About Knowing Technologies (KT) and the Position

Our mission is to equip independent schools with the tools they need to create educational experiences students crave. Through a combination of strategy consulting and technology support, our team of educators and architects guides schools in building effective technology programming and infrastructure. From complex network engineering to critical instructional design, we help schools save time and eliminate wasteful spending so they can focus on what’s important: teaching and learning. 

Over the years, KT has evolved its suite of services to embrace the full technology needs of our customers. We started as an IT support company, but realized it’s not enough to just implement technology as a utility. Schools must also build strategies aligned to their unique missions and effectively prepare students for a tech-enabled world. Our current service delivery model takes a proactive planning and relationship-centered approach to create Technology Solutions Partnerships (TSP) that give schools greater control of their mission. KT is now poised for growth and seeking to expand nationally.

The Director, Project Management role sits at the forefront of KT’s growth prospects. This is a fast-paced, highly-cyclic, execution-centered role that requires excellent business acumen, technical aptitude, hyper-organization, and an eye for sales opportunities. The Director will leverage their track record of success in project management to wow customers with crystal-clear plans, proactive communication, and timely follow-through that brings them peace of mind. 

This role will be an asset company-wide. The central focus of the position will be to work directly with Sales and the Customer Care team to scope, plan, schedule, and execute on projects across schools. The Director will be the key orchestrator of projects across our 50, and counting, schools. The Director will also be brought into high priority, internal initiatives to build project management as a function inside KT and expand into new markets. 

The successful candidate must be a great planner, motivator, and negotiator to marshal resources; carry a proven track record of applying situation-appropriate project management methodologies that actually work; and be an excellent, data-driven problem-solver with standout skill tracking where we are and the direct path to where we need to be. 
If this sounds like you, and you’re passionate about KT’s mission and the prospect of spreading it to even more schools, we’re looking for you! This role reports to the CEO and works collaboratively with the leadership team.

Essential Responsibilities:

• Develop and employ project management methodology consistent with project size, client need, and volume; manage entire project life cycle—scoping, teaming, planning, WIP, implementation/delivery, and after care; ensure on-time delivery of products, system implementations, etc.
• Lead kick off meetings, project planning, and solutioning meetings; orchestrate and facilitate communication channels to keep supporting team and account managers well-informed on project progress, impediments, and the project pipeline
• Oversee projects—scopes, objectives, and statements of work--and costing with a zero-waste orientation, to deploy the right resources to the right tasks/challenges, eliminate redundancy and confusion, and maximize customer satisfaction; collaborate with Systems Architect(s) as appropriate
• Implement project quality assurance standards and measures to reinforce “trusted advisor” and “subject-matter expert” status in customers’ minds, e.g. requirements gathering checklists, test plans, test validation checks, regression testing (or an appropriate version of this), post-implementation follow-up/checks
• Engage in Customer Care and Customer Solutions & Success cross-team coordination meetings to air and understand customer concerns, bottlenecks/pitfalls, and themes emerging across projects; provide feedback to Customer Success Manager, when hired, to keep vital stats dashboard current
• Anticipate and resolve issues that may block, delay, or negatively impact a project or project deliverables to ensure on-time delivery and quality, within budget
• Motivate team and resolve conflicts between team members and between team and external vendors to ensure peak project performance and a productive work environment
• Lead continuous process improvements to refine project delivery processes
• Define and monitor project performance health checks and key project metrics; develop and administer status reports and dashboards to keep stakeholders informed
• Steward data and resources to effectively drive target operating margins, e.g. develop revenue and resource projections and plans supported by sound business case(s), with quantitative and qualitative evidence; acquire and deploy resources with prudence; anticipate and mitigate financial and operating risk that could arise from plans; execute plans to emphasize results over effort and achieve goals
• Evaluate project risks and implement risk mitigation plans and strategies continuously
• Coordinate activities and deliverables across teams, vendors and service  providers
• Serve as a point of contact for teams when multiple resources are assigned to the same project to ensure team actions remain synergistic and are not redundant
• Adjust schedules and targets on projects as needs or financing for projects change; communicate in a timely and effective manner with clients
• Stay tuned to all project work in process and on the horizon, with respect to goals, scope, value, size, and available resources
• Perform other duties as required

Desired Qualifications:

• 10+ years’ experience supporting clients in a similar project management function, 5+ years’ experience in PMO management of project portfolios
• 5+ plus years’ experience driving company-wide projects with material profit & loss implications and limited resources across functional teams
• Bachelor’s degree in information systems management, computer science, engineering, or related field, or equivalent combination of education and work experience with demonstrated ability required
• Compelling project management portfolio containing specific examples of managing complicated projects to tight timelines and budget, with clear communication, usable documentation, and strongly positive post-project client feedback; project management experience within Information Technology, software development, or other technical engineering industry strongly preferred
• Proficiency with data analysis required. Project Management Institute (PMI) or comparable certification preferred
• Role model ability to multi-task, meet deadlines, and adapt smoothly to shifting work priorities and schedules
• Superior organization, planning, and prioritization skills, with unwavering attention to details
• Curious, innovative, agile learner and seeker of continual process improvements; demonstrated track record of flexibility and proactivity seeking new solutions, opportunities, and optimizing team performance
• Strong verbal and written communication skills, with ability to breakdown complex technical concepts into digestible and understandable components
• Enthusiasm for the KT mission and great appreciation for the opportunity to use technology to transform learning in independent schools

Location/Travel:

KT Headquarters are in Redwood City, CA. We also have staff in Los Angeles, Denver, and Las Vegas. Candidates may be based anywhere in the United States, with a strong preference for the west coast.

Up to 20% travel will be required to customer sites or KT Headquarters. 

How To Apply

Please submit your resume, and, in lieu of a cover letter, compose an answer to one of the following questions (limit your response to no more than one page):

• Describe a process improvement you designed that delivered standout results for your company.
• Describe a time when you led a team through significant change and how you motivated the group to deliver.

No direct emails or phone calls please. 

Salary Range: $150k-$200k* 

*Assumes Redwood City market. Geographic differentials will be applied to candidates residing in markets outside of KT’s headquarters location.

Paid time off, 401K match, full medical insurance, commuter benefits, remote work arrangements, and other benefits and perks are part of this role.

KT is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, ancestry, color, family or medical care leave, gender identity or expression, genetic information, marital status, medical condition, national origin, physical or mental disability, political affiliation, protected veteran status, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, or any other characteristic protected by applicable laws, regulations and ordinances. KT will only consider candidates with existing authorization to work in the USA. No sponsorship will be considered. If you need assistance and/or a reasonable accommodation due to a disability during the application or the recruiting process, please send a request to [email protected]. Include “Last Name, First name: Project Management Director Assistance” in the subject line.