule(s), and improvement recommendations through a project’s lifecycle for senior leadership.

• Responsible for tracking and reporting on each projects’ budget and  providing perspective on each project’s progression

• Analyze and deliver comprehensive project closure reports to evaluate success, capture lessons learned, best practices, and improvement recommendations.

Expectations of all Sandia Area employees

• Represents the credit union in a professional manner at all times

• Maintains a thorough understanding and adherence to credit union regulations, compliance, policies, procedures, and guidelines.

• Meets deadlines as assigned and directed.

• Maintains a positive and caring atmosphere for members and employees consistent with the credit union’s mission and philosophy.

• Maintains the security and confidentiality of pertinent information and records.

• Willing to undergo a background and credit check as required by regulations

• Understands and agrees to abide by the policies and procedures established by Sandia Area Federal Credit Union and federal and state legal and regulatory guidelines, including the Bank Secrecy Act (BSA) and the Office of Foreign Assets Control (OFAC), as applicable to this position.

• Perform additional duties as assigned or directed by leadership.

Qualifications

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES

• Demonstrated expertise ability to lead a team responsible for significant scale projects and programs

• Ability to exercise strong leadership and collaboration skills, manage complex project plans, and demonstrate emotional intelligence in order to build and maintain positive working relationships and navigate difficult situations

• Visionary leadership and strategic planning skills to align departmental initiatives with organizational objectives.

• Strong collaborative skills to foster cross-departmental partnerships.

• Ability to oversee large-scale projects and manage resources effectively.

• Advanced communication skills to engage with stakeholders and present ideas clearly.

• Expertise in compliance, risk management, and industry best practices.

• Analytical skills to assess departmental performance and implement improvements.

• Commitment to fostering innovation and supporting organizational growth.

• Must be able to lift up to 10 lbs.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE REQUIREMENTS

• High school diploma required.

• A Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration or related field

  • Directly related experience, in addition to minimum required experience, may be considered as a substitution

• Minimum of 7 years Project Management experience with at least 2 years in a management capacity leading multi-disciplinary teams.

• PMP certification preferred

• General knowledge of credit unions is desired

*** Please submit an employment application to www.sandia.org/careers *** 

Sandia Area Federal Credit Union (SAFCU) is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

SAFCU provides equal employment opportunities to all employees and applicants for employment and prohibits discrimination and harassment of any type without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, national origin, disability status, genetics, protected veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local laws.