Engagement Manager, Higher Ed

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 nowand be part of our exciting team at The Groove! Originally posted on Himalayas