EPMO Sr Project Manager

J  o  b    D  e  s  c  r  i  p  t  i  o  n

THE DETAILS

Job Code:

4403

Grade:

25S

Status:

Exempt

POSITION AND PURPOSE

Under the general direction of the Enterprise Portfolio Management Office (EPMO) Leadership, the Senior Project Manager (SPM) is responsible for executing high-impact, cross-functional initiatives that support the organization's strategic goals. This role ensures disciplined project execution, business readiness, value realization, and long-term adoption, while fostering collaboration, innovation, and team alignment. The SPM also contributes to the continuous evolution of project management practices and supports the growth of the EPMO as a high-performing, future-ready function.

WHO WE ARE

Golden 1 Credit Union is among the top credit unions in the country. As a member-owned, not-for-profit cooperative, Golden 1 is guided by the credit union philosophy of “people helping people.” We are committed to empowering our members and uplifting our communities as we create a more equitable and financially inclusive California. We welcome all who embrace our Core Values.

WHO YOU ARE

You are someone others rely on when thoughtful analysis and follow through are needed. You excel at leading complex projects, aligning diverse stakeholders, and delivering measurable business value through disciplined execution and collaborative leadership.

THE WORK

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JOB SUMMARY AND SCOPE:
Reporting to EPMO leadership, the SPM manages complex enterprise projects involving executives, business owners, technical teams, and multiple business units. This role is accountable for delivering business outcomes, enforcing governance standards, navigating change, and cultivating team cohesion. In addition to delivery responsibilities, SPM mentors peers and project team members, identifies process improvements, and applies industry and consumer trends to modernize delivery. As a key contributor to EPMO maturity, the Senior Project Manager demonstrates leadership, adaptability, and foresight in a transforming portfolio environment.

• KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• Lead Strategic Project Delivery and Value Realization
• Align project objectives, goals and desired outcomes with enterprise strategies, business priorities, and defined value targets, ensuring every initiative directly advances strategic goals
• Oversee the successful execution of high-impact, cross-functional projects, providing executive-level visibility and expertly managing challenging stakeholder environments.
• Develop, maintain, and drive comprehensive project schedules, proactively managing key milestones, dependencies, and mitigating risks to safeguard critical paths.
• Partner with Analysts to ensure planning, execution, and traceability of User Acceptance Testing (UAT), readiness plans, and business value realization. (e.g., ensuring projects generate intended value for the organization.)
• Lead project teams and business partners through ambiguity, changing priorities, and evolving requirements, empowering teams to adapt quickly and deliver results.
• Ensure business unit readiness for change through strategic planning, clear communications, and effective training, supporting seamless transitions and adoption.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to define, baseline, and track post-implementation benefits, reporting on realized value and iterating approaches for continuous improvement.
• Champion the implementation of any best practices, lessons learned and innovative delivery methodologies to accelerate project impact and optimize value for the enterprise.
• Anticipate and proactively address project challenges, leveraging data, analytics, and predictive insights to inform decision-making and course corrections.
• Monitor project performance metrics and key performance indicators (KPIs), taking prompt corrective action to maintain alignment with strategic business goals.
• Foster executive and stakeholder engagement throughout the project lifecycle, facilitating transparent communications, risk awareness, and consensus-building.
• Lead post-project reviews and retrospectives to capture lessons learned, integrate best practices, and drive ongoing improvement in EPMO delivery standards.
• Establish a culture of accountability, ownership, and excellence within project teams, motivating members to achieve stretch goals and deliver outstanding results.
• Advocate continuous innovation by identifying emerging tools, trends, and technologies that can enhance project delivery effectiveness and accelerate business transformation.
• Build robust partnerships with business leaders, technical experts, and external vendors to maximize resources, strengthen collaboration, and achieve shared success.
• Maintain a thorough understanding of state and federal laws and regulations related to credit union compliance including bank secrecy and anti-money laundering laws appropriate to the position.
• Support and Enforce Governance and Framework Adherence
• Ensure all projects are executed in strict alignment with EPMO lifecycle standards, phase gates, and documentation requirements to uphold quality and consistency
• Lead project teams in the development and maintenance of governance artifacts, ensuring audit-readiness, regulatory compliance, and timely delivery of required documentation.
• Facilitate regular governance and status reviews with stakeholders and executive sponsors to maintain project alignment with enterprise objectives and escalate issues proactively.
• Champion the consistent application of project management standards, tools, and templates across all teams, promoting best practices and continuous improvement.
• Drive accountability for rigorous adherence to change control processes, risk management protocols, and comprehensive decision documentation throughout the project lifecycle.
• May facilitate project reviews and phase-gate approvals to uphold governance integrity and readiness for progression.
• Provide guidance and mentorship to project teams on governance best practices, fostering a culture of transparency, accountability, and continuous learning.
• Leverage data-driven insights and analytics to assess governance effectiveness, identify trends, and recommend enhancements to the EPMO framework.
• Drive Stakeholder Engagement, Team Leadership, and Communication
• Establish and nurture trusted partnerships with executive sponsors, business owners, and cross-functional leaders to ensure project alignment with strategic objectives.
• Deliver communication that is clear, purposeful, and tailored to the specific needs of stakeholders at all levels, fostering transparency and engagement throughout the project lifecycle.
• Anticipate resistance and proactively guide teams and partners through organizational change, addressing concerns with empathy and facilitating successful adoption.
• Inspire alignment and drive adoption of solutions by effectively communicating the rationale behind decisions, outcomes, and strategic direction.
• Lead project team coordination and foster a collaborative environment across departments and disciplines, promoting a culture of inclusivity and shared accountability.
• Offer coaching, mentorship, and constructive feedback to peers and team members to foster professional development and enhance team collaboration.
• Influence decisions and resolve conflicts by leveraging data-driven insights, promoting transparency, and engaging in constructive dialogue.
• Serve as a visible project leader across the organization, championing strong communication norms and modeling exemplary leadership behaviors.
• Facilitate stakeholder workshops, engagement forums, and feedback sessions to capture diverse perspectives and enhance project outcomes.
• Develop and execute comprehensive stakeholder engagement plans, ensuring consistent alignment and buy-in throughout all project phases.
• Monitor and measure stakeholder satisfaction, using feedback and analytics to continuously improve engagement strategies and communication effectiveness.
• Represent the EPMO at executive meetings, steering committees, and enterprise forums, advocating for project priorities and communicating progress against objectives.
• Champion the use of modern collaboration tools and communication platforms to enhance team connectivity and stakeholder engagement.
• Monitor and Manage Risks, Issues, and Dependencies
• Identify, assess, and actively manage project risks and issues throughout the project lifecycle ensuring timely resolution and minimal impact to objectives.
• Continuously monitor key dependencies, interdependencies, and integration points across all projects / workstreams, facilitating cross-functional alignment and early identification of potential challenges.
• Leverage data analytics, patterns, and trend analysis to anticipate delivery obstacles, scope changes, or emerging risks, enabling preemptive action and informed decision-making.
• Develop and implement robust mitigation strategies, contingency plans, and decision frameworks to maintain delivery focus and safeguard project outcomes.
• Escalate complex challenges to appropriate governance bodies, providing clear analysis, actionable recommendations, and risk impact assessments to support effective resolution.
• Maintain visibility to risk management plans and foster a proactive risk-aware culture across project teams, promoting transparency and shared accountability.
• Regularly review and update risk registers and issue logs, ensuring all items are accurately documented, tracked, and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
• Conduct risk and dependency workshops with key stakeholders to validate assumptions, strengthen risk mitigation approaches, and enhance team preparedness.
• Promote the exploration and gradual adoption of modern risk management tools and methodologies, encouraging ongoing improvements in how risks are identified, assessed, and reported as organizational readiness evolves.
• Contribute to EPMO Maturity and Transformation
• Champion the continuous improvement of project delivery practices by proactively identifying, evaluating, and implementing enhancements to tools, workflows, and team norms, ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.
• Actively support and help lead EPMO transformation and modernization initiatives, driving adoption of best practices, innovative solutions, and standardized methodologies across the enterprise.
• Demonstrate flexibility and resilience as the organization evolves in delivery structure and methodology, adapting approaches to meet changing business needs and fostering a culture of agility.
• Incorporate business, technology, and industry trends into planning and delivery strategies, ensuring projects remain relevant, competitive, and future-ready.
• Provide constructive feedback and actionable insights to continuously evolve the project management discipline, promoting consistency, scalability, and excellence in delivery.
• Participate in and promote internal communities of practice to mentor others, share knowledge, and strengthen overall delivery capability within the organization.
• Advocate for scalable project management practices that accelerate speed to value while maintaining high standards of quality and accountability.
• Lead the development and implementation of maturity assessment frameworks to evaluate EPMO processes, identify gaps, and track progress toward strategic transformation goals.
• Facilitate cross-functional workshops and collaborative sessions to align stakeholders on transformation priorities, encourage knowledge sharing, and foster a continuous improvement mindset.
• Collaborate with senior leadership to establish and monitor key performance indicators (KPIs) and metrics that measure maturity, transformation progress, and delivery effectiveness.
• Drive the adoption of advanced risk management, reporting, and analytics tools to enhance EPMO transparency, decision-making, and value delivery.

QUALIFICATIONS

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Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration, Management Information Systems or Computer Science required

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Master’s Degree in Business Administration or other related area preferred

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5+ years of combined experience in project analysis, coordination, and management required

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4+ years of experience directly managing projects required

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Experience managing moderate complexity projects end-to-end required, preferably in a financial institution required

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Knowledge of financial products and services, especially as it relates to various delivery channels preferred.

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Knowledge of existing credit union products, services, and overall operational guidelines.

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Strong knowledge of business analytical practices and methodologies and process improvement methodologies, e.g., Lean or Six Sigma a plus.

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Strong research, analytical, planning, and organizational skills.

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Member (customer) focused attitude and ability to work proactively, independently, and efficiently.

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Supportive of all decisions, choices, goals, and objectives as determined by PMO leadership and Executive leadership.

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Proven ability to evaluate key business objectives and develop appropriate action plans.

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Proficiency in Microsoft Office products, especially MS Project, MS Excel, and MS PowerPoint.

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Ability to use logical reasoning when making objective observations, examinations, evaluations, and recommendations.

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Project Management Professional (PMP) certification from the Project Management Institute (PMI) preferred

ORGANIZATIONAL CONTACTS AND RELATIONSHIPS

INTERNAL:

All levels of staff and management, including Senior Management.

EXTERNAL:

Members, vendors, suppliers, government agencies, credit union industry associations and peers at other financial institutions.

WORKING CONDITIONS

Work time includes weekend and after-hours time, based on organizational needs. This position works in-office where working conditions, lighting, temperature, audio, and workspace are all sufficient.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS

Work requires the ability to constantly operate a computer and the ability to read, type, and communicate. Work may require the ability to move work-related supplies weighing up to 10-15 pounds.

DISCLAIMER/INTENT AND FUNCTION OF JOB DESCRIPTIONS

The above information on this description has been designed to indicate the general nature and level of work performed by team members within this classification. Because the nature of positions and job functions can change over time, this job description is not designed to contain or be interpreted as a comprehensive inventory of all essential functions, duties, responsibilities and qualifications requirements of team members assigned to this job. Job duties may be changed or modified in the Credit Union’s discretion. The Credit Union will keep team members updated on key functions, duties, and requirements of their position by communications from the Credit Union and by updating the job description from time to time. Any team member with questions about the nature of their job duties is encouraged to consult with their supervisor.

DECLARATION/ACKNOWLEDGEMENT

This job description outlines the essential functions and physical/mental requirements necessary to perform this role. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform these essential functions.