AI Program Manager

Nelnet Business Services (NBS), a division of Nelnet, Inc., provides payment technology, education services, and learning management solutions to education and faith-based organizations, serving more than 1,300 higher education institutions, 11,500 K-12 schools, 3,500 churches, and millions of individual students, families, and supporters across the globe. Our culture of service enables us to form long-lasting and trusted partnerships, while our focus on creativity and innovative solutions empowers our customer communities to thrive.

As a Nelnet company, the perks at NBS go beyond our benefits package. You’re part of a community, invested in you as an individual and united by our mission to create opportunities for people where they live, learn and work.

The AI Program Manager is the delivery infrastructure ensuring projects move from intake to completion with clarity, discipline, and minimal friction. This role owns project tracking, delivery oversight, and stakeholder communication for an active portfolio and offering key insights to leadership of project status.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Own the project tracking infrastructure for a dedicated portfolio, manage intake workflows, track milestones and deliverables, and ensure projects are accurately documented and up to date at all times.
• Serve as the dedicated PM for portfolio initiatives; run project ceremonies, maintain delivery timelines, flag risks and blockers early, and coordinate resolution across teams.
• Manage the project intake process: capture incoming requests, support initial scoping, and ensure new work enters the pipeline in an organized and prioritized manner.
• Build and maintain stakeholder communication rhythms: status reports, project updates, and executive summaries, proactively keeping key stakeholders informed .
• Coordinate cross-team dependencies between key stakeholders across IT and the business lines anticipating and preventing handoff blockers and friction.
• Track and document project activity within assigned cadences to to maintain portfolio-level visibility.
• Support training sessions by capturing outputs, action items, and follow-through commitments to ensure movement into and through the delivery pipeline.
• Maintain project documentation and institutional knowledge including decision logs, retrospectives, and delivery artifacts.
• Identify patterns across projects and recommend operational adjustments to support continuous improvement efforts across the team’s delivery processes.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s in CS, Engineering, Business, or equivalent experience.

EXPERIENCE:

• 3–5 years of experience in project or program management, preferably in a technology or innovation-adjacent environment.
• Demonstrated proficiency with project management tooling; able to build and maintain workflows, boards, and reporting without hand-holding.
• Experience coordinating across multiple teams and managing competing priorities in a fast-moving environment.

COMPETENCIES/SKILLS:

• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail
• Clear, concise written and verbal communication
• Proactive and self-directed
• Ability to work through ambiguity
• Drives collaboration through influence rather than authority.
• Growth mindset and drive to learn

Our benefits package includes medical, dental, vision, HSA and FSA, generous earned time off, 401K/student loan repayment, life insurance & AD&D insurance, employee assistance program, employee stock purchase program, tuition reimbursement, performance-based incentive pay, short- and long-term disability, and a robust wellness program. Click here to learn more about our benefits: LINK.

Nelnet is committed to providing a welcoming and respectful workplace where all associates have the opportunity to succeed. As an Equal Opportunity Employer, we ensure that all qualified applicants are considered for employment. Employment decisions are made without regard to race, color, religion/creed, national origin, gender, sex, marital status, age, disability, use of a guide dog or service animal, sexual orientation, military/veteran status, or any other status protected by federal, state, or local law. We value the unique contributions of every team member and believe that a positive work environment benefits everyone.

Qualified individuals with disabilities who require reasonable accommodations in order to apply or compete for positions at Nelnet may request such accommodations by contacting Corporate Recruiting at 402-486-5725 or corporaterecruiting@nelnet.net.

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.