Job Description:
The Groove is seeking an Engagement Manager (EM) with deep Higher Education experience to lead client engagements and ensure successful delivery of transformation initiatives across Student, HR, and Finance domains. This role is responsible for managing client relationships, overseeing delivery teams, and ensuring outcomes align to institutional goals. The ideal candidate brings strong program leadership, Higher Ed domain expertise, and experience delivering enterprise solutions in complex environments.
Your Responsibilities
Client Leadership
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
Delivery Oversight
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
Program & Team Management
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
Higher Ed Expertise
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
Change & Adoption
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
Your Qualifications
Experience
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
Domain Expertise
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
Leadership Skills
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
What Sets You Apart
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
Why The Groove
Work on meaningful transformation initiatives across leading Higher Education institutions
Be part of a collaborative, values-driven consulting team
Opportunity to shape delivery practices and client impact in a high-growth environment
EEO Policy:
The Groove is an Equal Opportunity / Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, ethnicity, sexual orientation, ancestry, genetics, gender identity or expression, disability, protected veteran or marital status.
Ready to embark on an exhilarating journey of innovation and collaboration? Apply now
and be part of our exciting team at The Groove!