Director, Project Management

SUMMARY:
The Director, Project Management, is part of the Churchill Downs Incorporated (CDI) PMO leadership team and works closely with a counterpart Director, Project Management reporting to the VP Project Management. This role is responsible for ensuring projects are delivered on time, within scope, and within budget, while maintaining high quality standards. The role manages a team of direct reports, providing guidance, mentorship, and performance management, holding the team to high standards. The Director, Project Management is pivotal in driving organizational success by enhancing project delivery capabilities, optimizing resource utilization, prioritizing initiatives, and fostering continuous improvement across the company. The ideal candidate will possess a strong blend of project management expertise, technical acumen, and regulatory knowledge, particularly within the racing and gaming sectors.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following:

• Enable the PMO strategic direction, leading by example and developing others, to continuously improve the PMO and the value add the team brings to IT and CDI overall.
• Drive initiatives to enhance overall project delivery capabilities and ensure alignment with business objectives.
• Recruit, manage and develop a team of project managers, fostering a culture of high performance, collaboration, and continuous learning.
• Mentor and coach team members to continuously increase their capabilities in project management and leadership.
• Manage resource allocation and utilization across projects, ensuring efficient and effective deployment of resources based on project demands.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to prioritize projects and initiatives based on strategic importance and resource availability.
• Measure and enhance the PMO's impact on project outcomes and organizational performance.
• Implement and refine project management methodologies, processes, and tools to drive continuous improvement and efficiency gains.
• Build strong relationships with key stakeholders to understand their needs and ensure alignment of project management activities with business objectives.
• Communicate effectively with executives, sponsors, and stakeholders on project statuses, risks, and opportunities.
• Establish metrics and KPIs to monitor project performance, PMO effectiveness, and IT resource capacity, providing regular reports and insights to senior management.
• Identify trends, issues, and areas for improvement, and initiate corrective actions as necessary.
• Tactfully escalate and support escalations raised by team members to bring more transparency and attention to critical issues impeding project success.
• Proactively work to develop team based on organization needs addressing any gaps in skills through cross training, mentoring, and other development opportunities.
• Collaborate across CDI to enable successful delivery of all IT work for acquisitions / Greenfield / Brownfield projects providing thought leadership and strategic direction for PMO project management.

REGULATORY:

• Ability to obtain racing and/or gaming licenses as required in any jurisdiction where CDI operates. The Gaming industry is highly regulated and as such demands an extensive background check to obtain a license.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Project Management or similar field or a combination of education and experience required; Master’s degree preferred.
• Minimum of seven years of experience in project management with at least five years in a people leadership role within a PMO or similar environment.
• Proven ability to lead complex merger & acquisition / Greenfield / Brownfield projects.
• Strong ability to coach and mentor project managers through nuanced challenges associated with merger & acquisition / Greenfield / Brownfield projects.
• Experience partnering with construction teams as project manager in casino, gaming and/or racing industry highly preferred.
• Strong leadership and people management skills, with experience building and leading high-performing teams.
• Demonstrated history of leadership and experience interacting with C-suite executives.
• Project Management (PMP) certification required.
• ITIL Foundations certification a plus.
• Experience utilizing Lean/Six Sigma methodologies a plus.

REQUIRED SKILLS:

• Strong negotiation skills are a must.
• Ability to adapt to new and changing business environments.
• Ability to operate under the pressure of strict deadlines.
• Excellent time management skills with demonstrated experience in managing multiple priorities simultaneously.
• Demonstrated ability to excel in leadership roles with direct reports of varying levels of project management experience.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to communicate clearly, concisely, and tactfully with all levels of the organization.
• High emotional intelligence, especially when navigating challenging and ambiguous situations consistently with a solution focus and growth mindset.
• Proven ability to develop and motivate others to continuously improve, question status quo and foster a high performing team.
• Strong proficiency in navigating the ambiguous, influencing others at all levels through trusted relationships and finding creative solutions to new opportunities.
• Comfortable delivering constructive feedback, having difficult conversations and addressing challenges head on in a respectful and solution-oriented manner.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/ WORKING CONDITIONS:

• Extended periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
• Regular use of a keyboard and mouse for typing and navigating software.
• Viewing a computer screen for prolonged periods.
• Ability to manipulate paperwork, including filing, sorting, and organizing.
• Moving within the office environment to attend meetings, use office equipment, or interact with colleagues.
• Occasional lifting of office supplies or paperwork (up to 20 pounds).
• Speaking and listening to colleagues and clients in person, over the phone, or via video conferencing.
• Working in a climate-controlled office environment with moderate noise levels.
• Performing repetitive tasks such as data entry or document preparation.
• Working under artificial lighting conditions typical of an office environment, which may include fluorescent or LED lighting.
• Role is onsite five days a week at the Louisville, KY CDI headquarters office.