Technical Program Manager
Summary
Technical Program Manager at Ocean Conservancy (a DC-based ocean conservation nonprofit) coordinating enterprise IT projects such as an ERP transition, IT governance upgrade, AI implementation, and website consolidation. Day-to-day work centers on managing vendors, budgets, timelines, and stakeholder communication; requires 5+ years managing technology projects. Hybrid role in Washington, DC.
POSITION TITLE: | Technical Program Manager |
DEPARTMENT/PROGRAM: | Operations - Information Technology |
REPORTS TO: | Vice President, Information Technology and Integrations |
STATUS: | Regular, Full-Time, Exempt |
LOCATION: | Hybrid – Washington, DC |
ABOUT OCEAN CONSERVANCY
For more than 50 years, Ocean Conservancy has delivered effective, evidence-based solutions for the ocean and all who depend on it. Today, we continue to unite science, people and policy to protect our ocean from the greatest challenges it faces: climate change, plastic pollution and biodiversity loss. We are a 501(C)3 headquartered in Washington, D.C. that inspires a worldwide network of partners, advocates and supporters through our comprehensive and clear-eyed approach to ocean conservation. Together, we are securing a healthy ocean and a thriving planet, forever and for everyone.
POSITION SUMMARY
The Technical Program Manager will help manage and support the planning, coordination, and execution of significant system, process, and policy redesign projects to help Ocean Conservancy maximize the efficiency and effectiveness of its internal systems to the benefit of all employees and the execution of the organization’s conservation mission.
Reporting to the Vice President of Information Technology and Integration, this position will work closely with both internal and external stakeholders to ensure significant technical projects are executed well, on budget, and meet organizational goals of improved effectiveness and employee satisfaction. This role will serve as a resource for the organization to ensure projects run smoothly using consistent practices.
PRIMARY RESPONSIBILITIES
- Serve as a central point of coordination between external firms, technical teams, functional departments, and executive leadership; identify and engage appropriate stakeholders, facilitate timely decision-making and follow-through, and provide regular updates to promote transparency and alignment.
- Identify and proactively manage project risks, issues, dependencies, decisions, and action items through resolution.
- Maintain project documentation, progress reports, and change management records.
- Working with communications teams, facilitate effective communication across the organization to promote understanding of project goals, progress, and impacts.
- Gather and integrate stakeholder feedback into project planning and execution.
- Prepare and deliver project updates, dashboards, and presentations for various audiences as needed
- Track vendor delivery against Statements of Work, milestones, deliverables, acceptance criteria, schedule, scope, and quality expectations.
- Monitor project budgets and expenditures; provide accurate forecasting and financial reporting.
- Help coordinate sessions to facilitate strategic prioritization discussions.
- Aggregate project activities, dependencies, and status across the organization into a project portfolio to provide visibility. Identify and escalate portfolio risks, conflicts, and resource constraints. Support the VP of IT & Integration in developing, maintaining, and tracking execution against the technology roadmap.
- Oversee external vendor PMs to ensure projects follow a structured process that aligns with OC’s standards.
- Act as an internal resource for smaller project teams, providing them guidance on methodology, tools, and templates. Help track the progress of those projects and adherence to schedule. Possibly recommend intervention or additional resources, if necessary.
- Lead medium-sized Ocean Conservancy projects as the primary PM, handling all aspects of planning, execution, and reporting. This would be required for projects that fall between our small team efforts that need light advisory support and our large enterprise initiatives which have typically have vendor PMs.
Current and Potential Future Projects Include:
- Information Technology and Governance Project (aka “Project Lobstah”): A multi-year enterprise technology upgrade initiative to improve our tech stack, enhance cyber security, ensure compliance with data privacy laws, design a comprehensive information governance program, and train staff to ensure adoption of new technology, policies and protocols.
- Finance System Transition: Assist the Finance department in moving to a new financial ERP system, coordinating activities and the evaluation and implementation of additional applications and integrations.
- Grants/Contracts tracking system and process: Assist the Operations, Legal, Development, and Finance teams in scoping and implementing new tools and procedures for more effectively tracking and monitoring organizational agreements and commitments.
- AI implementation: Help Ocean Conservancy coordinate the evaluation, selection, governance, implementation, and ongoing management of appropriate AI solutions in partnership with IT, Legal, Privacy, Security, and business stakeholders.
- Consolidation of web sites and resources: Work with the VP of IT and key web stakeholders to assess current public-facing architecture, technology, and external resources. Manage an effort to consolidate into a unified enterprise operation.
- Hiring/Onboarding improvement. Assist the Shared Services team in streamlining the onboarding process to improve the new hire experience as well as the internal efforts associated with it.
REQUIRED SKILLS/QUALIFICATIONS/EXPERIENCE
- Minimum of 5 years of professional experience managing technology implementation, integration, or digital transformation projects; nonprofit or public sector experience preferred.
- Understanding of enterprise systems integration, data management, and digital transformation principles.
- Exceptional project planning, organization, collaboration, and change management skills.
- Experience managing external professional-services vendors, including delivery against SOWs, milestones, budgets, and defined outcomes.
- Experience managing multiple concurrent, cross-functional initiatives and balancing competing organizational priorities and resources.
- Working knowledge of enterprise technology environments, including SaaS platforms, systems integration, identity/security, data, and cloud technologies sufficient to effectively manage technology-focused projects and vendors.
- Proficiency with project management and collaboration platforms, with Jira experience strongly preferred; experience with Agile/Scrum reporting, dashboards, workflows, operations, and management is desirable.
- Strong communication and presentation abilities, with experience preparing materials for executive and board audiences.
EDUCATION/TRAINING
- Bachelor’s degree in Information Technology, Business Administration, or related field. Master’s degree preferred.
COMPENSATION
Ocean Conservancy is committed to fair pay practices and posts expected salary ranges for each of its positions. Compensation will be commensurate with the candidate’s specialty skills, years of experience, location, and unique background. The expected starting salary range for this role is $95,000 to $105,000 annually. We would welcome the opportunity to connect with potential candidates whose salary requirements may be outside of the expected range.
In addition, Ocean Conservancy offers a comprehensive benefits package to include:
- Medical, Dental, and Vision Coverage for employees, spouses (same-sex and opposite-sex), domestic partners, and dependent children, effective on your first day of employment.
- Short-Term and Long-Term Disability Insurance, fully employer-paid for employees.
- Basic Life Insurance, fully employer-paid for employees.
- Healthcare and Dependent Care Flexible Spending Accounts (FSAs).
- Retirement Benefits: Employees are immediately 100% vested and may begin contributing upon hire. After one year of employment, Ocean Conservancy will establish a 401(a) retirement account and contribute an amount equal to 6% of your monthly salary, regardless of whether you participate in the 403(b) plan.
- Generous Paid Time Off, including:
- 15 days of vacation
- 11 paid holidays
- 12 sick days
- 2 personal days
TO APPLY
If you think you’d be a great fit for the job and are interested in joining Ocean Conservancy’s team, please apply here. Please include a resume and cover letter in one file on your application.
HYBRID WORK ENVIRONMENT
Ocean Conservancy embraces a hybrid work environment, which allows our staff the flexibility to work virtually and in-person while building strong connections across the institution.
EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER
Ocean Conservancy 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.
This policy applies to all terms and conditions of employment, including recruiting, hiring, placement, promotion, termination, layoff, recall, transfer, leaves of absence, compensation, and training.
We encourage applicants who have a diverse level and range of relevant skills and experiences to apply. A 100% match is not required. We want to support employees’ career growth and in return, our employees help Ocean Conservancy grow into a stronger, more inclusive institution.
REASONABLE ACCOMMODATIONS
Ocean Conservancy is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for individuals with disabilities. This includes modifying the job application process, the job or work environment to make reasonable accommodations for the known physical or mental limitations of an applicant or employee to enable them to be considered for a position they desire, to perform the position’s essential functions and to enjoy equal benefits and privileges of employment, unless the accommodation will impose an undue hardship on Ocean Conservancy.
If reasonable accommodation is needed to participate in the job application or interview process, or if you are a qualified individual with a disability and need assistance applying for a position, please contact jobs@oceanconservancy.org. Ocean Conservancy will keep confidential any medical information obtained in connection with your request.