Remote New

Senior Manager, Business Operations (Strategic Operation)

Western Governors University
life insurance, flexible benefit account, parental leave, paid time off, paid holidays, sick time
United States, Utah, Salt Lake City
3949 South 700 East (Show on map)
May 21, 2026
If you're passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country-and you're committed to working hard to play your part in building that future-consider WGU as the next step in your career. Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families. The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs. At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is: Grade: Management_Executive 609 Pay Range: $113,200.00 - $203,800.00 Job Description The Senior Manager of Operations directly manages a small team while working collaboratively with leaders across the organization and the WGU System to drive mission-critical projects to completion. This role is a vital member of the leadership team and represents the organization's value proposition that takes concepts through a rigorous process to launch via build, borrow or buy actions. The Senior Manager has direct oversight for managing a stringent innovation management process that includes identifying promising concepts that address significant problems, scoping and managing complex projects to validate their value, supporting and orchestrating the project to completion - whether to launch or decommissioning. The Senior Manager is a strategic leader who drives successful organizational outcomes while working on multiple high detail projects directly and indirectly with project leaders and teams. This position is a promoter of continuous improvement, change management to include stakeholder communications and relationships. This role leads the development and oversight of the departments' innovation pipeline. Essential Functions and Responsibilities: Serves as a bridge between the strategic and tactical elements of capitalizing on high-growth and high-impact net new business opportunities Supports employee engagement and performance recognition programs Holds direct reports accountable for assigned projects and areas of responsibilities Provides measurable feedback to direct reports and suggestions for improved performance Coaches, mentors, and assists in the professional development of team members Participates in department and area staffing activities, including candidate interviewing and selection Takes the lead in driving business processes and ensuring the organization is executing to max potential Identifies business metrics, including Key Performance Indicators (KPIs) and associated measurement methodologies Influences the data analytics processes to define research and extract Business Intelligence from their analysis Serves as a leader to a small team to drive engagement and results and supports initiative teams in their work Collaborates across multiple areas of an innovative company Manages complex projects that span numerous organizational functions and have non-linear dependencies Creates a positive impact on peers and associates that you help to coordinate and deliver with change centric environment while staying focused on customer satisfaction Mentors team members and colleagues in a variety of business operations topics Ensures that business best practices are following via quality checks Builds business cases and buy-in to support new initiatives and activities Collaborates across multiple areas of the WGU system, with an emphasis on serving the needs of department operations Oversees communication strategy for projects and initiatives Develops departmental strategies consistent with the assigned department's continuous quality improvement program. Performs other related duties as assigned Knowledge, Skill, and Abilities: Ability to provide consultation to high-level vendors, contractors, and stakeholders Ability to think strategically and tactically with a strong bias for execution Ability to lead, build and coach high performing teams within a business and ensure projects, initiatives, or other work functions are performed successfully Ability to increase employee engagement, support a positive environment and help remove obstacles for team members Ability to make decisions quickly to help move projects and increase efficiency Knowledge of continuous improvement methodologies Ability to apply change management practices to both projects and people Aptitude to manage ambiguity Knowledge of qualitative and quantitative data analysis Ability to lead, build and coach high performing teams within a business and ensure projects, initiatives, or other work functions are performed successfully Ability to increase employee engagement, support a positive environment and help remove obstacles for team members Effectively makes decisions quickly to help move projects and improve efficiency Ability to market and promote new programs and initiatives Capability to effectively manage the innovation pipeline Competencies: Organizational Impact: Develops plan to accomplish division or job area responsibilities that align with the department. Performance may affect department results. Work requires some knowledge of the University to recognize the impact of decisions made. Compiles data to prepare budgets. Problem Solving and Decision Making: Responsible for making improvements of processes or systems to enhance the performance of the job area. Accountable for coordinating activities and maintaining relationships with internal (and occasionally external) parties. Assignments received and problems faced are broad and undefined and require analytical concepts, investigation, and knowledge from prior experience. Communication and Influence: Communicates within job area and occasionally with external groups and external-facing professionals (i.e., Admissions) Communicates frequently with external groups on routine and more complex matters. Ensures compliance with University policies and procedures within the job area and may influence others outside of the job area to justify and gain cooperation for policies, practices, and procedures. Leadership and Talent Management: Manages a team of professionals and oversees the work of assigned employees and supervisors who generally exercise some latitude and independence in their assignments. Ensures proper training of team members and actively participates in hiring, firing, and promotion decisions. Conducts performance reviews and recommends salary reviews. Primarily achieves goals through leading a team of teams Job Qualifications: Minimum Qualifications: Bachelor's degree in business or operational field from an accredited institution. 7+ years experience managing operations for a mid to large size organization 3+ years leading direct reports Department Specific Minimum Qualifications: 2+ years experience working in large complex organizations 3+ years experience managing projects as the designated project manager 2+ years managing sales or innovation pipelines Preferred Qualifications: PMI Certification or equivalent Six Sigma Certification or equivalent Demonstrated experience leading change initiatives using formal change management methodologies (e.g., Prosci or equivalent). Experience in online higher education environments. Physical Requirements: Prolonged periods sitting at a desk and working on a computer. Must be able to lift up to 15 pounds at times. This position requires occasional travel of up to 20%, including required attendance at designated company summits (typically one to two per year). Additional travel may include conferences, visits to company locations, and other business-related events as needed. Additional travel may be assigned as needed to support business requirements. #LI-TT1 #LI-INOFFICE Position & Application Details Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave. How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday. Additional Information Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It's not all-inclusive. Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu. Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.