Director for Capital Strategy and Management

Posting Number S07180P Position Title Director for Capital Strategy and Management Functional Title Department Human Resources Salary Range $150,000 - $175,000 depending on qualifications Pay Basis Monthly Position Status Regular full-time Location Richardson Position End Date (if temporary) Posting Open Date 07/31/2026 Posting Close Date Open Until Filled Yes Desired Start Date 08/24/2026

Job Summary

The Director for the Capital Strategy and Management will serve as the dedicated program owner and integrator for a transformational $550M capital project designed to advance UT Dallas's research, innovation, and student learning enterprise.

Reporting to the Convergence Accelerator Project Advocate (the Executive Vice President for Academic Affairs and Provost), and working closely with the Chief of Operations, Chief Financial Officer, VP for Research and Innovation, and the Office of the President, this role will orchestrate complex work streams across academic, administrative, and external stakeholder groups to advance the building from conceptualization through completion by 2030.

This is a strategic operations and execution role-not a traditional facilities/construction management position. The ideal candidate brings senior-level experience in large-scale higher education projects, demonstrated capacity to convene diverse stakeholders (especially faculty and deans), and the ability to manage ambiguity across parallel initiatives while maintaining momentum toward critical milestones.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

* Strategic thinking:
Ability to see connections across work streams and align short-term activities with long-term project vision

* Stakeholder management:
Skill in building relationships, managing competing interests, and fostering collaboration among diverse groups

* Problem-solving:
Resourcefulness in identifying solutions to obstacles; comfort with ambiguity and change

* Attention to detail:
Ability to manage multiple timelines, budgets, and deliverables without losing sight of deadlines or requirements

* Communication:
Capacity to distill complex information for different audiences and communicate progress, risks, and decisions clearly

* Intellectual curiosity:
Genuine interest in understanding academic disciplines, research priorities, and industry trends relevant to the building

* Emotional intelligence:
Ability to navigate sensitive conversations (e.g., difficult funding decisions, center prioritization) with diplomacy and empathy

* Technical proficiency:
Competence with project management tools (MS Project, Asana, , or similar), Microsoft Office, and data visualization software

* Resilience:
Ability to maintain momentum and morale through a multi-year project with inevitable setbacks and delays

Minimum Education and Experience

Bachelors degree

10 years of related professional experience

Preferred

Education and Experience

* Master's degree in business administration, higher education, public administration, project management, or a closely related field

* 7-12 years of professional experience in higher education, including at least 5 years in strategic planning, project coordination, or operations roles

* Experience in a research-intensive university or system environment

* Prior involvement with UT System institutions or knowledge of UT System governance and processes

* Background in fundraising, development, or donor relations

* Experience with innovation/entrepreneurship initiatives, interdisciplinary centers, or industry partnerships in higher education

* Familiarity with Texas higher education policy and the state appropriations process

* Project management certification (PMP, CAPM) or formal training in project management methodologies

* Experience establishing PMO discipline or project management frameworks in organizations

Other Qualifications

To the extent this position requires the holder to research, work on, or have access to critical infrastructure as defined in Section 117.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code, the ability to maintain the security or integrity of the critical infrastructure is a minimum qualification to be hired and to continue to be employed in the position.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Program Governance and Steering

* Maintain the integrated master roadmap for the Convergence Accelerator.

* Track milestones, dependencies, risks, owners, and decisions needed.

* Prepare steering committee agendas, materials, dashboards, and follow-up items.

* Maintain a decision log and issue tracker.

* Escalate delays, conflicts, unresolved decisions, and risks to the steering committee.

* Ensure all major work streams remain aligned to the 2030 opening target.

Program Definition Coordination

Coordinate the process for defining the academic, research, industry, student, and operational requirements that must inform the building.

This includes coordinating with functional leaders to define:

* Academic and research priorities

* Faculty hiring and lab assumptions

* Center/institute concepts

*…