Job Opportunity: Project Manager, Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching, Stanford, CA
Job description
Position Purpose
The Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching is seeking an experienced Project Manager to join its Project Management and Program Support Group (PMPSG). In collaboration with Networked Improvement Science (NIS) Associates, the Project Manager will manage a portfolio of projects whose successful execution will further the Foundation's mission of advancing the understanding and use of Improvement Science in Networked Improvement Communities (NICs) in the field of education. The Project Manager will leverage people, processes, and technologies to develop and monitor project plans in collaboration with Core Expertise groups to conduct analysis, identify challenges, and present solutions that result in delivery of program requirements in a timely manner.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
The Project Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day interaction and management of a wide range of programmatic planning activities in support of Foundation initiatives. Tasks include, but are not limited to:
Project Plan Development and Management
- Facilitate a collaborative process of developing and maintaining project timelines, deliverables, and work plans with program directors; initiate, track, and coordinate multiple strands of activity to ensure that the respective projects and deliverables are progressing in a timely manner, individually and in coordination with each other.
- Assist and guide NIS Associates through planning activities, beginning with discovery through delivery of programs designed to support partnerships. Contribute to the development and use of tools, processes, and resources to ensure the timely execution of work plans. Manage resources assigned to projects that are responsible for the delivery of products, processes, or services.
- Become well-informed and conversant in the tasks, key milestones, and workflow issues of the multiple projects assigned. Proactively identify emergent problems and difficulties in reaching key milestones and deliverables, and initiate appropriate action to redress such problems.
- Work closely and collaboratively with the Project Management and Program Support group’s Directors, Project Managers, Program Coordinators and Post-Baccalaureate Fellows, and regularly follow up to ensure that program tasks and related deadlines are being met.
- Maintain project plans in Smartsheet (the online project management software currently used at Carnegie), and facilitate the teams’ use of this software to maintain and monitor current and accurate project plans.
Budget Development, Maintenance & Management
- Work with NIS Associates to establish, develop and manage project budgets, based on relevant deliverables and essential program work, including making projections and encumbrances for known and expected expenses.
- Work with Program Coordinators and other support staff to ensure that program spending aligns with established resource allocations. Proactively identify emergent budget issues and work with relevant project directors (or others, as appropriate) to address issues.
- Collaborate with project managers of other Foundation initiatives and Director of Budgets to revise and improve the Foundation-wide timeline for facilitating the creation of new project plans and budgets for each upcoming fiscal year and work with the PMPSG to create project plans, prioritize work portfolios, and create budgets for the new fiscal year.
- Facilitate creation of contracts with external development partners and consultants and monitor and track contract spend rates.
- Support maintenance of accurate accounting records of expenditures. This may include processing financial documentation in accordance with internal accounting system requirements.
Coordination Support
- Assist in completing reports to funders and other external audiences on a timely basis by initiating, monitoring, collecting, copy editing, and compiling report components
- Manage organizational planning calendars, including scheduling meetings with multiple internal and external contacts, including out-of-town meetings.
- Provide logistical and technical support for teleconferences and videoconferences.
- Make complex travel arrangements that may involve multiple travelers and/or multiple destinations.
- Maintain work team’s files – both paper and electronic, ensuring quick and easy retrieval.
- Serve as a link between Core Operations and Program staff, ensuring clear communication.
- Other projects or duties as assigned.
Special Projects
Serve as a key member of the annual Summit on Improvement in Education’s core committee planning team; lead and manage specific strands of work that may be assigned (e.g., Registration or Sponsorships) and contribute to the overall administrative support of the event.
Serve as a group lead for or participant in Carnegie-wide staff activities that support the organization’s culture (examples include the Social Committee, Emerald Week planning committee, etc.)
Education and Experience Requirements
- Bachelor’s Degree required.
- Project Management certification preferred.
- Three years of progressively responsible experience in consulting, project management, working on complex, multi-dimensional projects.
- Experience managing project budgets, especially for grant funded projects.
- Experience using project management software.
- Intermediate to advanced proficiency using Excel.
- Knowledge of Smartsheet
Skill Requirements and Qualifications
- Ability to create new, and improve existing, processes and to motivate team members to follow processes.
- Effective decision-making skills, including knowing when to act and when to check in with others.
- Ability to think strategically at the process level, while keeping the big picture in mind.
- Willingness to initiate and support tasks at all levels of the organization when necessary.
- Attention to detail, ability to set, meet, and enforce deadlines, and ability to delegate appropriately.
- Strong oral and written communication skills and high level of comfort communicating one-on-one or in groups of both internal and diverse external constituents.
- Able to work collaboratively and harmoniously in a team setting, while also being able to work independently and self-manage toward goals.
- Ability to work in a fast-paced environment and willing to cope and work well with occasional uncertainty and change.
- Proficiency in using technology and the ability to learn new technologies and software quickly.
- Willingness to travel, if required.
The Working Environment
- The Foundation offers a collaborative, community-building atmosphere grounded in an environment of mutual respect.
- The facility is located in Stanford, California in a quiet pastoral setting near a hiking trail.
- Amenities include a communal kitchen (coffee, tea, and drinks provided), weekly catered lunches, and outdoor eating/gathering areas.
- We also offer on-site yoga classes, free parking, and electric car charging stations.
Benefits & Perks
- Full medical, dental, vision, life, accidental death, disability, and long term care insurance, as well as employer subsidized flexible spending plans
- A retirement savings plan, including employer contributions and the opportunity for your own tax-advantaged savings
- Generous time-off benefits including 15 paid holidays and up to 6 weeks paid parental leave
- Matching Gift program to benefit charitable organizations and Educational Assistance to further your professional development