Director, IT Project Management Office; PMO

Position: Director, IT Project Management Office (PMO)
Job Summary We are seeking a strategic and hands-on PMO Leader to build and lead our IT Project Management Office. In this role, you will lead a team of IT Project Managers delivering custom software solutions that support our clinical and business operations, while establishing the standards, processes, and governance that ensure those projects are delivered consistently, transparently, and in compliance with industry regulations.

You will partner with IT leadership, business stakeholders, and engineering teams to align project portfolios with organizational priorities and drive measurable improvements in delivery performance.

Responsibilities Team Leadership Lead, mentor, and develop a team of IT Project Managers, including hiring, performance management, and career development

Allocate PM resources across projects based on priorities, complexity, and team capacity

Foster a culture of accountability, continuous improvement, and collaboration between project management and engineering teamsPMO Governance and Process Establish, document, and maintain project management methodologies, standards, templates, and best practices (Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid approaches)
Define and enforce project governance, including stage gates, approval processes, change control, and escalation paths

Ensure software development projects meet regulatory, quality, and data integrity requirements applicable to a CRO environment (e.g., GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, validation requirements)
Partner with Validation and Quality Assurance teams to align PMO processes with SDLC, computer system validation, and audit-readiness expectations

Conduct periodic project health checks and audits to confirm adherence to PMO standards

Portfolio Management and Reporting Own the IT project portfolio, including intake, prioritization, and roadmap planning in collaboration with IT and business leadership

Develop and deliver portfolio dashboards, status reports, and key performance metrics to senior leadership

Oversee portfolio-level resource forecasting and capacity planning

Identify cross-project dependencies, risks, and conflicts, and drive resolution at the portfolio level

Strategy and Continuous Improvement Define PMO strategy, goals, and maturity roadmap aligned with IT and corporate objectives

Select, implement, and administer project and portfolio management tools (e.g., Jira, Azure Dev Ops, Smartsheet, Microsoft Project)
Lead post-project reviews and use lessons learned to refine processes and improve delivery outcomes

Serve as an escalation point for high-risk or high-visibility projects and provide direct project oversight when needed

Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in Information Technology, Computer Science, Business Administration, or related field (Master's degree preferred)10+ years of experience in IT project management, including 3+ years in a leadership role managing project managers or a PMODemonstrated experience establishing or maturing PMO processes, governance frameworks, and project standards

Strong knowledge of software development lifecycle (SDLC) methodologies, including Agile, Waterfall, and hybrid approaches

Experience managing a portfolio of concurrent software projects, including budgets, resource planning, and risk management

Proven ability to communicate effectively with executives, business stakeholders, and technical teams

Strong leadership, coaching, and conflict resolution skills

Proficiency with project and portfolio management tools and reporting platforms

Preferred:

PMP, PgMP, PfMP, SAFe, or other relevant certification

Experience in a Contract Research Organization, pharmaceutical, biotech, or other regulated life sciences environment

Working knowledge of GxP, 21 CFR Part 11, HIPAA, and computer system validation practices

Experience overseeing custom, internally developed software projects rather than only vendor/COTS implementations

Experience with organizational change management and driving adoption of new processes across teams

Familiarity with portfolio management tools and data visualization/reporting tools (e.g., Power BI, Tableau)
Medpace Overview Medpace is a full-service clinical contract research organization (CRO) providing phase l-lV clinical development services to the biotechnology, pharmaceutical, and medical device industries. Our mission is to accelerate the global development of safe and effective medical therapeutics through the advancement of clinical research. We leverage in-country regulatory and therapeutic expertise across all…