Futures start here. Where first steps, new friendships, and confident learners are born. At KinderCare Learning Companies, the first and only early childhood education provider recognized with the Gallup Exceptional Workplace Award, we offer a variety of early education and child care options for families. We pave the way for their lifelong learning journey ahead. And we want you to join us in shaping a future we can all be proud to share-in neighborhoods, at work, and in schools nationwide.
At KinderCare Learning Companies, you'll use your skills and expertise to support the work (and fun) that happens in our sites and centers every day. From marketers and strategists to financial analysts and data engineers, and so much more, we're all passionate about crafting a world where children, families, and organizations can thrive.
As the Director of PMO you'll oversee the strategic direction, management, and execution of the Project Management Office (PMO), ensuring alignment with the organization's strategic goals.
This role includes leading and driving organizational transformation initiatives and capacity planning efforts, ensuring the organization has the appropriate resources to meet project and operational demands. The Director leads a team of project managers and transformation specialists while implementing standardized project management, capacity planning, and transformation frameworks.
RESPONSIBILITIES:
Leadership & Strategy: Provide leadership in the development and implementation of project management, transformation frameworks, and capacity planning strategies that align with organizational goals. Lead, mentor, and manage a team of project managers, capacity planners, and transformation specialists to ensure successful delivery of projects, transformation initiatives, and resource optimization. Collaborate with executives and senior leadership to prioritize and manage the project and transformation portfolio, ensuring alignment with long-term strategic objectives.
Transformation Leadership: Lead the organization's transformation efforts, driving enterprise-wide change initiatives that improve processes, technology, and business capabilities. Develop and implement change management strategies to ensure smooth adoption of new processes and systems. Monitor and measure the success of transformation initiatives, ensuring they deliver measurable business value and performance improvements.
Capacity Planning & Resource Management: Oversee the development and execution of capacity planning processes to ensure the organization has sufficient resources (human, financial, and technological) to meet project demands. Collaborate with department leaders to forecast resource needs and address potential capacity gaps, ensuring that resources are optimally allocated across all projects and transformation initiatives. Implement tools and processes for tracking resource utilization, ensuring efficient use of talent, skills, and time across projects. Regularly review project pipelines and resource availability to adjust project timelines or staffing levels as necessary to maintain balance between demand and available capacity.
Project Governance & Transformation Oversight: Implement governance frameworks for project management and transformation efforts, ensuring consistent methodologies, risk management, and reporting standards. Oversee all projects and transformation initiatives to ensure timely, budget-compliant, and scope-accurate execution. Track progress, risks, and issues across the entire project portfolio and transformation programs, ensuring alignment with overall business objectives.
Stakeholder & Executive Engagement: Act as the primary liaison for project, transformation, and capacity-related communications with senior leadership and key stakeholders. Foster strong relationships with business leaders to ensure accurate forecasting of project demands and transformation initiatives. Provide transparent and timely reporting on capacity, project progress, risks, and challenges to executives and key stakeholders.
Continuous Improvement & Transformation Enablement: Champion a culture of continuous improvement by driving initiatives that enhance project delivery efficiency, resource utilization, and the effectiveness of transformation efforts. Identify opportunities for digital transformation, process automation, and operational efficiency improvements across the organization. Lead post-project evaluations to capture lessons learned, focusing on improvements to capacity planning, project execution, and organizational change.
Qualifications
Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, information systems, or a related field. A Master's degree or MBA is a plus.
10 years of experience in project management, with at least 5 years in a leadership role managing a PMO and transformation initiatives.
Experience leading large-scale transformation projects and implementing capacity planning processes.
Strong understanding of resource management, capacity planning, and project management methodologies (Agile, Scrum, Waterfall).
Strong communication, leadership, and organizational skills.
Ability to manage complex project portfolios and lead organizational transformation efforts.
Proficient in project management, capacity planning, and transformation tools (MS Project, Jira, or similar).
Certification in change management (e.g., Prosci) or Agile transformation methodologies is highly desirable.
PMP, PgMP, or related certification is strongly preferred.
Our benefits meet you where you are. We're here to help our employees navigate the integration of work and life:
Know your whole family is supported with discounted child care benefits.
Breathe easy with medical, dental, and vision benefits for your family (and pets, too!).
Feel supported in your mental health and personal growth with employee assistance programs.
Feel great and thrive with access to health and wellness programs, unlimited paid time off and discounts for work necessities, such as cell phones.
... and much more.
We operate research-backed, accredited, and customizable programs in more than 2,000 sites and centers across 40 states and the District of Columbia. As we expand, we're matching the needs of more and more families, dynamic work environments, and diverse communities from coast to coast. Because we believe every family deserves access to high-quality child care, no matter who they are or where they live. Every day, you'll help bring this mission to life by building community and delivering exceptional experiences. And if you're anything like us, you'll come for the work, and stay for the people.
KinderCare Learning Companies is an Equal Opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, national origin, age, sex, religion, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, military or veteran status, gender identity or expression, or any other basis protected by local, state, or federal law.
