Associate Priority Director - COO Project Management Office

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The COO Project Management Office (CPMO) at MD Anderson Cancer Center plays a critical role in driving strategic initiatives that support operational excellence and organizational priorities. This team partners closely with executive leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to ensure high-impact programs are executed efficiently, aligned with institutional goals, and delivered with measurable outcomes.

This Associate Priority Director role offers the opportunity to lead and support high-visibility, enterprise-wide initiatives , working across multiple teams to drive execution, alignment, and results. You will play a key role in managing priority initiatives from planning through completion, ensuring deliverables are achieved within defined timelines, scope, and quality expectations.

In this role, you will be responsible for developing and managing comprehensive workplans , including defining scope, timelines, milestones, and key deliverables. You will monitor progress, manage risks and issues, oversee change control processes, and ensure alignment with strategic objectives. Your ability to track performance metrics, manage budgets, and provide executive-level summaries will be essential to driving informed decision-making and maintaining momentum across initiatives.

You will also serve as a strategic partner to leadership, facilitating communication plans, leading cross-functional meetings, and guiding teams through key transitions. This role requires the ability to influence stakeholders, promote collaboration, and apply agile principles to adapt to evolving priorities and organizational needs.

A strong emphasis is placed on team leadership and development . You will mentor and support program directors and project managers, foster a collaborative and high-performing team environment, and ensure alignment of individual contributions with broader organizational goals. This includes overseeing performance management, resource allocation, and team development efforts to support successful program execution.

Success in this role requires strong project management expertise, strategic thinking, and the ability to navigate complex, fast-paced environments while maintaining focus on results. Effective communication, stakeholder management, and the ability to drive accountability across teams are critical to success.

MD Anderson offers a comprehensive total rewards package, including paid medical benefits, generous paid time off, retirement plans, and additional benefits , along with opportunities to work on high-impact initiatives, collaborate with executive leadership, and grow within a mission-driven organization focused on excellence in patient care, research, and innovation.

JOB SPECIFIC COMPETENCIES

1. Priority Direction
• Define the precise boundaries and objectives of the priority. Identify and engage all relevant stakeholders. Develop a detailed schedule and timeline for priority activities.
• Assess and manage potential risks associated with the priority.
• Responsible for updating the priority charter with any major adjustments or changes in scope and ensuring that any significant changes or expansions in the priority's scope are documented and communicated appropriately.
• Responsible for building the priority timeline, defining key milestones, and creating a comprehensive timeline that outlines all critical dates and deadlines.
• Develop a detailed Priority workplan that includes tasks, dependencies, and responsibilities.
• Continuously update and adjust the work plan as needed to adapt to changing circumstances.
• Oversee and enforce adherence to the work plan schedule.
• Capture and define the work that needs to be done at the start of Priority, and document and specify the initial tasks and activities required to kickstart the priority effectively.
• Manage the monitoring process for document tracking and scope creep and establish a systematic process for tracking and managing all project-related documents.
• Manage the overall process for approval/rejection of Priority changes to ensure that all change requests are reviewed and approved or rejected in a timely manner.
• Conduct a closing Priority audit of key deliverables/milestones and conduct a thorough review and assessment of all major deliverables and milestones upon completion.
• Risk & Issue Management: Monitor Priority RAID Log, create & manage mitigation plan, escalate critical risks and/or issues, and identify and report potential risks and issues.
• Summarize essential information and key highlights in an executive summary to be presented during the Priority status meeting.
• Track program metrics for alignment to Priority objectives and establish key performance indicators (KPIs) to measure progress toward priority objectives.
• Manage budget actuals with finance partners and request additional budget (operational and/or capital).
• Maintain oversight of portfolio and strategic planning related to the priority and project and program statuses/activities impacting the priority.

2. Strategic Leadership
• Establish communication plan, meeting cadence, and cross-project forums for teams to share updates, information, best practices including implementing an effective review, reporting and presentation structure and leading program meetings.
• Facilitate and influence key transition processes and activities; Guide and support teams through critical transition phases, such as project initiation, milestone achievements, and project closure.
• Adopt agile principles and practices to promote adaptive management and responsiveness to changing dynamics.
• Manages the relationship with the CPMO Pillars and the Program Leads.
• Engage with stakeholders periodically to level set on expectations and upcoming CPMO outputs.

3. Collaboration & Team Management
• Manage and develop a cohesive team by aligning individual strengths with project goals, providing mentorship and guidance, and fostering a collaborative and supportive environment.
• Ensure compliance with organizational policies and training completion for all assigned personnel.
• Manage recruiting, evaluation, goal setting, and performance management for all assigned team members.
• Foster strong working relationships with stakeholders from various teams to achieve program milestones.
• Encourage collaboration among team members by enabling a culture of trust, open communication, and knowledge sharing.
• Facilitate integration among cross-functional teams by promoting understanding of each team's roles, responsibilities, and contributions to success.
• Optimize resource allocation by assessing requirements, identifying resource gaps or redundancies, and making adjustments as necessary.
• Outline key responsibilities of satellite PMO resources and clearly define the roles and responsibilities of PMO resources that support the priority.
• Organize and lead formal kick-off meetings to ensure all team members understand the priority's objectives, expectations, and roles.

Education

Required:
• Bachelor's Degree in a related field

Preferred:
• Master's Degree in a related field

Work Experience

Required:
• 7 years of related project/program management experience to include two years of supervisory or management experience OR
• 5 years of experience with preferred degree

Preferred:
• Project management experience in a complex healthcare setting

Licenses and Certifications

Preferred:
• PMP - Project Mgt Professional

Other Requirements

• Must pass pre-employment skills test as required and administered by Human Resources.

The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center offers excellent benefits , including medical, dental, paid time off , retirement , tuition benefits, educational opportunities, and individual and team recognition.

This position may be responsible for maintaining the security and integrity of critical infrastructure, as defined in Section 113.001(2) of the Texas Business and Commerce Code and therefore may require routine reviews and screening. The ability to satisfy and maintain all requirements necessary to ensure the continued security and integrity of such infrastructure is a condition of hire and continued employment.

It is the policy of The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center to provide equal employment opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, age, national origin, sex, gender, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, disability, protected veteran status, genetic information, or any other basis protected by institutional policy or by federal, state, or local laws unless such distinction is required by law.

Additional Information

• Requisition ID: 180426
• Employment Status: Full-Time
• Employee Status: Regular
• Work Week: Days
• Minimum Salary: US Dollar (USD) 123,000
• Midpoint Salary: US Dollar (USD) 154,000
• Maximum Salary : US Dollar (USD) 185,000
• FLSA: exempt and not eligible for overtime pay
• Fund Type: Hard
• Work Location: Hybrid Onsite/Remote
• Pivotal Position: Yes
• Referral Bonus Available?: Yes
• Relocation Assistance Available?: Yes

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