Coordinating Center Manager

Axle•Rockville, MD

About The Position

The NIH SOM (Standardized Organoid Modeling) Coordinating Center Manager will oversee and manage the centralized coordination of a national and/or international initiative focused on enabling standardized organoid model systems across research institutions, biotech partners, and regulatory bodies. This individual will play a pivotal role in coordinating protocols, harmonizing data from multiple groups, normalization of efforts, managing communication and data-sharing frameworks, and ensuring operational alignment among stakeholders. The manager will drive operational excellence, support strategic planning, and oversee implementation of collaborative infrastructure to support reproducibility, transparency, and scalability of NIH SOM activities. The position emphasizes operational leadership, coordination, governance, and execution in support of scientific leadership provided by the NIH SOM Director and the NIH SOM AI Director.

Requirements

Candidates should possess a Master’s degree (MPA, MPH, MBA, MSc or related field) or higher in public administration, public health, biomedical sciences, or a related field.
The successful candidate will bring 10 or more years of progressive leadership experience coordinating complex, multi-stakeholder programs or consortia within federal, academic, or national initiatives.
Strategic program and project management for large, multi-institutional efforts
Oversight of federally funded programs, cooperative agreements, or programs including compliance, reporting, and performance monitoring
Leading cross-functional and multidisciplinary teams, including scientific, operational, and administrative personnel
Facilitating consensus-building among diverse stakeholders and translating strategic goals into executable work plans
Developing and maintaining governance structures, standard operating procedures, and continuous improvement processes
Demonstrated experience leading operational coordination, program management offices (PMOs), or execution functions for large, complex initiatives in regulated environments
Candidates must possess excellent written and oral communication skills, including experience preparing briefings, reports, and materials for senior leadership, advisory boards, and external partners.
Familiarity with digital platforms, data-sharing environments, or enterprise systems supporting program coordination
Experience operating within federal or academic compliance frameworks.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting or coordinating NIH, CDC, or other HHS-funded programs, centers, or consortia
Proven success managing multimillion-dollar funding portfolios or complex cooperative agreements and programs
Experience operating at the interface of academia, government, and external partners (e.g., industry, non-profits)
Familiarity with data governance, performance metrics, or continuous improvement frameworks used in large public-sector initiatives
Experience supporting high-visibility, time-sensitive, or mission-critical initiatives
Scientific domain expertise in organoid biology or related laboratory research areas is desirable but not required; the position emphasizes coordination, governance, and operational leadership in support of scientific excellence.

Responsibilities

Develop and implement an operational roadmap for organoid to support the organoid model standardization efforts, facilitating coordinating and alignment across diverse stakeholders and the manager will support NIH SOM leadership engagement in national and international forums.
Oversee coordination of a data repository and portal that supports visibility, access, and governance of organoid models developed through the NIH SOM center.
Oversee daily operations of the Coordinating Center, manage partner engagement, and internal communications, and ensure governance processes, timelines, and reporting requirements are consistently followed.
Operational organization and logistical support of scientific advisory boards, including but not limited to maintaining timelines and deliverables, and ensuring compliance with ethical guidelines, governance policies, and reproducibility standards.
Oversee coordination of processes related to the acquisition, documentation, and ethical compliance of starting biological material—including patient-derived cells, stem cells, or tissue biopsies—used for organoid development.
Ensure traceability of documentation, and adherence to established standard operating procedures and ensure that all documentation is maintained according to GDP standards and that it is available for audit or inspection at point.
Oversee coordination of outreach and communications activities of Coordinating Center to support NIH SOM priorities and leadership-defined by scientific needs.
Oversee the development, maintenance, and continuous improvement of SOPs, QC workflows, and documentation practices in coordination with scientific and technical teams.
Supervise the adoption and integration of digital tools that enable coordination, data harmonization, protocol sharing, version control, and performance tracking while working closely with AI/ML teams to align reporting standards.
Coordinate external and internal engagements with funding agencies and regulatory partners, prepare operational and strategic reports, and support dissemination activities such as white papers, briefings, and symposia in alignment with NIH SOM Scientific leadership.