About the Cornell Experience Modernization Initiative
The Cornell Experience Modernization Initiative (CEMI) is a multi-year program designed to improve the experience of students, faculty, staff, alumni, donors, patients, and partners by unifying and enhancing administrative systems and processes across all Cornell University locations. Its name CEMI is said as “See Me” because the focus is on you: the people who use Cornell’s systems and data to accomplish your goals.
What will you do
The Senior IT Project Manager (CEMI) is responsible for leading large‑scale, complex, and strategically important technology projects that support the institution’s academic, research, and administrative missions. This role manages initiatives with broad campus impact, requiring coordination across decentralized units, diverse stakeholder groups, and cross‑functional technical teams. Senior IT Project Managers provide leadership throughout the full project lifecycle—initiating, planning, executing, monitoring, and closing projects—while ensuring that all work aligns with institutional priorities, standards, and policies.
This position requires advanced project management expertise, strong strategic thinking, and the ability to influence decision‑making across a wide range of technical and non‑technical audiences. Senior IT Project Managers serve as trusted advisors to leadership, mentor project staff, and contribute to organizational project management standards and continuous improvement practices.
Key Responsibilities
Project Leadership & Delivery
Lead large, complex, and high‑visibility IT projects from initiation through implementation and closeout.
Develop and manage detailed project plans, schedules, milestones, and resource allocations.
Drive execution and maintain accountability for project outcomes, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and within budget.
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Resolve project issues and remove barriers through collaboration, negotiation, and strategic decision‑making.
Assume program leadership responsibilities, guiding multi‑project initiatives where a formal Program Manager role is not in place.
Stakeholder & Governance Management
Engage and coordinate with faculty, staff, administrators, and external partners across diverse institutional units.
Facilitate governance processes, including steering committee updates, decision‑making sessions, and executive briefings.
Build consensus among stakeholders with differing priorities and expectations.
Foster strong relationships and maintain alignment between technical teams and institutional leadership.
Scope, Schedule & Budget Management
Lead definition and management of project scope, ensuring proper documentation and evaluation of change requests.
Develop and monitor project budgets, forecasts, and financial reports.
Proactively identify and manage dependencies, constraints, and cross‑functional impacts.
Ensure project controls, methodologies, and documentation standards are upheld.
Risk, Issue & Quality Management
Identify, assess, and mitigate risks and issues throughout the project lifecycle.
Implement robust risk‑management strategies to minimize project disruption.
Oversee project quality assurance to ensure technical and functional deliverables meet institutional requirements.
Coordinate and support user acceptance testing, validation, and compliance reviews.
Communication & Reporting
Develop communication strategies and project documentation, including status updates, dashboards, presentations, and executive summaries.
Lead project meetings, facilitate discussions, and ensure transparency in decision‑making and progress reporting.
Communicate complex technical information clearly to non‑technical audiences.
Team Leadership & Collaboration
Coordinate and motivate cross‑functional teams, including developers, analysts, engineers, and administrative staff.
Mentor, coach, and provide guidance to project managers, project coordinators, and junior team members.
Support continuous improvement of project management practices and contribute to PMO or organizational standards.
Vendor & Contract Management
Lead vendor selection, contract negotiations, and procurement activities when applicable.
Manage vendor performance, ensuring deliverables and timelines meet contractual expectations.
Project Closeout & Organizational Transition
Oversee project closure, post‑implementation evaluations, and lessons‑learned documentation.
Ensure solutions transition smoothly to ongoing operational support teams.
Recommend process enhancements based on project outcomes.
Continuous Service Improvement (CSI)
Provide structured feedback and participate in efforts to refine project management methodologies across the organization.
This is a 2 year term appointment which may be ended or extended based on organizational needs, funding availability, and performance.
While position responsibilities vary, every member of our community is expected to foster a culture of belonging and a healthy work environment by communicating across differences; being cooperative, collaborative, open, and welcoming; showing respect, compassion, and empathy; engaging and supporting others regardless of background or perspective; speaking up when others are being excluded or treated inappropriately; and supporting work/life integration of oneself and others.
What We Need
A resume is required for further consideration for this position. A cover letter outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are strongly encouraged for consideration. When applying through our system, please remember to attach your application materials (Cover Letter and Resume) in PDF format.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s degree in information technology, business, project management, or a related field; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
5-7 years of project management experience, preferably managing IT, software development, or web/technology projects.
Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent projects of varying size, complexity, and scope.
Experience with requirements gathering, scope definition, scheduling, resource coordination, and risk management.
Proven success leading cross‑functional technical teams in complex organizational environments.
Advanced skills in communication, negotiation, facilitation, and consensus‑building.
Proven ability to build relationships, facilitate collaboration, manage stakeholder expectations, and lead teams without formal authority.
Ability to work effectively in decentralized, matrixed, or higher‑education environments.
Strong analytical, critical-thinking, and problem‑solving skills, with sound judgment and attention to detail.
Demonstrated ability to work independently, manage priorities, and adapt to shifting organizational needs.
Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools (e.g., Jira, Asana, MS Project, Smartsheet, Trello, Confluence, SharePoint, Teams).
Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree in a related field.
Project Management Professional (PMP), PMI‑ACP, Certified Scrum Master (CSM), or equivalent certification.
Experience managing large‑scale IT projects in a higher‑education or public‑sector environment.
Experience with enterprise systems, Identity Management, IT Service Management or AI initiatives, custom software development, integrations, cloud migrations, or infrastructure modernization.
Knowledge of higher‑education governance, accessibility standards, research computing needs, and security/compliance frameworks.
Experience with vendor management, RFP processes, and contract oversight.
Application Information
No Visa Sponsorship of any kind is available for this position.
No Relocation assistance will be provided for this position.
Rewards and Benefits
This position is based in Ithaca, New York, however, the successful applicant may perform this role remotely anywhere within the United States. Employees who work remotely may receive multiple W-2 Forms depending on their work location. The New York Convenience of employer guidelines require New York State individual tax reporting and withholding for this position. Additional individual state income tax filings may also be required if working temporarily outside of New York State. The university reserves the right to modify, suspend, or terminate the remote or hybrid work arrangement at any time.
Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability. Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell .
Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: Total Rewards | Working at Cornell .
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Non-Union Positions
Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:
Prior relevant work or industry experience
Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
Unique applicable skills
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About Cornell University
Higher Education16400 employeesFounded 1865
Private Ivy League research university located in Ithaca, New York.
