Project Manager III

Western Governors University • Full-time • Hybrid in Salt Lake City, Utah, United States of America • $97,100 - $145,600 / year • 12h ago

Fast Facts

WGU is seeking a Project Manager III to manage complex initiatives within WGU Academy, focusing on project delivery aligned with academic program priorities.

Responsibilities: Manage all phases of projects, keeping stakeholders informed, maintaining records, developing project plans, and ensuring alignment with organizational standards.

Skills: Strong project management expertise, excellent communication skills, experience with project management tools (e.g., Asana, JIRA), and knowledge of change management practices.

Qualifications: Bachelor’s degree and five years of project management experience; preferred PMP certification, Scrum or Agile experience, and experience in higher education.

Location: Full-time position based in Salt Lake City, onsite four days a week with remote work on Fridays, and occasional travel required.

Compensation: $97100 - $145600 / Annually

If you’re passionate about building a better future for individuals, communities, and our country—and you’re committed to working hard to play your part in building that future—consider WGU as the next step in your career.

Driven by a mission to expand access to higher education through online, competency-based degree programs, WGU is also committed to being a great place to work for a diverse workforce of student-focused professionals. The university has pioneered a new way to learn in the 21st century, one that has received praise from academic, industry, government, and media leaders. Whatever your role, working for WGU gives you a part to play in helping students graduate, creating a better tomorrow for themselves and their families.

The salary range for this position takes into account the wide range of factors that are considered in making compensation decisions including but not limited to skill sets; experience and training; licensure and certifications; and other business and organizational needs.

At WGU, it is not typical for an individual to be hired at or near the top of the range for their position, and compensation decisions are dependent on the facts and circumstances of each case. A reasonable estimate of the current range is:

Grade: Professional 311Pay Range: $97,100.00 - $145,600.00

Job Description

WGU is hiring a Project Manager III to support high‑impact work within WGU Academy, managing complex initiatives from inception through completion in Academic Programs. This role partners closely with academic and operational stakeholders to deliver projects that are tightly aligned to departmental priorities, timelines, and standards.

Primary Responsibilities

Manage all phases of assigned projects, including initiating, planning, executing, monitoring/controlling, and closing
Keep stakeholders and leadership informed of project status, including milestone achievements, toll‑gate progress, risks, and issues impacting schedules
Maintain accurate and up‑to‑date project management records and systems
Produce timely and accurate reports as directed
Develop realistic project plans and schedules by analyzing dependencies, resource requirements, work breakdowns, and departmental priorities
Ensure projects are managed in accordance with organizational standards, policies, and procedures
Document project deliverables, outputs, and decision rationale
Understand departmental strategic priorities and influence project team efforts in alignment with those priorities
Apply and support change management strategies within assigned projects and monitor outcomes
Provide input to refine project management processes and improve efficiency
Provide thought leadership, mentorship, and training support to project managers and associate project managers

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

Strong project management expertise
Excellent written and verbal communication skills
Experience using project management systems and tools (e.g., Asana, JIRA, or similar)
Working knowledge of change management methodologies and practices
Ability to influence without authority and motivate cross‑functional partners

Work Location & Travel

Full‑time, in‑office position in Salt Lake City, UT
Must reside in or relocate to the Salt Lake City area within 90 days of offer acceptance
Onsite four (4) days per week with the option to work remotely on Fridays, per department scheduling
Occasional travel up to 20%, including required attendance at company summits (typically one to two per year)

Minimum Qualifications

Bachelor’s degree
Five (5) years of experience as the assigned project manager with responsibility for project initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure
Experience applying change management methodologies within projects
Ability to use tools such as Asana, JIRA, or similar PM system tools.

Preferred Qualifications

Scrum or Agile experience
Lean Six Sigma or process improvement experience
Experience in higher education or academic environments
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or equivalent

Visa Sponsorship

WGU is not able to provide visa sponsorship for this role.

What to Expect in the Interview Process

Introductory call with recruiter (30 minutes)
First‑round interview (45 minutes)
Second‑round interview (30 minutes)
Team interview / stakeholder conversation (30 minutes)

Benefits

Comprehensive healthcare, retirement savings, wellbeing programs, discounted WGU tuition for you and your family, flexible PTO and sick time, 11 paid holidays, and additional paid leaves, including parental leave.

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Position & Application Details

Full-Time Regular Positions (classified as regular and working 40 standard weekly hours): This is a full-time, regular position (classified for 40 standard weekly hours) that is eligible for bonuses; medical, dental, vision, telehealth and mental healthcare; health savings account and flexible spending account; basic and voluntary life insurance; disability coverage; accident, critical illness and hospital indemnity supplemental coverages; legal and identity theft coverage; retirement savings plan; wellbeing program; discounted WGU tuition; and flexible paid time off for rest and relaxation with no need for accrual, flexible paid sick time with no need for accrual, 11 paid holidays, and other paid leaves, including up to 12 weeks of parental leave.

How to Apply: If interested, an application will need to be submitted online. Internal WGU employees will need to apply through the internal job board in Workday.

Additional Information

Disclaimer: The job posting highlights the most critical responsibilities and requirements of the job. It’s not all-inclusive.

Accommodations: Applicants with disabilities who require assistance or accommodation during the application or interview process should contact our Talent Acquisition team at recruiting@wgu.edu.

Equal Employment Opportunity: All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to any protected characteristic as required by law.