IT Project Manager - NDS

Nelnet is a diversified and innovative company committed to enriching lives through the power of service as a student loan servicer, professional services company, consumer loan originator and servicer, payments processor, renewable energy solutions, and K-12 and higher education expert.For over 40 years, Nelnet has been serving its customers, associates, and communities.

The perks of working at Nelnet go beyond our benefits package. When you join the Nelnet team, you're part of a community invested in the success of each individual. That support comes through in our work, as we are united by our mission of creating opportunities for people where they live, learn, and work.

In this role, you will lead cross-functional teams through the full lifecycle of application development, cloud migration, and AI-driven projects - from inception through post-implementation. You will work closely with developers, cloud engineers, architects, and business stakeholders, applying your deep understanding of system design, modern development practices, and cloud platforms to keep initiatives on track and deliver measurable business value.

You will apply Agile and hybrid methodologies, proactively manage risks and dependencies, and communicate clearly across all levels - from individual contributors to senior leadership. Critically, you will both use AI tools to drive your own productivity and lead projects where AI capabilities are being built, integrated, or operationalized.

If you thrive at the intersection of technical depth and delivery leadership - and you are energized by the challenge of moving applications to the cloud and harnessing AI to drive outcomes - we want to hear from you.

At this time, we are unable to move forward with external candidates that reside in these states: Alabama, California, Connecticut, Hawaii, Illinois, Maine, Massachusetts, Michigan, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington.

This position requires work in support of the Company’s contract with the United States Department of Education (“ED”). As such, the United States Government requires that any applicant for this position must complete United States Government security clearance. Effective June 1, 2018, ED has informed Nelnet that security clearance applications for foreign nationals are not being accepted or processed. In light of this direction from ED, Nelnet will be unable to hire applicants without United States citizenship for such positions.

Nelnet values flexibility and understands the importance of work-life integration. Our hybrid work environment allows associates living within 30 miles of an office location to work remotely for part of the week, while also fostering collaboration and team connection through in-office presence three days a week.

JOB RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Manages and directs project teams to meet project objectives, with a focus on custom software development, system integration, and cloud-based initiatives.
• Leads technical project teams through the full Software Development Lifecycle (SDLC), including application design, development, testing, and deployment phases.
• Manages application cloud migration projects, coordinating across infrastructure, architecture, development, and security teams to ensure successful transitions.
• Champions the adoption of AI tools within the project team to drive team efficiency, and leads projects where AI capabilities are being developed, integrated, or operationalized.
• Reviews, evaluates, and formulates project plans, schedules, and budgets; identifies and negotiates milestones, resource requirements, and tradeoffs to meet project objectives.
• Oversees requirements solicitation, refinement, and definition for assigned projects; ensures technical requirements are clearly understood and traceable throughout delivery.
• Partners with enterprise architects and technical leads to ensure proposed solutions align with organizational standards, cloud architecture patterns, and long-term scalability needs.
• Manages staff and budget resources required to meet changing corporate priorities and project demands.
• Leads problem resolution and decision-making through facilitation, structured troubleshooting, and escalation management.
• Organizes and guides project operations using Agile or hybrid methodologies appropriate to the technical complexity and scope of the work.
• Evaluates and reports project progress in terms of quality, performance, and delivery metrics common to IT and software development projects.
• Works with various departments to coordinate systems testing, deployment, training, and post-implementation support.
• Assesses, tracks, and manages project risks, dependencies, and issues; communicates status clearly and consistently to stakeholders at all levels.
• Bridges the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring alignment, shared understanding, and clarity throughout the project lifecycle.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor's degree in information science or related field and/or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• PMP or PMI-ACP certification preferred.
• Coursework or certifications in cloud platforms (AWS, Azure, GCP) or AI/ML fundamentals are a plus.

EXPERIENCE:

• Demonstrated experience leading technical project teams comprised of software developers, cloud engineers, architects, QA engineers, and business analysts, preferably in a matrixed organization.
• Hands-on experience managing full-cycle application development
• Experience with application cloud migration projects (lift-and-shift, re-platforming, or re-architecting) is strongly preferred.
• Demonstrated ability to use AI productivity tools (such as GitHub Copilot, Claude, ChatGPT, or similar) to increase personal and team efficiency in a professional setting.
• Experience leading projects where AI or machine learning capabilities were being built, integrated, or deployed is a significant differentiator.
• Expert-level experience working with Jira, Confluence, SharePoint, and Excel for project tracking, documentation, reporting, and resource management.
• Strong background in software development and technology is required. The ideal candidate will have hands-on familiarity with modern development practices, technical architecture, and a working understanding of IT infrastructure and cloud environments.

COMPETENCIES - SKILLS/KNOWLEDGE/ABILITIES:

• Ability to manage projects from inception through successful post-implementation, including lessons learned and transition to support.
• Demonstrated competency in developing effective solutions to successfully resolve diverse and complex business and technical problems.
• Familiarity with modern development practices including CI/CD pipelines, DevOps principles, containerization (Docker/Kubernetes), and API-driven architectures.
• Demonstrated use of AI tools in a professional project delivery context; ability to coach and encourage team members on AI-assisted workflows.
• Comfort with ambiguity in emerging technology spaces - particularly AI and cloud - where methodologies and best practices continue to evolve rapidly.
• Strong analytical, communications, technical teamwork, and interpersonal skills.
• Proficiency in Jira, Confluence, and SharePoint; experience with other database utilities and Microsoft technologies preferred.
• Ability to bridge the gap between technical teams and business stakeholders, ensuring alignment and clarity throughout the project lifecycle.
• Assesses and manages project risks, dependencies, and issues with a proactive and structured approach.

Pay range for this role is $85,000-$115,000 annually, depending on experience.

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: Benefits & Perks - Nelnet Inc.

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 [email protected].

Nelnet is a Drug Free and Tobacco Free Workplace.

Use of Artificial Intelligence in Hiring

We may use automated or artificial intelligence enabled tools to assist with the initial review of applications, such as identifying relevant skills or experience. These tools are used to support human review and do not make hiring decisions. A recruiter reviews applications and determines which candidates move forward in the hiring process. For more information, see our Privacy Policy and Pre-Use Notice: Automated Tools in Hiring