Engagement Manager, Higher Ed

The Groove is a consulting firm that specializes in Higher Education, and they are seeking an Engagement Manager to lead client engagements and ensure successful delivery of transformation initiatives. The role involves managing client relationships, overseeing delivery teams, and aligning project outcomes with institutional goals.

Responsibilities:

• Serve as the primary point of contact for client leadership, including IT, functional leaders, and executive sponsors
• Build trusted relationships and act as a strategic advisor throughout the engagement
• Align project objectives to institutional priorities, balancing stakeholder needs across academic and administrative functions
• Lead end-to-end delivery of projects, ensuring quality, timeliness, and client satisfaction
• Manage scope, budget, timeline, and risks across engagements
• Partner with technical and functional leads to ensure cohesive, high-quality delivery
• Lead cross-functional teams, including consultants, engineers, and analysts
• Drive accountability across the team for deliverables and outcomes
• Coach and develop team members while fostering a collaborative, high-performance culture
• Guide clients through transformation across Student, HCM, and Finance systems
• Navigate the complexities of Higher Ed environments (shared governance, decentralized decision-making, compliance requirements)
• Bring best practices and insights specific to colleges, universities, and system offices
• Ensure alignment between technology, process, and people
• Support change management efforts including stakeholder engagement, communications, and adoption strategies
• Identify risks to adoption and develop mitigation strategies

Requirements:

• 5–8+ years of experience in consulting, program management, or enterprise system delivery
• Proven experience leading client-facing engagements
• Significant experience working with Higher Education institutions
• Strong understanding of Higher Ed operations, including student lifecycle, academic structures, and administrative functions
• Experience with enterprise platforms such as Workday, Student Information Systems (SIS), or ERPs
• Ability to lead and influence across diverse stakeholder groups
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to translate complex topics into clear, actionable insights
• Experience managing multiple workstreams and competing priorities
• Experience with Workday implementations (Student, HCM, or Financials)
• Background in large-scale Higher Ed transformation programs
• Ability to operate effectively in complex, matrixed environments
• Passion for improving outcomes for students, faculty, and administration