Manager, Enterprise Systems

About The Kennedy Center

“I am certain that after the dust of centuries has passed over our cities, we, too, will be remembered not for victories or defeats in battle or in politics, but for our contribution to the human spirit.” – President John F. Kennedy

The Kennedy Center is the nation’s cultural center and living memorial to President John F. Kennedy. Located on the banks of the Potomac River in Washington, D.C., the Center presents performances across all genres, and is also home to artistic affiliates Washington National Opera and National Symphony Orchestra. 

At the Kennedy Center, we strive to foster belonging and empowerment at work. We are able to advance our mission because of our committed and passionate employees. We are fortunate to be able to leverage their diverse perspectives, life experiences and skills to inform how our workplace can be a safe, transparent, and replenishing community. The Kennedy Center is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate against any employee or applicant based on race, religion, gender identity, sexual orientation, disability, veteran status, marital status, pregnancy or related condition, or any other basis protected by law. 

Mission Statement: As the nation's performing arts center, and a living memorial to President John F. Kennedy, we are a leader for the arts across America and around the world, reaching and connecting with artists, inspiring and educating communities. We welcome all to create, experience, learn about, and engage with the arts. 

Why Join Us

We offer a comprehensive range of benefits to all full-time employees including: 

• Staff offers for discount tickets
• Retirement plan with organization matching (after 1 year of employment)
• Qualifying employer for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF)
• Commuter programs including pre-tax options for discounted parking and SmartBenefits (WMATA)
• Annual Leave, Sick Leave, and Personal Days available immediately upon hire
• 11 paid holidays per year 
• Medical, Dental, and Vision benefits with FSA and HSA options, and paid FMLA
• Flexible work arrangements
• We like to have fun! Check out the Kennedy Center National Dance Day 2023 staff video!

Job Description

The Manager, Enterprise Systems, leads a team of technology professionals and stakeholders responsible for managing implementation, governance, and support of core applications at The Kennedy Center for the Performing Arts. The position is responsible for effectively analyzing, planning, organizing, and leading teams in support of production applications while managing risk, workload, scope, capacity, schedule, and budget. 

This position also works closely with project sponsors, business and technical partners, subject matter experts, end-users, technical resources (internal and third-party vendors), senior management, and executives in the delivery and support of applications that ensure the needs of business users are fully addressed and continuous improvement is being achieved. 

Key Responsibilities

• Managing an application portfolio and associated projects.
• Identifying opportunities for application optimization, redesign, or process improvement - focused on collaboration systems and internal tools.
• Providing application administrative support across applications as needed.
• Partnering with business stakeholders, vendors, and IT management to provide a strategic vision for new and supported applications and create system roadmaps and business processes.
• Addressing the various needs, concerns, expectations of stakeholder groups in planning and executing projects, meeting project requirements and creating project deliverables.
• Balancing competing project constraints including but not limited to scope, quality, schedule, budget, resources, and risks in order to accommodate the needs of each user/customer.
• Building a strong technical culture around our business systems that emphasizes technical excellence, rapid iteration, strong security, and frictionless user experiences.
• Balance support of existing systems with implementation and support of new systems.
• Change agent – plan, communicate, execute, train, and document across all systems throughout the Kennedy Center.
• Motivate and manage a team of application specialists in the maintenance and improvement of the Kennedy Center’s application portfolio.
• Implement and monitor standards around scope management, financial management, service level agreements (SLA), ensure compliance to mitigate risk, increase service/business impact  

Key Qualifications

• 5+ years of experience in an applications manager or similar role preferably supporting SaaS applications.
• 2+ years of vendor management.
• Deep hands-on experience with application implementations, enhancements, and integrations.
• Strong understanding of end-user technology experiences.
• Experience managing ticketing, CRM, ERP, and HRIS systems is an advantage.
• Experience with Tessitura, UKG, Sage Intacct, and Lawson is a definite plus.
• Demonstrated ability to conceptualize, launch and deliver multiple IT projects on time, delivering expected business results.
• Strong communication skills, with the ability to clearly explain system changes and functionality to all employees across the Kennedy Center.
• Experience setting up ongoing procedures for collection and review of application portfolio status.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Candidate must be local or willing to relocate to the DMV area.