Director, Strategic Project Management

CRUNCH FITNESS, Director, Strategic Project Management

REPORTS TO: Senior Vice President, Innovation and Experience

Who We Are

Crunch Fitness is a rapidly expanding fitness brand with over 500 franchised and corporate-owned gyms across the United States and internationally.

Rated as the #1 Fitness Franchise by Entrepreneur in 2024 and 2025, our unfiltered philosophy of "No Judgments" drives us to create a gym and community for all. We believe in making serious fitness fun by fusing exercise with entertainment and innovation.

Experience the unique opportunity to be part of our high-growth team, where professional development and advancement are plentiful. Together, we are redefining the fitness industry.

Position Summary

Crunch is conducting a search for a high-performing Director, Strategic Project Management to elevate project delivery and organizational impact. This position is an essential evolution of the project management function within and requires an individual who can accelerate value creation and advance our project maturity.

The successful candidate operates in two high-impact capacities:

1) Strategic Project Leadership — owning and delivering the most strategic and complex initiatives Tier 1 strategic projects across member retention and experience, club infrastructure and inclusive of other technology while supporting Tier 2 initiatives as capacity allows.

2) PMO COE Ambassador — adopting and actively evolving PMO tools, processes, and governance, and leading by example in excellent usage of Smartsheet and other PMO tools across all phases of the project life cycle. Champion and evangelize more robust PMO platforms as function accelerates and gains traction.

Key Responsibilities

Strategic Project Leadership

• Deliver high-priority initiatives end-to-end, ensuring delivery on time, within scope, and within budget.
• Balance direct ownership of Tier 1 programs with oversight/support of Tier 2 initiatives as time allows.
• Partner with senior leadership to align initiatives to company strategy and measurable outcomes.

Project Management Fundamentals (Own & Execute with Urgency)

• Coordinate and publish meeting agendas, pre-reads, and decision logs.
• Drive timely meeting recaps with clear owners, due dates, and next steps; track and close open items.
• Maintain proactive stakeholder communications and issue logs; ensure visibility and accountability.
• Uphold absolute attention to detail, schedule discipline, and a strong sense of urgency.

PMO COE Ambassador

• Promote tool adoption and iterate templates/processes; champion continuous improvement.
• Lead by example in excellent usage of project management tools and PMO tools across intake, planning, execution, and closeout.
• Contribute to tool assessment, steering communications, portfolio reporting, and governance rituals.

Project Planning & Execution

• Build and manage project charters, integrated plans, schedules, RAID logs, and budget trackers.
• Ensure proper cross-functional representation across functions as needed.
• Establish success metrics, adoption targets, and readiness plans; manage change and training needs.

Software & Tool Implementation

• Champion project management software and reporting tooling to improve visibility and execution.
• Provide training/guidance to enhance cross-functional collaboration and consistent usage.

Innovation & Change Management

• Lead innovation/new technology implementation projects, coordinating pilots, phased rollouts, and adoption.
• Stay ahead of industry trends; incorporate innovative approaches into project/portfolio practices.

Stakeholder Management & Vendor Engagement

• Represent Crunch with integrity to executives, internal teams, franchisees, and external partners/vendors.
• Facilitate alignment across functions; manage vendor evaluations, RFPs, contracts, and build/buy/customize decisions.

Risk Management

• Proactively identify/mitigate risks across construction, technology, and operations.
• Implement contingency plans; resolve conflicts and remove blockers quickly to maintain momentum.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required (Business, Engineering, or related field); MBA or relevant graduate degree preferred.
• 10+ years of progressive project/program management experience in technology products, franchising, retail, or hospitality.
• Proven success leading enterprise-level, cross‑functional initiatives with systems, technology, and construction components.
• Strong background in innovation/new technology implementation and franchise project environments.
• PMP, PgMP, or equivalent preferred; Agile/Scrum certifications a plus.

Why This Role Matters

This is not just a PM role, it is a critical driver of Crunch success, system excellence, and brand trust. You will help navigate one of the most complex and vital intersections in the business, supporting initiatives that impact hundreds of owners, thousands of members, and the future of the Crunch brand.

Flexible work from home options available.