Director of Project Management

Next Door Early Childhood Education (Next Door ECE) is seeking a strategic and detail-oriented Director of Project Management to lead organization-wide project management efforts, enhance organizational infrastructure, and provide support in executing the internal and broader strategic plan. This role will play a critical leadership function in establishing consistent project management practices, developing organization-wide standard operating procedures (SOPs), and ensuring that strategic initiatives are executed efficiently and effectively.

The initial focus of this role will be on fiscal and financial-priority projects, with responsibility expanding to support cross-agency initiatives, internal strategy implementation, and organizational process standardization. The Director of Project Management will partner closely with executive leadership and department leaders to align projects with Next Door ECE's mission, operational goals, and long-term sustainability.

Key Responsibilities

Enterprise Project Management & Strategy

• Lead and oversee high-priority, cross-functional projects across the organization, ensuring alignment with agency strategy and goals.
• Establish and manage a centralized project management framework, including project intake, prioritization, timelines, and reporting.
• Partner with executive leadership to translate strategic priorities into actionable project plans.
• Monitor project progress, risks, dependencies, and outcomes; provide regular updates to leadership.

Fiscal & Financial Priority Focus (Initial Emphasis)

• Manage and coordinate projects related to fiscal operations, budgeting, financial systems, compliance, and resource optimization.
• Collaborate with finance and operations teams to improve processes, controls, and reporting through structured project execution.
• Support initiatives that strengthen financial sustainability, operational efficiency, and accountability.

Standard Operating Procedures (SOP) Development

• Lead the development, documentation, and implementation of a comprehensive Standard Operating Procedure (SOP) manual for the organization.
• Partner with department leaders to document current processes, identify gaps, and recommend best practices.
• Ensure SOPs promote consistency, compliance, clarity of roles, and operational excellence across the agency.
• Establish a process for ongoing review, updates, and staff training related to SOPs.

Organizational Process Improvement

• Identify opportunities to streamline workflows, improve cross-department collaboration, and reduce operational inefficiencies.
• Apply change management best practices to support adoption of new processes and systems.
• Support continuous improvement efforts aligned with Next Door ECE's mission and values.

Leadership & Collaboration

• Serve as a thought partner and internal consultant to department leaders on project planning and execution.
• Facilitate cross-functional teams and working groups to drive project success.
• Build organizational capacity in project management through tools, templates, training, and coaching.

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, public administration, project management, or a related field.
• 7+ years of progressive experience in project management, operations, or organizational strategy.
• Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional projects.
• Strong experience developing and documenting standard operating procedures or organizational processes.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced, mission-driven environment.
• Excellent communication, facilitation, and stakeholder management skills.
• The incumbent must have access to a personal vehicle to use on a daily basis, maintain a valid driver's license and automobile insurance with liability limits of $300,000 (bodily injury) and $25,000 (property damage for each occurrence).

Preferred Qualifications

• Master's degree in a related field.
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or similar certification.
• Experience in nonprofit, education, or human services organizations.
• Familiarity with fiscal operations, budgeting processes, or financial systems.
• Experience supporting organizational change and process transformation.

Core Competencies

• Strategic thinking and execution
• Project and portfolio management
• Process design and documentation
• Change management
• Cross-functional collaboration
• Analytical and problem-solving skills
• Mission-driven leadership

Why Join Next Door ECE

Next Door ECE is a mission-driven organization committed to providing high-quality early childhood education and support to children and families in Milwaukee. This role offers the opportunity to build foundational systems, strengthen organizational effectiveness, and make a lasting impact across the agency.