Senior Program Manager

Company Description

By working at Harvard University, you join a vibrant community that advances Harvard's world-changing mission in meaningful ways, inspires innovation and collaboration, and builds skills and expertise. We are dedicated to creating a diverse and welcoming environment where everyone can thrive.

Harvard University's Central Administration (CADM) is a 5,000+ employee organization that supports the university's overall excellence by understanding and serving the needs of its schools, students, faculty, staff, alumni, and surrounding communities. Through dynamic and collaborative partnerships, CADM provides high-quality and efficient services to the schools to help them achieve their goals.

The Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery Initiative (H&LS) is dedicated to addressing systemic inequities by developing and advancing visible, lasting, and effective actions grounded in Harvard’s educational mission and guided by the findings and recommendations of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery. Sara Bleich, Vice Provost for Special Projects, leads the implementation of the recommendations from the Report of the Presidential Committee on Harvard & the Legacy of Slavery.

The Senior Program Manager (Sr. PM) is responsible for the comprehensive oversight of H&LS's programmatic portfolio. The portfolio encompasses programs directly managed by H&LS and those funded by H&LS but administered by other Schools/units across the University. Reporting directly to the Director of Administration (DA), the Sr. PM provides strategic direction and management to ensure all programs are successfully launched, delivered, and maintained in support of H&LS's mission and strategic priorities.

The successful candidate will work collaboratively within a dedicated program team, manage key stakeholder relationships, and drive continuous improvement across the portfolio. They will demonstrate capacity to reflect and improve on their own practice, analyze data, examine issues, set relevant goals, and develop approaches to improve and learn. This is a three-year, benefits-eligible term position.

• Provide strategic management for the full lifecycle of H&LS's programmatic portfolio (e.g., the Du Bois Scholars Program, Reparative Grant Program, and new programmatic initiatives).
• Oversee a diverse portfolio of programs, managing both those executed internally by the H&LS team and those funded by H&LS but implemented by other Schools/units, ensuring alignment with H&LS's mission, compliance with funding requirements, and consistent quality and impact.
• Work closely with the leadership team to develop and implement a long-term growth strategy for the program portfolio, identifying opportunities for new programs.
• Serve as a thought partner, as appropriate, to leadership on programmatic vision, impact assessment, and future directions.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for maintaining and deepening relationships with a wide range of program stakeholders, including Harvard staff, faculty, and students; community partners and organizations; and program participants/alumni.
• May represent H&LS at meetings, events, and symposia, acting as an ambassador for the department and its programs to internal and external audiences.

• Oversee end-to-end program delivery including drafting program charters, building detailed project plans/roadmaps, tracking milestones and metrics, and assigning tasks with clear deadlines (using Asana) to ensure timely execution.
• Manage complex, multi-disciplinary program portfolio, ensuring effective coordination across various Harvard Schools/Units and local communities (Du Bois Scholars Program, Memorial Project, various grant programs).
• Develop reports and presentations that effectively communicate program progress and impact to diverse audiences.
• Work closely with and mentor the program team, including the Program Manager and Program Coordinator, to foster a high-performing, collaborative, and service-oriented team…