In 2022, the presidents of Fort Hays State University (KS), Northwest Kansas Technical College, and North Central Kansas Technical College proposed a formal affiliation among the three institutions to provide stronger, forward-looking educational programs and services to the people, businesses, and communities of rural Kansas. This proposal has been accepted by their three governing boards (by unanimous votes) and the enabling legislation has been passed by the Kansas legislature in its spring 2023 session. The three institutions are now initiating a set of 12 phased academic and administrative pilot initiatives under the direction of a multi-campus Affiliation Implementation Steering Committee (AISC, or the Committee). The Committee and its presidential sponsors, the Affiliation Governing Committee (AGC), are seeking an experienced individual to serve on a contract basis as the Director of Project Management (DPM) for these pilot initiatives. The DPM will use standard and innovative project management practices to assist AISC implement the pilots on time, on budget, and in a way that achieves the Affiliation’s goals and purposes. Following the Implementation draft structure attached below, the DPM will staff the AISC and also have an independent reporting line to the AGC. While the Affiliation’s projects touch on every aspect of institutional operations, their primary drivers are not financial - all three institutions are financially sound. Rather, they seek to increase significantly student and community success.

Primary Responsibilities:

• Establish and lead disciplined project management practices for the AISC and across all Affiliation pilots. This includes overseeing risk management, tracking all initiatives against their schedule of deliverables, and providing detailed project analyses and forecasts.
• Advise AGC and AISC on all project initiatives, working to ensure that each pilot achieves the Affiliation’s goals and objectives, working directly with leadership to resolve bottlenecks, conflicts, dependencies, resource constraints, and other issues.
• Communicate and engage regularly with the AISC and AGC; make presentations to other bodies as directed.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Professional Qualifications and Experience:

• A documented history of leading successful projects, especially projects involving complex organizational change across different organizations or business lines. Higher education experience is preferred but not required.
• A demonstrated history of effective communication of complex issues and information to a range of audiences.
• A Bachelor's Degree.
• A Masters degree is preferred but not required. Project management certification in a recognized methodology (e.g., PMP, SCRUM) is preferred but not required.
• Demonstrated competence with appropriate software programs.

Personal Qualifications:

• Committed to project success, with demonstrated decisiveness in identifying priorities, making decisions, and resolving problems.
• Strong leadership, diplomatic, and motivational interpersonal skills to influence and spur change, and to facilitate and enhance performance in a cross-functional, team-centered environment.
• Nimble, with an ability to think strategically and respond flexibly, thoughtfully, and quickly to meet shifting priorities, demands, and timelines.
• Excellent communicator (written and verbal, in a variety of presenting environments).

Employment Details

• Position is subject to available funding.
• This is expected to be a contract position although limited term regular employment may be negotiable. The DPM will report to the AGC and ultimately to the FHSU President. It is expected the engagement will be for an initial period of 2 years, with possible extensions, and will be subject to FHSU’s standard contract terms and conditions.
• Kansas residency is a plus but is not required, although periodic travel to the three campuses will be.
• The successful candidate will begin work on July 5, 2023, or as soon thereafter as possible.