Portfolio Manager (Finance)
We Impact Lives Through Purpose-Driven Work in A People First Culture
Ascend Learning is the connection between a powerful portfolio of brands serving students, educators, and employers with outcomes-based, data driven solutions across the lifecycle of learning.
Our values-driven culture unifies our teams and inspires a mindset of action, innovation, and collaboration, with a relentless focus on customers.
We are always looking for talented, passionate professionals to join us in our mission to help change lives. If this sounds like an environment where you would thrive, read on to learn more.
Ascend Learning leads the way in innovation and solution creation to improve outcomes and deliver results for students, educators, and healthcare workers in the ever-changing field of healthcare. We offer advanced resources that drive nursing success, empower front-line certified allied health workers, help physicians pass boards and stay current, and provide education management tools for medical education programs.
WHAT YOU'LL DO
As a Portfolio Manager in the PMO, you will be responsible for providing project reporting and metrics to ensure your portfolio of projects meets financial objectives. This will be achieved by forecasting, tracking, and reporting aggregate project spend, including the provisioning and management of all capital project codes within the portfolio. You will work closely with project managers, Finance, and other department Leaders to ensure the portfolio project budget is actively managed. The enterprise PMO oversees and manages all aspects of end-to-end project management within the organization, including Corporate, M&A, Content, Product, and Technology projects. This represents a total portfolio of projects investing more than $50M in capital annually across Ascend. As a Portfolio Manager responsible for project financial reporting and metrics, you will play a vital role in ensuring that project budgets are actively managed and aligned with organizational objectives. Your expertise in forecasting, tracking, and reporting project spend will drive financial transparency.
WHERE YOU'LL WORK
This position will work a hybrid schedule from our Leawood, KS office location.
HOW YOU'LL SPEND YOUR TIME
- Project Financial Reporting and Metrics: Develop and implement a comprehensive project reporting and metrics framework to track and evaluate the financial performance of the portfolio. This includes creating and maintaining project dashboards, reports, and metrics to effectively communicate project status, budget utilization, and overall portfolio health.
- Achieve Budgetary Objectives: Collaborate with Finance and other Department Leaders to establish budgetary objectives for the portfolio of projects. Ensure that project budgets are aligned with organizational goals and actively managed throughout the project lifecycle.
- Forecasting and Tracking: Utilize financial forecasting techniques and tools to accurately predict project expenditures and identify potential budgetary risks. Continuously monitor and track project-spend against budget, ensuring that any deviations are promptly addressed and communicated to relevant stakeholders.
- Manage Aggregate Project Spend: Consolidate and analyze project spend across the portfolio, providing insights and recommendations to optimize resource allocation and cost management. Identify areas of potential cost savings or cost overruns and work with project managers to implement corrective actions.
- Capital Projects Codes: Establish and manage a system for assigning and tracking capital projects codes within the portfolio. Ensure that all projects have proper coding in alignment with financial systems and reporting requirements.
- Financial Management Collaboration: Collaborate closely with Finance teams to ensure accurate financial reporting and adherence to financial policies and procedures. Provide necessary project data and insights to support financial planning, budgeting, and forecasting activities.
- Portfolio Performance Review: Conduct regular portfolio performance reviews with project managers and Finance teams to assess budgetary performance, identify trends, and recommend corrective actions. Present findings and recommendations to senior management for decision-making purposes.
- Stakeholder Communication: Communicate project budget status, financial performance, and potential risks or issues to project managers, Finance, and other relevant stakeholders. Ensure that all stakeholders have timely and accurate information to make informed decisions.
- Process Improvement: Continuously evaluate and enhance project budget management processes and tools to streamline workflows, improve accuracy, and increase efficiency. Identify opportunities for automation and implement solutions to optimize portfolio financial management practices.
- Training and Support: Provide training, guidance, and support to project managers and other team members on project budget management best practices, financial reporting requirements, and the effective use of tools and systems.
WHAT YOU'LL NEED
- Bachelor's degree in business administration, project management, or a related field. A master's degree is preferred.
- 8+ years of experience in portfolio management, program management, project management, a related role, or a combination of.
- Experience managing a portfolio of projects
- Possess extensive knowledge and expertise in project and program management principles, methodologies, and best practices, including budget management, forecasting, stakeholder engagement, and risk management.
- Proven record of accomplishment of successfully managing a portfolio of projects within budget.
- Exceptional communication and presentation skills, with the ability to effectively convey complex information to diverse audiences.
- Excellent leadership and team management skills, with the ability to motivate and inspire cross-functional teams.
- Strong analytical and problem-solving abilities, with keen attention to detail.
- Proficiency in project management software and tools.
- Professional certifications in program management or project management, such as PgMP or PMP, are desirable.
BENEFITS
- Flexible and generous paid time off
- Competitive medical, dental, vision and life insurance
- 401(k) employer matching program
- Parental leave
- Wellness resources
- Charitable matching program
- Hybrid work
- On-site workout facilities (Leawood, Gilbert, Burlington)
- Community outreach groups
- Tuition reimbursement
Fostering A Sense of Belonging
We seek out and celebrate all people and perspectives and cultivate an inclusive culture where everyone can thrive, feel valued and be their authentic selves. Our culture is firmly rooted in the belief that by embracing our differences and drawing on diverse perspectives, we are a stronger, more innovative, and more successful organization where employees experience a sense of belonging.
About Ascend Learning
As a tech-enabled services company, Ascend Learning is a national leader in developing and delivering data-driven online educational content, software, assessments, analytics, and simulations serving institutions, students and employers across healthcare, fitness and wellness, public and workplace safety, skilled trades, insurance, financial services, cybersecurity, and higher education. We're committed to accelerating the learning pathways that can move people into careers where they have the knowledge and skills to have an impact and help change lives in the communities they serve. Headquartered in Burlington, MA with additional office locations and hybrid and remote workers in cities across the U.S., Ascend Learning was recognized by Newsweek and Plant-A Insights Group as one of America's 2023 Greatest Workplaces for Diversity.
Ascend Learning, LLC is proud to be an equal opportunity employer (M/F/Vets/Disabled). No agency or search firm submissions will be accepted. Applications for U.S. based positions with Ascend Learning, LLC must be legally authorized to work in the United States and verification of employment eligibility will be required at the time of hire.
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Project Management
