Program Manager

INTRODUCTION:

University of the People (UoPeople) is the first non-profit, tuition-free, American, accredited, 100% online university. Today, UoPeople has over 170,000 students enrolled from more than 200 countries and territories, including 18,800 students who are refugees. UoPeople is accredited by the WASC Senior College and University Commission (WSCUC) and is recognized by the DEAC as an accredited online University.

We believe that higher education is a basic human right and that it can transform not only the lives of students, but also their families' lives, their communities, their nations, and, by extension, the world. See President Reshef’s TED talk when he announced the founding of the University.[ TED talk ]

UoPeople is an innovative university, and we welcome team members who bring creativity and innovation to their roles. We’re a fast-paced organization with remote teams all around the globe. If you’re a self-starter who wants to succeed alongside a passionate team, we’d love to hear from you

UoPeople is supported by the generosity of individuals and foundations, including the Gates, Hewlett, Ford Foundations, Fondation Hoffmann, and others. The University has been covered by the New York Times, BBC, NPR, Times Higher Education, US News and World Report, and more. President Reshef’s TED Talk and Nas Daily interview about the University have 30 million views combined.

General: We are seeking an experienced Program Manager to lead cross-functional initiatives that advance our education mission through technology-enabled solutions. In this role, you will apply proven program management practices to define and embed methodologies and best practices, ensuring consistent, scalable delivery across the organization. You will partner with academic leaders, educators, IT, and product teams to align technology programs with educational goals, while promoting Agile processes to foster responsiveness, transparency, and continuous improvement. The ideal candidate brings a strong track record of managing complex, tech-driven programs and a passion for enabling impactful learning outcomes through digital innovation

Responsibilities:

• Drive and lead the planning, execution, and delivery of strategic programs spanning multiple teams and business functions.

• Define, implement, and continuously improve program management methodologies, frameworks and best practices to drive consistency and excellence.

• Partner with Product, Engineering, and Business stakeholders to align on vision, priorities, dependencies and delivery milestones.

• Track and report on program progress, risks, and issues, ensuring proactive mitigation and transparent communication.

• Foster a culture of accountability and continuous improvement across teams.

• Champion Agile practices and support teams in adapting processes for scale while ensuring alignment with organizational goals.

• Facilitate program-level ceremonies such as planning, progress meetings, management updates and retrospectives.

• Mentor and guide team members on program management best practices.

Qualification:

• Proven experience (4+ years) in program or project management, ideally in education technology with a track record of delivering complex, multi-stakeholder programs successfully. • Strong knowledge of program management standards and frameworks (e.g., PMI, SAFe or equivalent).

• Experience in defining and embedding best practices, tools, and processes to optimize delivery at scale.

• Excellent stakeholder management, communication, and facilitation skills.

• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills with the ability to thrive in ambiguity.

• Relevant certifications in Program/Project Management (PMP, PgMP, SAFe, Agile, etc.) is required.

The role is ideal for an experienced program manager who wants to apply their program leadership skills to make a tangible difference in education through technology.