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American Institutes for Research · 8 hours ago

Director, Enterprise Software

Arlington, VA

Contract

Hybrid

Director/Executive

$194K/yr - $258K/yr

8+ years exp

American Institutes for Research is a nonpartisan, not-for-profit institution that conducts behavioral and social science research. The Director, Enterprise Software is responsible for the successful planning, execution, and delivery of complex ERP initiatives, providing strategic leadership and ensuring alignment with organizational objectives.

EducationHealth CareNon Profit

Culture & Values

No H1B

Responsibilities

Lead and manage end-to-end ERP Program from planning and requirements definition through deployment, stabilization, and transition to operations

Provide strategic and hands-on leadership for large-scale Enterprise HR, Enterprise Finance, and Enterprise Reporting & Analytics Environments, upgrades, and optimizations across platforms

Lead complex organizational change with strong risk awareness and sound judgment, anticipating issues, guiding teams through transformation, and making clear, timely decisions in high‑pressure, ambiguous environments

Partner with executive sponsors and functional leaders (e.g., Finance, HR, Procurement, Contracts) to align ERP Strategy with business objectives and organizational priorities

Oversee ERP program governance, including scope management, budgets, schedules, resource planning, and vendor performance

Serve as the primary point of accountability for ERP delivery, ensuring projects are completed on time, within budget, and to defined quality standards

Lead and coordinate cross‑functional teams including IT, business SMEs, and external partners while fostering strong alignment through influence, collaboration, and a unifying leadership approach

Proactively identify, assess, and mitigate program risks; escalate issues appropriately and drive resolution

Establish and maintain clear communication with stakeholders through status reporting, steering committee updates, and formal and ad hoc briefings

Ensure ERP solutions meet security, compliance, and regulatory requirements, particularly in federally funded and nonprofit environments

Contribute to continuous improvement of ERP program management practices, standards, and tools across the organization

Qualification

ERP program governanceLarge-scale ERP implementationsProject management certificationHands-on ERP experienceLeadership presenceAnalytical abilitiesOrganizational change leadershipCommunication skillsCollaboration skillsProblem-solving abilitiesAdaptability

Required

Master's degree in Information Systems, Business Administration, Management, or a related field and at least 8 years of progressive experience leading complex IT or ERP programs; or a Bachelor's degree in a related field and at least 12 years of total relevant experience

Demonstrated experience leading large-scale ERP implementations within large nonprofits, government agencies, or federal systems integrators

Hands-on experience with one or more major ERP platforms, such as PeopleSoft, Oracle, SAP, Microsoft Dynamics CRM, Advantage, and/or Dayforce

Proven ability to manage multi-year, multi-workstream programs with significant budgets and executive-level visibility

Strong leadership presence with the ability to influence and collaborate effectively across executive, technical, and functional stakeholder groups

Exceptional communication skills, translating complex technical concepts into clear, accessible language for non‑technical audiences

Deep expertise in ERP program governance, systems implementation methodologies, and vendor/partner management

Proven success in fast‑paced, complex, and highly regulated environments, delivering large‑scale initiatives with discipline and consistency

Advanced analytical, critical thinking, and problem‑solving abilities, with strong attention to detail and sound judgment

Demonstrated capability in leading organizational change, driving user adoption, and aligning diverse stakeholder groups around new processes and systems

Confident adaptability, embracing evolving business needs, new technologies, and unexpected challenges with a resilient, solutions‑oriented mindset

Ability to operate independently while fostering strong collaboration across distributed, cross‑functional teams

Brings disciplined project management leadership, driving complex ERP initiatives with structured planning, clear milestones, proactive risk management, and consistent delivery across large, cross‑functional teams