Manager, Strategic Initiatives

About this role

Who is Trace3?

Trace3 is a leading Transformative IT Authority, providing unique technology solutions and consulting services to our clients. Equipped with elite engineering and dynamic innovation, we empower IT executives and their organizations to achieve competitive advantage through a process of Integrate, Automate, Innovate.

Our culture at Trace3 embodies the spirit of a startup with the advantage of a scalable business. Employees can grow their career and have fun while doing it!

Trace3 is headquartered in Irvine, California. We employ more than 1,200 people all over the United States. Our major field office locations include Denver, Indianapolis, Grand Rapids, Lexington, Los Angeles, Louisville, Texas, San Francisco.

Ready to discover the possibilities that live in technology?

Come Join Us!

Street-Smart - Thriving in Dynamic Times

We are flexible and resilient in a fast-changing environment. We continuously innovate and drive constructive change while keeping a focus on the “big picture.” We exercise sound business judgment in making high-quality decisions in a timely and cost-effective manner. We are highly creative and can dig deep within ourselves to find positive solutions to different problems.

Juice - The “Stuff” it takes to be a Needle Mover

We get things done and drive results. We lead without a title, empowering others through a can-do attitude. We look forward to the goal, mentally mapping out every checkpoint on the pathway to success, and visualizing what the final destination looks and feels like.

Teamwork - Humble, Hungry and Smart

We are humble individuals who understand how our job impacts the company's mission. We treat others with respect, admit mistakes, give credit where it’s due and demonstrate transparency. We “bring the weather” by exhibiting positive leadership and solution-focused thinking. We hug people in their trials, struggles, and failures – not just their success. We appreciate the individuality of the people around us.

JOB SUMMARY:

The Manager of Strategic Initiatives is a hands-on player-coach responsible for leading the Strategic Initiatives team while personally managing a portfolio of high-priority, executive-sponsored projects. The role combines people leadership, portfolio oversight, and direct project delivery to ensure strategic initiatives are clearly defined, effectively governed, and completed on time with measurable business outcomes.

This manager develops and coaches project managers, assigns work based on organizational priorities and team capacity, and establishes consistent project management practices across the portfolio. In addition to leading the team, the manager serves as the project or program manager for complex, cross-functional initiatives and may support acquisition integrations when assigned.

SUMMARY OF ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

Team Leadership and Player-Coach Responsibilities:

• Lead, coach, and develop a team of project managers responsible for delivering high-priority strategic initiatives across the organization.

• Operate as a player-coach by personally managing complex or highly visible projects while maintaining accountability for the overall performance of the team and portfolio.

• Assign projects and responsibilities based on business priorities, project complexity, team capacity, and individual development needs.

• Set clear performance expectations, provide regular feedback, conduct performance reviews, and support professional development and career growth.

• Review project plans, status updates, risks, issues, budgets, and executive communications to ensure consistent quality and appropriate escalation.

• Provide hands-on guidance and problem-solving support when projects are at risk, blocked, or require senior stakeholder alignment.

• Balance team workload and recommend resource changes, sequencing adjustments, or additional support when demand exceeds available capacity.

• Create a collaborative, accountable team environment that promotes ownership, transparency, continuous improvement, and strong stakeholder service.

• Establish and maintain common project management standards, templates, governance routines, and reporting expectations across the Strategic Initiatives portfolio.

• Partner with the Director of Strategic Initiatives to support portfolio planning, prioritization, resource allocation, and department objectives.

Strategic Initiative and Project Delivery:

• Lead the identification, scoping, planning, and end-to-end delivery of strategic initiatives, including serving directly as project or program manager for assigned…