SUMMARY
The Project Manager serves as the operational leader for curriculum and ancillary product development within Ascension's Schools Team. Working closely with the Associate General Manager, Product Managers, Curriculum Specialists, Editorial, Design, Video, Marketing, and Sales, this role manages the planning, coordination, execution, and tracking of projects from concept through launch.
The Project Manager develops and maintains project schedules, coordinates cross-functional teams, manages resources and timelines, identifies risks, and ensures deliverables remain on schedule and within scope. This role is responsible for creating efficient project management systems that enable the successful development of K–12 curriculum, teacher resources, digital products, videos, and ancillary materials while supporting the mission of providing exceptional Catholic educational resources.
DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES
Team Project Management
- Own and maintain the School's Team master production calendar, coordinating curriculum development across multiple grades, ancillary products, digital resources, video production, editorial, design, and product launches to ensure alignment with strategic priorities and release schedules.
Project Planning & Execution
- Develop comprehensive project plans, timelines, milestones, and resource allocations for curriculum and ancillary product development.
- Manage multiple concurrent curriculum projects across K–12 and supporting product lines.
- Coordinate project schedules across internal and external teams.
- Monitor project progress and proactively identify schedule risks, resource constraints, and dependencies.
- Facilitate timely decision-making by escalating issues and recommending solutions when necessary.
- Ensure projects remain on schedule, within scope, and aligned with organizational priorities.
Cross-Functional Coordination
- Serve as a central communication hub for project teams and stakeholders.
- Coordinate project meetings, agendas, follow-up items, and action plans.
- Maintain clear communication regarding project status, milestones, risks, and upcoming deadlines.
- Work closely with Product Managers to translate product vision into executable project plans.
- Coordinate the work of internal and external teams throughout the product lifecycle.
Resource & Workflow Management
- Develop and maintain long-range production schedules across multiple curriculum programs and grade levels.
- Coordinate internal and external resources to maximize efficiency and balance workloads.
- Maintain project management systems, dashboards, and documentation.
- Monitor project capacity and recommend resource adjustments to meet organizational priorities.
- Support contractor onboarding and scheduling as needed.
- Manage contract requests and implementations with external contractors and vendors, as needed.
Product Documentation & Quality
- Develop and maintain project documentation, including schedules, workflows, product specifications, meeting notes, and checklists.
- Coordinate quality assurance checkpoints throughout curriculum development.
- Ensure project documentation is accurate, organized, and accessible to stakeholders.
- Support smooth transitions between curriculum development, editorial, production, and product launch.
Reporting
- Assist Product Managers and leadership in developing processes for project budgets and production estimates.
- Track project expenditures and resource utilization.
- Develop project dashboards and status reports for leadership.
- Collect and analyze project metrics to improve forecasting, scheduling accuracy, and team performance.
Process Improvement
- Evaluate project management workflows and identify opportunities to improve efficiency, communication, and scalability.
- Develop standardized templates, processes, and best practices for curriculum development projects.
- Support the implementation of new project management tools and technologies.
- Promote continuous improvement across the Schools Team.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree in Business, Project Management, Education, Operations, or related field.
- 2+ years of project management experience, preferably in educational publishing, curriculum development, media production, or product development.
- PMP or Project Management Certification desired.
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple complex projects simultaneously.
- Ability to drive a project forward with a servant-leader attitude: excellent interpersonal, negotiation, and conflict-resolution skills.
- Strong organizational, communication, and leadership skills.
- Experience working with project management software (Smartsheet, Monday.com, Asana, Microsoft Project, or similar).
- Exceptional ability to coordinate cross-functional teams and manage competing priorities.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with attention to detail.
- Willingness to travel to Ascension headquarters in Exton, PA, as needed.
- Exemplify and live Ascension's core values of humility, passion, and integrity.
Benefits
- Health Care Plan (Medical, Dental & Vision)
- Retirement Plan (401k, IRA)
- Life Insurance (Basic, Voluntary & AD&D)
- Paid Time Off (Vacation, Sick & Public Holidays)
- Family Leave (Maternity, Paternity)
- Short Term & Long Term Disability
- Training & Development
- Work From Home
- Wellness Resources
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