Institute Manager

SDSU Research Foundation•San Diego, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Institute for the Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice (IAHSJ) at San Diego State University is seeking an organized, collaborative, and mission-aligned Institute Manager to support the coordination, implementation, and advancement of IAHSJ initiatives. This role works closely with the Founding Director and is responsible for the management of the Institute, including operations and strategic priorities across funded programs. The Institute Manager provides direct supervision to designated IAHSJ staff; coordinates personnel, financial, and administrative processes with SDSURF; maintains systems for project and grant management; and ensures that deadlines, documentation, and operational requirements are completed accurately and on time. The position also leads the implementation of designated strategic and grant-funded initiatives, including pilot and innovative programming, working across programs and regions to support effective implementation and sustainable integration. The Institute Manager serves as a critical operational partner to the Founding Director, identifying organizational needs, implementing practical solutions, and providing clear and timely information regarding staffing, budgets, projects, and issues requiring leadership attention. The position works across IAHSJ initiatives, including Prison Arts Collective (PAC), Valuing Incarcerated Scholars Through Academia (VISTA), and Holistic Learning in Higher Education in Prisons (HLHEP), while collaborating with program leads who maintain responsibility for specialized programmatic work within their respective areas.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent training and administration work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
Five years of progressively responsible experience in office or administrative environment.
Knowledge of program management and multi-site program coordination.
Knowledge of staff supervision, team leadership, and organizational operations.
Knowledge of budgeting and grant-funded program administration.
Ability to translate strategic goals into operational systems and practices.
Ability to supervise and mentor staff while fostering collaboration and accountability.
Ability to coordinate work across teams, sites, and partner institutions.
Ability to analyze program information to support decision-making and improvement.
Ability to build and maintain relationships with diverse partners and stakeholders.
Strong written and verbal communication skills, including report and presentation preparation.
Ability to manage multiple priorities while maintaining strong organization and follow-through.

Nice To Haves

Five years of progressively responsible experience performing varied or specialized administrative and analytical duties and/or service as a program administrator.
Proven leadership in nonprofit, higher education, public sector, or mission-driven organizations.
Outstanding communication and interpersonal skills.
Advanced degree in arts administration, public administration, nonprofit management, education, or related field.
Experience working within higher education or large institutional environments.
Experience working in or in partnership with correctional institutions or justice-impacted communities.
Experience with arts programming, arts education, or Arts in Corrections initiatives.
Experience managing grant-funded programs and coordinating reporting requirements.
Experience supervising multidisciplinary teams of staff, artists, students, or volunteers.
Demonstrated commitment to equity, access, and community-centered arts engagement.
Candidates with lived experience of the criminal justice system will be strongly considered.

Responsibilities

Responsible for managing day-to-day administrative projects including collaboration with SDSURF partners for financial projections and tracking and ensuring equity and accountability with staff across roles and positions.
Manage staff supervision and hiring for the Institute in collaboration with the SDSURF (onboarding, off-boarding, training, communication, reporting).
Monitor staff and student intern processes and supervision, identify and share gaps and suggestions, and communicate recommendations for improvement.
Implement and maintain current systems, workflows, and documentation and make recommendations to improve organization and efficiency across IAHSJ initiatives.
Develop, implement, and maintain standardized documentation and systems across IAHSJ initiatives, ensuring consistency and holding program staff accountable to established practices.
Implement and maintain an Institute-wide project management system, including establishing workflows and standards, orienting and training staff on its use, and supporting consistent adoption across programs and initiatives.
Monitor financial activity in collaboration with SDSURF, the Founding Director, and program staff to ensure spending aligns with grant requirements, timelines, and approved budgets.
Coordinate and monitor alignment between program needs, staffing, and available resources, ensuring programs are appropriately supported, proactively identifying gaps or surpluses, and alerting the Founding Director.
Track and maintain required documentation, personnel appointments, and training compliance, ensuring materials are complete, up to date, and submitted on time.
Review and approve standard administrative and personnel documents as appropriate, providing clear updates and alerting the Founding Director to any issues in a timely manner.
Oversee the IAHSJ office, ensuring shared spaces are organized and administrative needs are supported.
Support alignment between program needs, staffing, and available resources in coordination with the Founding Director.
Review IT and office space needs for equity, access, and efficiency and consider ways to improve and support within existing budget and space limitations.
Responsible for supervision and staff management, including ongoing review for equity, accountability, and engagement, as well as internal mentoring and opportunities for professional development.
Coordinate program implementation across IAHSJ initiatives to ensure consistency in reporting, communication, and delivery.
Support development, refinement, and implementation of strategic plans across IAHSJ initiatives, ensuring programs are aligned with defined goals and held accountable to outcomes.
Oversee program performance within Prison Arts Collective (PAC) by monitoring implementation, reviewing progress, and supporting the Regional Leads in ensuring programs operate effectively and meet established goals.
Work with program leadership to address challenges, improve processes, and maintain progress toward program goals.
Monitor progress and follow up with program leads to ensure timelines, deliverables, and grant requirements are met.
Supervise IAHSJ staff including program leads, Regional Leads, student assistants, interns, and part-time staff across programs and initiatives, including work planning, feedback, accountability, timesheet approval, and mentorship of staff with leadership responsibilities.
Provide mentorship and support to IAHSJ program leaders to strengthen organization, communication, and project management practices.
Support professional development across IAHSJ initiatives by cultivating a positive culture within the workspace and identifying and creating opportunities for growth and shared learning.
Reinforce clear roles, expectations, and communication practices across teams.
Responsible for coordinating Institute-wide priorities, strategic and grant-funded initiatives, and grant reporting to support effective implementation, cross-program alignment, and accountability across IAHSJ programs and initiatives.
Work closely with the Founding Director to support the implementation of IAHSJ priorities, goals, and ongoing initiatives.
Lead the implementation and coordination of designated strategic, grant-funded, and special initiatives, including pilot and innovative programming, in collaboration with the Founding Director and program leads.
Work across programs and regions to support effective implementation of new initiatives and their sustainable integration into existing IAHSJ programs and operations.
Coordinate work across IAHSJ programs, with a special focus on PAC, VISTA, and Holistic Learning in Higher Education in Prisons and other grant-funded programs, to ensure activities are organized, on track, and supported.
Track timelines, deliverables, and key milestones across IAHSJ initiatives and follow up as needed to maintain progress and provide a monthly and annual update to the Founding Director.
Manage and coordinate grant reporting across IAHSJ programs and initiatives, working closely with the IAHSJ Director, [program assistant], and program staff to ensure reports are accurate, complete, and submitted on time.
Support communication across teams to ensure information is shared clearly and consistently.
Maintain relationships with partners and stakeholders, supporting communication and follow-up in coordination with the Founding Director.
Represent IAHSJ, PAC, VISTA, or HLHEP in meetings as delegated.
Responsible for overseeing communications and development coordination across IAHSJ programs and initiatives to support effective documentation, reporting, consistent messaging, and public-facing communications.
Supervise the IAHSJ Design Associate and communications interns to support implementation of communications and development efforts.
Supervise the collection of program updates, stories, and materials from across initiatives to support documentation and reporting.
Ensure communications and development team program keep information organized and available for reports, grant communications, and public-facing materials.
Support consistency and accuracy in how IAHSJ programs are represented.
Other Duties as Assigned