Senior Project Manager (SY26-27)

This position requires flexibility that includes frequently working evenings and some weekends.

Overview

In January 2024, Boston Public Schools launched its Long-Term Facilities Plan (LTFP), establishing a bold and necessary vision: every student deserves access to a high-quality learning environment, and every educator deserves a space that enables excellent teaching. This plan represents more than a facilities strategy; it is a commitment to equity and student outcomes, grounded in the understanding that the condition, design, and alignment of school buildings directly shape the quality of education students receive. By evaluating the district’s current infrastructure and identifying the physical spaces required to support high-quality academic programming, the LTFP lays the foundation for a stronger, more sustainable district for decades to come.

The Office of Capital Planning is seeking a Senior Project Manager with exceptional organizational, operational, and management skills and a strong motivation to improve the learning environments in BPS schools. The Senior Project Manager will be assigned specific, multi-year projects, including new builds, renovations, school closures, school mergers, and school reconfigurations.

Under the direction of the Executive Director of Operations Implementation, the Senior Project Manager will work across BPS Divisions and with the City of Boston to support transformational capital projects that align with District educational priorities and policies and City of Boston climate goals.

Responsibilities:

• Lead a team of subject matter experts across BPS departments, including Academics, Operations, Budget, Equity, and Community Engagement to support the high-quality execution of projects.
• Coordinate with City of Boston departments, including the Public Facilities Department and Office of Neighborhood Services, to support the day-to-day operations of BPS capital projects, including coordinating team meetings and ensuring efficient delivery of project tasks.
• Develop scope of assigned capital projects, including timelines, objectives and goals, project plans, and community engagement plans, involving all relevant stakeholders.
• Manage the initiation, execution, and closure of projects based on BPS Capital Planning project management methodology.
• Coordinate complex, multi-departmental work with internal and external stakeholders.
• Under the leadership of and with support from the Executive Director of Operations Implementation, lead the planning and execution of all operations with relevant schools communities, across the core project teams, and with other stakeholders.
• With the support of the Capital Planning Communications Manager, lead all forms of communication with the relevant school communities, across the core project teams, and with other stakeholders.
• Facilitate the consistent, authentic use of the BPS Racial Equality Planning Tool, a six-step process to operationalize our commitment to ensure each decision we make is aimed at closing opportunity gaps and advancing racial equity, in close collaboration with the Office of Equity.
• Report on the status of projects, actively evaluate potential risks, and coordinate any risk mitigation, resolution, or escalation as needed.
• Attend and present at community, neighborhood, and family meetings related to capital projects to build relationships with BPS stakeholders and continuously identify opportunities for engagement and collaboration.
• Support the alignment of capital projects with BPS strategic direction and priorities, including the expansion of inclusive, multilingual, and multicultural practices.
• Works to ensure that community feedback is incorporated into project design and implementation.
• Publicly communicate capital project updates to BPS staff, other City of Boston departments, community-based organizations, elected officials, and the media on assigned projects.
• This job requires some evening and weekend work.
  
  

Qualifications - Required:

• Three (3) or more years of full-time experience in a project management role including managing and coordinating senior leaders in an organization or exhibited commensurate experience.
• Bachelor’s degree or commensurate experience.
• Exceptional project management, planning, and organization skills, with the ability to navigate fast-paced and competing timelines and manage up and across departments to keep projects on track.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with an orientation toward clear, multilingual and culturally-relevant communication.
• Commitment to public education and to Boston, and a passion for understanding Boston communities’ history and culture.
• Demonstrated ability to work well and establish and maintain effective, collaborative working relationships with co-workers and other departmental staff in a team environment that is culturally, linguistically, racially, and socioeconomically diverse.
• Demonstrated success and experience working with diverse communities including multiple generations (seniors, youth, working adults), as well as across ethnic and racial communities.
• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills, with a commitment to public service.
• Excellent judgment, integrity and character, and ability to exercise discretion with sensitive information.
• Ability to commute around the District to attend meetings and support schools onsite.
• This work sometimes requires keeping flexible hours, which may include evenings and/or weekends.
• Strong self-starter, with the ability to drive forward complex projects, take initiative to solve problems, and ask for support when needed.
  
  

Qualification - Preferred:

• Bachelor's degree in education, public policy, or a related field.
• Bilingual skills are strongly preferred (including Spanish, Haitian Creole, Cabo Verdean Creole, Somali, Chinese, or Vietnamese).
• Direct experience with or knowledge of Boston Public Schools and Boston communities is strongly preferred.
• Project Management Professional Certification (PMP)
• Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM)
• Massachusetts Certified Public Purchasing Official Program (MCPPO)
  
  

Terms: Managerial C53

The Boston Public Schools, in accordance with its nondiscrimination policies, does not discriminate in its programs, facilities, or employment or educational opportunities on the basis of race, color, age, criminal record (inquiries only), disability, homelessness, sex/gender, gender identity, religion, national origin, ancestry, sexual orientation, genetics or military status, and does not tolerate any form of retaliation, or bias-based intimidation, threat or harassment that demeans individuals’ dignity or interferes with their ability to learn or work.