Note: The job is a remote job and is open to candidates in USA. SimpsonScarborough is a leader in the higher education marketing industry, and they are seeking an Associate Vice President, Project Management Office (PMO) to lead project delivery excellence across the agency. This role involves directing the PMO team, governing portfolio health, and managing key accounts while ensuring rigorous project execution and alignment with agency objectives.
Responsibilities
- Lead, coach, and develop a team of project managers, building a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and high performance
- Govern project performance across the agency portfolio — tracking financials, resourcing, timelines, and risk to ensure delivery excellence at scale
- Translate portfolio and financial data into KPIs, dashboards, and executive-level reporting that drive informed decision-making
- Build, standardize, and continuously improve PM systems, workflows, and documentation frameworks across the agency
- Partner with practice area leads and Account leadership to ensure strategic alignment and operational clarity across the client portfolio
- Serve as hands-on project lead for select high-priority client engagements
- Support new-business pitches and set clear expectations with clients new to the engagement
- Navigate a matrixed, cross-functional environment — exercising sound judgment when priorities compete and collaborating effectively across disciplines
Skills
- 10+ years of project management experience on marketing-related work, with agency experience strongly preferred
- A proven track record of building, standardizing, and governing PM processes and reporting — not just maintaining inherited systems
- Hands-on fluency in project planning, task management, budgeting, resourcing, and forecasting
- Experience leading, coaching, and developing a team of project managers
- Strong data fluency — able to turn portfolio and financial metrics into actionable insights and executive-ready reporting
- Experience navigating a matrixed, cross-functional agency environment with competing priorities across departments
- Client-facing experience, including supporting new-business pitches and setting expectations with clients new to the engagement
- Proficiency with Wrike or a comparable platform (Asana, Smartsheet, Monday.com); transferable experience welcome
- Excellent communication skills — clear and confident with internal partners and senior stakeholders alike
- Bachelor's degree and/or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience
Benefits
- Comprehensive benefits package including nationwide health, dental, and vision coverage, 401(k) with employer contribution, employer-paid life insurance and short-term disability
- Flexible time off (FTO) with additional time-off options, including sick, volunteer & bereavement leave, paid parental leave, a day off on your birthday PLUS two agency-wide closures in the summer and winter
- Monthly lifestyle stipend to supplement your routine wellness costs like streaming subscriptions, gym, or phone/internet costs
Company Overview