Strategic Initiatives Manager

Position Type: Project Staff/Strategic Initiatives ManagerDate Posted: 3/19/2026Location: ESCClosing Date: 04/11/2026The Chester County Intermediate Unit (CCIU) currently has a vacancy for a Strategic Initiatives Manager within the Executive Directors Office of the Chester County Intermediate Unit. This is a 260-day position, based out of the Educational Service Center in Downingtown, PA. Are you motivated to create brighter futures for students, families, and the entire community? If so, we want you on Team CCIU! At the CCIU, we pride ourselves on the creativity, dedication, and collaborative spirit that our employees bring to their work every day, and we know that achieving success together takes a team approach! We strive to hire exceptional and passionate individuals that help us achieve our vision of acting as educational leaders who contribute to a better Chester County and beyond. If you are looking for an exciting, challenging opportunity to grow your career, don't wait - apply today to make Team CCIU even stronger tomorrow!Summary of Position:The Strategic Initiatives Manager serves as a primary force multiplier for the Executive Office and Cabinet. Operating at the intersection of high-level strategy and organizational experience, this cross-divisional coordinator ensures that major initiatives move forward with clarity, accountability, and momentum. This role exists to enhance the effectiveness of leadership by providing project infrastructure, facilitating coordination across divisions, and maintaining visibility into the status and health of critical organizational priorities. Quick Facts:Location: Based out of our Educational Services Center (ESC) at 455 Boot Road in Downingtown, PABenefits Eligible: YesSchedule: Monday - FridayWork Hours: 8 AM - 4 PM, 7.5 work hours + 30 minute unpaid lunchExempt Status: Exempt positionSalaried or Hourly: SalaryQualifications:Education and ExperienceBachelor's degree requiredMaster's Degree preferred but not required in one of the following areas:Educational Leadership or AdministrationOrganizational LeadershipPublic Administration (MPA)Business Administration (MBA)Organizational DevelopmentSystems Leadership or Strategic LeadershipProfessional Certifications and Micro-Credentials (Preferred)- Candidate must be willing to acquire certifications and micro-credentials at the direction of the Executive Office.Project Management Professional (PMP) - Project Management InstituteCertified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)Agile Project Management Certification (PMI-ACP or equivalent)Certified Scrum Master (CSM) or comparable Agile certificationOrganizational Behavior Management (OBM) certification, coursework, or graduate-level trainingChange Management Certification (Prosci or equivalent)Strategy execution or strategic implementation certificationSystems thinking, improvement science, or design thinking micro-credentialsExecutive facilitation or leadership team facilitation training7-10 years administrative/project management experience or equivalent required. K-12 or higher education experience highly preferred.Essential Job Responsibilities:Project Infrastructure & Framework DevelopmentPartner with division directors to design project management frameworks tailored to their specific initiatives, including timelines, benchmarks, and accountability measuresDevelop and maintain project management tools and processes to track progress and manage deliverablesBring curiosity about the work of each division to inform practical, relevant project structures rather than imposing one-size-fits-all approachesEstablish consistent practices for project documentation, status reporting, and risk identification across the organizationInitiative Design: Serve as a "thinking partner" on the design, sequencing, and rollout of initiatives to ensure decisions land effectively with staff and partners.Mission Integration: Ensure a tight loop between the organization's mission/vision and day-to-day departmental work.Facilitation & Design: Support the coordination of senior leadership development efforts through strategic framing and expert facilitation.Strategic Foresight & Risk MitigationAnticipate challenges and "what-ifs" that division directors may not have bandwidth to consider, expanding thinking around project planningApply project management best practices to help leaders avoid common pitfalls and execute more effectivelyIdentify when the organization is at risk of initiative overload and provide recommendations about prioritizationBring an enterprise perspective to help division leaders see how their projects connect to broader organizational goalsStrategic Oversight: Maintain high-level visibility into timelines and interdependencies of initiatives across the organization without micromanaging daily tasks.Risk Mitigation: Identify potential overlaps, capacity concerns, or "initiative overload" early to protect organizational health.Prioritization Support: Assist the Executive Office in ranking work based on impact, ensuring resources are directed toward the most coherent goals.Cross-Divisional Coordination, Professional Development & IntegrationFacilitate coordination meetings for major initiatives that span multiple divisions, ensuring all stakeholders understand dependencies and timelinesServe as the central point of contact for cross-divisional projects, maintaining visibility into how different workstreams connect and impact one anotherIdentify potential conflicts, resource constraints, or timeline issues early and implement strategies to resolve themEnsure division leaders have the information they need from other parts of the organization to move their work forwardProject Management Mentorship: Lead professional development sessions for team members across departments on modern project management frameworks and tools.Strategic Implementation: Train staff on how to operationalize the Strategic Plan, moving from high-level goals to measurable departmental actions.Skill Standardization: Develop and facilitate workshops on "Visible Thinking," effective meeting design, and organizational initiative workflows to create a shared language of execution.Timeline & Deliverable ManagementTrack timelines and deliverables for major organizational initiatives, providing regular status updates to the Executive Office and cabinetMake informed recommendations about project sequencing and resource allocation based on organizational capacity and strategic prioritiesHold division leaders accountable to agreed-upon deadlines and benchmarks through consistent follow-up and status monitoringFlag risks, delays, or emerging issues to leadership with sufficient lead time to course-correctCross-Department Integration & CommunicationPartner in Clarity: Act as a connector between departments to ensure a shared understanding of executive intent.Leadership Proxy: Serve as a trusted representative of the Executive Office, reinforcing messaging and decision-making in the absence of the Executive Director.Bridge Building: Navigate different departmental perspectives to resolve gaps and build organizational momentum.Human-First Lens: Apply an equity-centered lens to initiatives, ensuring employee wellbeing and family priorities are reflected in organizational expectations.Trust Monitoring: Act as an early indicator for leadership when misalignment or trust erosion may be occurring.Executive Office SupportProvide the Executive Director with clear visibility into the status and health of major initiatives across the organizationPrepare briefings and status reports that allow leadership to make informed decisions about priorities and resource allocationServe as a thought partner to the Executive Office on project design and implementation approaches for new initiativesSupport the translation of strategic priorities into actionable project plans with clear ownership and timelinesEssential Job Skills:Language SkillsStrong organizational, time management, and administrative abilities with attention to detail.Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.Ability to speak effectively before groups of customers or employees of the organization.Mathematical SkillsAbility to manage financial data and reporting.Reasoning AbilityStrong analytical and problem-solving skills with high level of integrity and ability to maintain confidentiality.Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out instructions furnished in writing, oral or diagram form.Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in standardized situationsOther Skills and AbilitiesProficiency in Microsoft office suite of productsDeep knowledge of project management frameworks, tools and best practices with ability to adapt them to education contexts.Translates complex project information into clear status updates; facilitates productive coordination conversations.Ability to develop effective working relationships with staff.Ability to communicate clearly and concisely, both orally and in writing.Ability to perform duties with awareness of all district requirements and Board of Education policies.Salary RangeProject Staff, Level 16, Exempt, Salary2025-2026$87,037 - $108,796 annually2026-2027$90,083 - $112,604 annually*Placement on level is based upon experience in a similar position*Project Staff Benefits:Excellent medical, prescription, vision and dental coverage at minimal cost to employeeIf medical, prescription, vision and dental coverage is not needed, generous opt-out payments available1.5% of annual salary flexible benefit cash paymentLife insurance in amount of 2.5x annual salary paid by CCIULong-term disability insurance effective 31st day of illness/injuryRetirement through PSERS, PA's Public School Employees Retirement SystemWorker's CompensationAR Equal Opportunity EmployerChester County Intermediate Unit is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Chester County Intermediate Unit ensures equal employment opportunities regardless of race, creed, gender, color, national origin, religion, age, sexual orientation or disability. Chester County Intermediate Unit has a policy of active recruitment of qualified minority teachers and non-certified employees. Any individual needing assistance in making application for any opening should contact the Department of Human Resources at 484-237-5085.

Created: 2026-04-02