Summary:

The ASPCA was founded by Henry Bergh in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment at the hands of humans and must be protected under the law. With a 150-year legacy, and programs across the country, effective cross-functional management is critical to ensure ASPCA staff have effective and innovative solutions to improve the lives of animals. The Senior Director, Portfolio Management plays a key role in orchestrating complex and interdependent projects to align work with strategy, optimize resources, and communicate progress towards the ASPCA’s vision that animals live free from cruelty, pain, and suffering.

This role will report directly to the VP, Project Management Office (PMO) and will have 1 direct report. The PMO was founded in 2021 to provide centralized strategic management and oversight of the ASPCA’s project portfolio, implement project portfolio management, and elevate project management best practices and methodologies to enable successful execution of the organization’s priorities. The PMO creates strategic agility through a portfolio management framework that drives consistent value delivery, dynamic resource alignment, and simplified project execution so the organization can focus resources to maximize impact on animals.

The ASPCA’ Strategic Framework identifies annual Organization Priorities to focus resources on work with the greatest impact on our goals, thus saving more lives. This focus requires that we work in new ways to prioritize projects, break down communication silos, foster synergies between disparate initiatives, and champion financial sustainability. The Senior Director, Portfolio Management acts as bridge between strategy and execution, ensuring teams are aligned with our desired outcomes and successfully execute the highest impact projects. To achieve this vision, the Senior Director will serve as a thought partner to leadership and cross-functional teams on how we can most efficiently deliver Organizational Priorities on time, within budget, and with the resources available.

The ideal candidate will be extremely organized, able to deliver on multi-year roadmaps, detail-oriented, and have excellent communication skills to collaborate with executive leadership and project leads; as well as facilitation and presentation skills to lead key meetings and support decision making. Successfully coaching and training of stakeholders at all levels will be crucial for success.

Sharp critical thinking and strong change leadership skills are musts! The right person for this job understands the big picture of what teams are trying to achieve and can also connect the dots between our strategy and daily work. The Senior Director, Portfolio Management needs to reimagine what is possible, bring a solutions-oriented and data-driven approach to challenges and obstacles, and feel comfortable working in the “grey.” We’re looking for someone who is creative, compassionate and can focus teams on what matters most.  

Responsibilities:

Responsibilities will include, but are not limited to:

Lead delivery of Organizational Priorities through Portfolio Management Framework (50%)

Lead the execution of a delivery-focused portfolio framework that tracks organizational goal performance. Present executive leadership with portfolio-level status updates and timelines, flag critical risks and issues, and develop alternate plans to promote a nimble, delivery-focused culture.Translate annual plans and Organizational Priorities into roadmaps with communication plans, measured outcomes, and balanced resource allocation.Proactively lead creative problem solving to quickly remove obstacles. Leverage data and stakeholder engagement to identify and fully understand the issue, generate ideas through brainstorming, and facilitate decision-making to select a sustainable solution.Thrive in a dynamic and evolving environment, providing confident leadership and driving organizational change aligned with business objectives. Navigate change effectively with compassion and agility as the organization continues to evolve and respond to animal welfare crises across the nation.Deliver impactful presentations and dashboards that communicate complex information in a clear and understandable manner through visuals, superb communication skills, and clear calls-to-action with assigned ownership.Facilitate decision-making, tackle issues with creative solutions, and reimagine resource management to improve project delivery.Build and maintain productive working relationships, foster teamwork, and navigate diverse stakeholder dynamics for successful program outcomes and streamlined decision-making.

Implement and Consult on Project Portfolio Management Across the Organization (20%)

Implement scalable project portfolio management solutions and champion innovative project management best practices. Elevate org-wide project portfolio management skills through the PM Cohort, PMO Knowledge Library, and trainings.Provide project portfolio management coaching and guidance to help teams organize projects into programs and portfolios, root cause project pain points, and identify sustainable solutions that empower teams to successfully track and manage their projects. Promote efficiency and nurture a culture of continuous improvement by streamlining project intake, prioritization, tracking, and reporting.  Serve as Planview Project Hub Administrator and thought partner. Leverage platform to create balanced portfolios of coordinated projects that optimize resources and maximize impact on our Strategic Framework.

Manage Projects and Lead Cross-Functional Teams (20%)

Lead large-scale projects that are critical to our Strategic Outcomes.Collaborate with internal stakeholders across departments, vendors, and subject matter experts to create and execute complex project plans and schedules; complete projects on time and within budget.Define scope, manage budgets, and develop schedules, ensuring accuracy and transparency for the team.Proactively manage risks and remove obstacles, identify resource gaps, and communicate decisions.Maintain excellent verbal and written communication with all stakeholders; Provide insight and support to enhance existing communications between teams.Facilitate meetings to reach decisions, define next actions with clear ownership, and accomplish goals.

People Management (10%)

Supervise Sr. Project Manager.Conduct annual performance management and support professional development in alignment with our ASPCA Core Values and Behavioral Competencies.

Other responsibilities may include:

Participate in department meetings and work cross-functionally with other members of the team and organization.Proactively build project portfolio management skills and expertise by learning and embracing new technology, staying abreast of industry developments and best practices, and attend or provide training as available and approved.Provide interim project support during vacancies.

Exemplifies the ASPCA’s Core Values:

Has Commitment and dedication to improving the lives of animals Demonstrates Ownership and feels responsible for outcomes Believes in Team – that we are stronger together Seeks to Elevate others and reimagine what is possible Focuses on Impact, specifically making change for animals

Qualifications:

Demonstrated, excellent communication skills across writing, speaking and listeningExperience motivating and inspiring others with leadership and critical thinking skillsConflict management skills for supervising and resolving issues across project teamsAttention to detail for independently assessing and anticipating project risks and issuesA mix of independent and collaborative working stylesExperience creating presentations and speaking to wide range of project contributors, including senior leadershipAbility to work rapidly and meet deadlines under pressureFamiliarity with animal shelters, non-profits, veterinary clinics and animal welfare strongly preferredExceptional verbal and written communication skills, capable of conveying compelling messages to executive audiences

Education:

B.A./B.S. preferred or equivalent work experience

Location:

Remote10% travel to ASPCA

Compensation and Benefits:

The applicable target hiring range for this remote role is based on where the employee works, which for remote roles is the employee’s primary location of residence, and its respective cost of labor. We have organized the U.S. varying costs of labor index into three geographic zones. As a point of reference, below, we have included our ASPCA locations by geographic zone to illustrate what the hiring range would be in each of the following areas. 

Starting pay for the successful applicant will depend on a variety of factors, including but not limited to education, training, experience, location, business needs, internal equity, market demands or budgeted amount for the role. The target hiring range is for new hire offers only, and staff compensation may increase beyond the maximum hiring range based on performance over time. The maximum of the hiring range is reserved for candidates with the highest qualifications and relevant experience. The expected hiring salary ranges for this role are set forth below and may be modified in the future.  

Zone 1 (For example: Asheville, NC; Champaign, IL; Columbus, OH; Gainesville, FL; Miami, FL; Oklahoma City, OK; Overland, KS; Union, MO; Weaverville, NC): $122,000-$130,000 annuallyZone 2 (For example: Los Angeles, CA): $134,000-$143,000 annuallyZone 3 (For example: Washington D.C.; New York, NY): $147,000-$157,000 annually

You can view which zone applies to where you plan to work here. For questions regarding other locations not found on the list, please send an email to Careers@aspca.org for more information.  

For more information on our benefits offerings, visit our website.

Stay Connected – Join Our Talent Community

If you are interested in joining our team but do not see a position listed that fits your experience or interests, please join our Talent Community to stay connected to future opportunities with the ASPCA.

Qualifications:

See above for qualifications details.

  

Language:

English (Required)

Education and Work Experience:

  

5+ years of experience working in project or portfolio management, and experience with various project management frameworks and methodologies., Comfortable facilitating decision making at all levels of the organization, Comfort in exploring new technical platforms, analyzing their application across the organization and leading implementation and training as needed, Demonstrated experience in portfolio planning, including project intake and prioritization. Ability to translate planning into multi-year portfolio roadmaps., Experience in optimizing resources and timelines across a portfolio to ensure resources are focused on the most important work., Experience leading change management a plus, PMP Certification strongly preferred., Proficiency with technology, including Microsoft Office/Office 365, Box, Canva, Zoom, project management platforms, and developing dashboards.

Our EEO Policy:

The ASPCA is an Equal Employment Opportunity employer.  All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

Applicants with disabilities may be entitled to a reasonable accommodation under the terms of the Americans with Disabilities Act and certain state or local laws.  A reasonable accommodation is a change in the ASPCA’s standard application process, which will ensure an equal employment opportunity without imposing undue hardship on the ASPCA.  Please inform the ASPCA’s People Team if you need an accommodation in order to complete any forms or to otherwise participate in the application process.

Individuals seeking employment are considered without regards to race, color, creed, religion, sex, national origin, ancestry, gender, gender identity or expression, age, marital or domestic partner status, citizenship status, sexual orientation, disability, genetic information, military or veteran status,  or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state or local laws, regulations or ordinances.

ASPCA is an Equal Opportunity Employer (M/F/D/V).

About Us:
The ASPCA was founded in 1866 on the belief that animals are entitled to kind and respectful treatment by humans and must be protected under the law. As a 501(c)(3) not-for-profit corporation with more than two million supporters nationwide, the ASPCA is committed to preventing cruelty to dogs, cats, equines, and farm animals throughout the United States.

The ASPCA is headquartered in New York City, where we maintain a full-service animal hospital, spay/neuter clinic, mobile spay/neuter and primary pet care clinics, a rehabilitation center for canine victims of cruelty, kitten nursery, adoption center, and two community veterinary centers.

The ASPCA also operates programs and services that extend nationwide. We assist animals in need through on-the-ground disaster and cruelty interventions, behavioral rehabilitation, animal placement, legal and legislative advocacy, and the advancement of the sheltering and veterinary community through research, training, and resources.

At the ASPCA, we are committed to fostering a collaborative and compassionate culture and we welcome all voices to contribute to our lifesaving mission. Our staff represent a vast array of backgrounds and diversity dimensions, bringing with them valuable experiences and perspectives. They join the ASPCA to learn, grow, and continually do their best work on behalf of animals. We are inspired by our staff, partners, and the communities we support across the country who work to improve animal lives. We are committed to diversity, equity, and inclusion at the ASPCA because it elevates our organizational culture, aligns with our Core Values, and enables us to move further and faster toward the ASPCA’s vision – that all animals live good lives; valued by society, protected by its laws, and free from cruelty, pain and suffering.

Applicants that are residents of Colorado: Per CO Senate Bill 23-058, we cannot generally request or require any age-related information (i.e., age, DOB, attendance or graduation dates from an educational institution) on an initial employment application; this includes any age-related inquiries in the initial interview. We are permitted to require/request additional application materials; if those materials contain any age-related information, an applicant may redact the information before submitting an initial employment application.

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