Program Manager, PMO – Ellucian ERP SaaS Transformation

The Program Manager, operating within the Project Management Office (PMO), provides strategic leadership and oversight for large-scale Ellucian ERP transformation programs, including complex on-premise to SaaS migrations within higher education institutions.  

This role is responsible for managing programs consisting of multiple interconnected workstreams and project managers, ensuring alignment between client objectives, technology solutions, third-party and vendor stakeholders, and organizational change initiatives.  

The Program Manager serves as a trusted advisor to client executive leadership, translating complex technical and program issues into clear, concise executive-level summaries, and guiding stakeholders through complex enterprise transformations while ensuring successful program delivery, risk mitigation, timely decision making, and overall program governance.  

As a senior leader within the PMO, this role also directly coaches, and mentors Project Managers, building delivery capability and supporting their professional growth. The ideal candidate combines extensive Ellucian ERP implementation expertise with strong consulting, executive communication, people leadership, and stakeholder management capabilities. 

• Lead complex Ellucian ERP (Banner and/or Colleague) transformation programs, including on-premise to SaaS/cloud migrations, from initiation through stabilization, ensuring alignment with institutional goals and strategic priorities. 

• Develop and maintain comprehensive program governance frameworks, including steering committees, executive reporting structures, and decision-making processes. 

• Coordinate multiple concurrent project workstreams, ensuring dependencies, risks, resources, and timelines are effectively managed. 

• Partner with institutional executives and project sponsors to establish program objectives, success metrics, and strategic outcomes. 

• Provide oversight of implementation teams to ensure consistent delivery methodologies and adherence to program objectives. 

• Operate as a senior member of the PMO, establishing and enforcing consistent program and project management standards, methodology, tools, and reporting cadence across the ERP transformation portfolio. 

• Monitor and manage multi-million-dollar program budgets, resource allocation, forecasting and burn downs, and overall financial performance across the program portfolio. 

• Identify, assess, and proactively manage program-level risks, issues, and dependencies. 

• Develop and execute program communication strategies, including translating complex technical and program issues into clear, concise summaries for executive and client leadership audiences. 

• Collaborate with functional and technical leaders to ensure implementation decisions support long-term institutional goals. 

• Establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure program success and realization of benefits. 

• Ensure project teams maintain high-quality deliverables, documentation, and implementation standards. 

• Serve as the primary point of contact for client executive sponsors, presenting program status, risks, and recommendations at the executive level in a clear, concise, and actionable manner. 

• Support business development initiatives through thought leadership, proposal support, and client relationship management as needed. 

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent professional experience. 

• Ten or more years of experience leading large-scale ERP, SaaS, or enterprise software implementation programs within Higher Education. 

• Demonstrated experience managing complex, multi-year transformation initiatives involving multiple projects and stakeholder groups. 

• Direct experience with Ellucian Banner and/or Colleague ERP platforms is preferable; familiarity with Workday, Oracle, or other Higher Education ERP platforms is a plus. 

• Experience delivering programs using the Ellucian Implementation Methodology is preferable. 

• Proven success managing program governance, executive communications, and strategic stakeholder relationships. 

• Strong understanding of on-premise to SaaS/cloud migration methodologies, organizational change management, and business process transformation. 

• Experience managing multi-million-dollar program budgets, forecasts, resource planning, and financial reporting across a portfolio of concurrent initiatives. 

• Ability to effectively engage and influence executive leadership, including Presidents, Provosts, Vice Presidents, CIOs, CFOs, and other senior stakeholders, with the ability to distill complex technical and program issues into clear, concise, executive-level summaries. 

• Exceptional written, verbal, presentation, and facilitation skills. 

• Strong analytical, organizational, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities. 

• Demonstrated ability to lead cross-functional teams in complex and rapidly changing environments. 

• Experience operating in matrix-managed environments, coordinating effectively with Ellucian Partner Network team, as well as other third-party vendors, without direct authority over all contributors. 

• Experience coaching, and developing Project Managers assigned to Program Managers project(s) 

• Ability and willingness to travel to client campuses as needed, up to approximately 25%. 

• Experience utilizing project and program management tools such as Smartsheet, Microsoft Project, Jira, or similar platforms. 

• Previous higher education consulting experience. 

• PMP, PgMP, or other related certifications; Ellucian-specific certifications or training a plus. 

• Experience leading cloud migration or enterprise modernization initiatives; familiarity with Ellucian's Navigate to SaaS (N2S) methodology is a plus. 

• Experience overseeing multiple ERP implementations simultaneously. 

• Experience operating within a formal PMO, establishing or maturing program/project management standards, governance, and methodology. 

• Master's degree in Business, Information Technology, Higher Education Administration, or related field. 

Starting salary range for this position is dependent on individual skills and experience as well as geolocation.  

• Base range $135,000 - $155,000 plus bonus 

• Flexible hours, Remote work   

• Medical, vision and dental   

• Flexible Spending or Health Savings Account   

• PTO, Sick and holiday pay   

• Company Paid Life insurance   

• Retirement 401(k), 5% Company Contribution   

• Professional Development opportunities    

• Connectivity stipend