At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.
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Position Summary:
The Project Manager, Digital Strategies leads complex digital projects from concept to launch while serving as the primary liaison and relationship manager between the Digital Strategies team and university partners. This role drives strategic alignment between partner goals and team capabilities, ensuring strong execution, clear communication, and confident stakeholder management throughout the project lifecycle. Additionally, the Project Manager is accountable for ensuring that projects move smoothly from concept to launch, that partners feel genuinely understood throughout the process, and that the team has the clarity and support needed to do strong work.
This role also supports the UX Design and Development Teams and facilitates agile ceremonies and iterative delivery practices to enhance team velocity and responsiveness.
About the Work Unit:
The Communications and Marketing team at Vanderbilt University is a dynamic and deeply collaborative group. The division, with all of its departments and sub-teams, serves as the institution-wide center of excellence for communications and marketing, developing and executing strategies that inform, engage and inspire others to participate in Vanderbilt University’s global academic and research mission. The division is a key strategic adviser and partner for other divisions in the university, providing comprehensive plans and thoughtful analysis on messaging opportunities and constraints. The Communications and Marketing team continuously seeks innovative solutions to new and emerging challenges in order to deliver results at scale to advance the larger mission, values and priorities of the university.
Key Functions and Expected Performance:
- Strategic Partner Engagement & Alignment
Serve as the liaison and relationship manager to university partners (schools, units, centers, divisions)
Conduct proactive conversations with key partners to understand their strategic priorities and digital goals
Help partners articulate their needs and understand how digital solutions serve their broader institutional objectives
Communicate project constraints, trade-offs, and timelines in a way that partners feel heard and respected
Ensure alignment between partner expectations and team capacity and capabilities
Project Execution and Timeline Management
Lead the setup and management of all assigned digital projects in Wrike and Notion establishing clear project structure and timelines
Create realistic deadlines and action items for team members, stakeholders, and external vendors
Maintain accurate, current project documentation including scope of work, project timeline, and post-launch site documentation
Monitor project progress, identify bottlenecks and risks, and facilitate solutions to keep projects on track
Manage multiple complex projects simultaneously, balancing quick-turnaround requests with long-lead initiatives
Guide projects through pivots and scope changes while maintaining team momentum and partner confidence
Facilitate agile ceremonies for the UX Design and Development teams including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives
Maintain and prioritize project backlogs in coordination with team leads and partners as needed
Help the team identify and remove impediments that slow sprint progress or delivery
Support iterative delivery for the UX Design and Development Teams, balancing agile flexibility with the structured timelines required by partners and internal projects
Communication and Coordination
Maintain clear, frequent communication with team members and partners through meetings, status updates, and documentation
Create and manage project agendas, meeting notes, and internal/external status updates
Ensure all stakeholders have accurate information and understand next steps
Translate partner needs into clear project briefs and documentation for the team
Process and Systems Management
Manage established project management systems and workflows (Wrike, templates, approval processes)
Identify opportunities to improve processes for recurring project types
Design and implement new systems and processes for novel or complex projects that require customized approaches
Maintain organized project documentation and institutional knowledge
Facilitate agile ceremonies for applicable projects, including sprint planning, daily stand-ups, sprint reviews, and retrospectives
Maintain and prioritize project backlogs in coordination with team leads and partners as needed
Help the team identify and remove impediments that slow sprint progress or delivery
Apply agile/scrum frameworks selectively and pragmatically based on project type, team capacity, and partner needs
Leverage technology, automation and emerging AI-enabled tools to improve project planning, workflow management, research, information synthesis and communications development.
Identify opportunities to streamline processes, strengthen visibility and coordination and improve the speed and quality of execution while applying appropriate judgment, confidentiality and institutional standards.
Perform other relevant duties as assigned.
Supervisory Relationships:
This position does not have supervisory responsibility; this position reports administratively and functionally to the Director of Project Management and Production.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution necessary
Formal certification (CSM, PSM) is preferred but not required.
5+ years of project management experience is necessary (higher education experience preferred).
Experience with Wrike or similar project management software is preferred.
Experience in digital development environments is preferred.
Proficient with Wrike and project management methodologies; strong organizational skills and attention to detail
Clear communicator across multiple audiences; able to translate between partner needs and team capabilities
Identifies bottlenecks and facilitates solutions; adapts to changing project needs
Understands how digital projects serve institutional goals; helps partners think through priorities and trade-offs
Works independently; demonstrates discretion, professionalism, and sound judgment
Familiarity with scrum frameworks and agile principles; ability to facilitate ceremonies, maintain backlogs, and support iterative delivery in. a hybrid PM/agile environment.
Demonstrated ability to adopt and effectively use emerging technologies, including AI-enabled tools, to improve productivity, workflow and quality of work.