Director, Implementation

Job description

Job Purpose The Director, Implementation is responsible for aligning Liliʻuokalani Trust’s (LT) strategic process improvement priorities with actionable plans, executing project milestones and critical action steps that drive project completion, and leading organizational integration. This role oversees a team of Project Managers and collaborates closely with the Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives to ensure LT’s priority projects are executed seamlessly. The Director also leads LT’s IT project management function, providing oversight and coordination of technology initiatives and ensuring that IT projects are effectively scoped, prioritized, resourced, and integrated with broader organizational priorities. While this role does not serve as LT’s technical IT expert, it requires sufficient technology fluency to effectively lead complex IT projects, partner with technical experts and vendors, and translate between technical requirements and organizational needs. By leading organizational alignment, managing resources, and fostering cross-departmental collaboration, this role ensures initiatives are effectively implemented and transitioned into sustainable operations. This includes strategizing from project origination to organizational integration, moving milestones, tasks, and discussions forward, identifying and solving for project challenges, monitoring project success, and supporting the development and effectiveness of the project management team. Essential Responsibilities • Provides guidance and oversight for project implementation, promoting and fostering strong cross-departmental collaboration. • Establishes and maintains best practices and process for the development and implementation of initiatives. • Responsible for overall project success, quality, staff performance, and end-user feedback. • Responsible for project research, data analyzation, understanding end-user needs, trends and best practices, and providing recommendations that will guide and inform Executive and Senior leadership. • Lead LT’s enterprise project management function, overseeing the planning, prioritization, coordination, and execution of complex, cross-functional initiatives and ensuring projects move from strategy through implementation and successful integration into ongoing operations. • Lead the project management of LT’s technology portfolio, partnering with IT leaders, technical teams, and vendors to establish scope, timelines, resources, dependencies, risks, and accountability, while ensuring technology initiatives remain aligned with organizational priorities and business needs. Meets with stakeholders to attain clear understanding of project vision, goals, and business needs. • Partners with leadership to align strategic priorities and manage internal and external communications to ensure efficient progress, implementation and completion of projects, and overall business operations. • Identifies barriers before and during project implementation and provides recommended solutions that are data driven and tailored to the specific project purpose. • Works in close partnership with Information Technology (IT), Impact, Evaluation and Data (IED), Practice, Policy and Learning (PPL), Risk, Facilities and Programs teams to coordinate efforts, align resources, and ensure seamless project execution. • Seeks to regularly obtain cross-functional knowledge to understand issues, trends, and perspectives that may influence LT’s mission, programs, and business objectives. • Leads and coordinates specific organization-wide projects and facilitates meetings to ensure successful progression of projects and stakeholder tasks are upheld in a timely manner and within budget. • Considers and incorporates feedback from leadership and other project stakeholders and reevaluates and adjusts plans, as necessary. • Ensures consistent feedback loops and process improvement strategies from all stakeholders for each project. • Routinely coordinates and guides the project team on the organization of projects, scheduling and deadlines, budget, project updates, presentations, and training. • Reviews plans and provides recommendations for direct reports for alignment with organizational goals, maintaining LT’s focus on Kamalei needs, and thoughtfully integrating deliverables onto LT’s operations. • Prepares and maintains operational budgets and team capacities, carefully stewarding the Queen’s resources. Other Duties: • Develops activity and performance reports and project updates on a quarterly basis and/or as required by Managing Director, New Initiatives, Executive Leadership, and Trustees. • Ensures direct reports receive coaching and participate in professional growth opportunities that enable them to provide excellent service in the present and future and that contribute to their job satisfaction. • Supports programming, events, and special projects as needed. • Contributes to the Trust’s success by accepting new assignments, helping team members, learning new skills, and striving to improve team and organization results. • Leads and supports other work as needed and assigned. Qualifications • Bachelor’s degree or equivalent experience is required. Certifications related to project management and process improvements are preferred. • 10 years of managing complex, cross-functional projects from inception to delivery, including resource planning and budget management. Strong command of Waterfall, Agile, and hybrid methodologies is required. Experience establishing project management frameworks, governance, and project templates is a plus. • Demonstrated experience leading complex, cross-functional projects and project portfolios, including establishing priorities, managing resources, navigating dependencies, and driving initiatives from planning through implementation and organizational integration. • Experience overseeing technology and IT-related projects, with sufficient technical fluency to partner effectively with IT professionals and vendors, translate between technical and organizational needs, and manage scope, risk, timelines, and implementation without serving as the technical subject-matter expert. • 5 years of progressive leadership responsibility and people management. • Demonstrated experience managing diverse stakeholders and briefing executives. • Strong detail-oriented writing, editing, and communication skills across complex projects. • Ability to problem solve, think big, creatively, and turn ideas into reality. • Must have a strong personal fit with our non-hierarchical, no ego, flexible, culture. • Advanced proficiency in software such as Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Microsoft Timeline, Smartsheet, and Mural for project management, workshop facilitation, and reporting is desirable. LT strongly believes in hiring individuals reflective to the community it serves, including lived experiences, striving for representative diversity among its staff. Job Competencies • Leadership: Demonstrates advanced knowledge, understanding of leadership and management principles and practices, and can make decisions. • Mission Focus: Possesses advanced knowledge and understanding of the challenges and opportunities relating to LT’s mission. • Technical Skill: Knowledge of education; youth development; planning and implementing youth focused projects. • Communication: Communicates clearly complex issues, both verbally and in writing. Is an effective public speaker. Works well and communicates effectively and professionally with aloha, among all levels of the organization and the public. • Ethical Practice: Models the highest level of ethics, integrity, LT values and social responsibility. • Relationship Management: Demonstrated experience working with staff at all levels in a complex, collaborative environment; commitment and ability to promote and sustain positive workplace values and relationships • Interpersonal Skills: Ability to work well under pressure, remain calm and controlled when faced with demanding situations. Organizational Values: • Aloha: awareness and approach to the work with compassion, empathy, and kindness. • ‘Imi Na’auao: a constant desire for seeking knowledge; lifelong learner. • Po’okele: desire to perform in excellence. • Wiwo’ole: maintain a courageous, brave, and fearless mindset. • Pono: understand the appropriateness of time, place, reason, people, and tools • Kuleana: bring a deep sense of responsibility and accountability Travel Requirements: In alignment with our organizational competencies of Alu Like i ka Hana (Teamwork) and Hoʻomau i ka ʻImi Naʻauao (Continuous Learning and Improvement), this position will require occasional travel across the island, inter-island, and out-of-state depending on the needs of the team and the organization. While travel may not always be a need, the ability to travel when required remains a crucial aspect of this position to successfully contribute to our concerted efforts to carry out our Queen’s legacy. This description reflects management’s assignment of essential functions, it does not proscribe or restrict the tasks that may be assigned. This job description is subject to change at any time Mental and Physical Demands: Perform light physical work, including climbing, stooping, kneeling, crouching, reaching, and lifting weight of up to 25 pounds. Exposed to outdoor climate and diverse terrain. Terms and Conditions of Employment As a condition of employment, employee will be subject to LT’s policies and procedures. Job Title: Director, Implementation Reports to: Managing Director, Strategic Initiatives FLSA Status: FT; Exempt Aligned Executive: President and CEO Kipuka: Liliʻuonamoku Department: Strategic Initiatives Liliʻuokalani Trust is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We strive to recruit, train, and retain innovative talent from a diverse candidate pool. All employment decisions will be based on merit, competence, performance, and business needs. Applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, religion, ancestry, genetic information, citizenship, marital/civil union status, arrest and court record, domestic or sexual violence victim status, credit history, disability or veteran/military status or other applicable legally protected characteristics.