Program Manager
About The Position
Vital Communities has a dedicated and passionate team who are deeply involved in the Upper Valley in their work with the organization and as community members. This informs our highly collaborative approach to work – we understand that we exist in tandem with the world around us and not in a vacuum. The organization has a long history in the community, with projects that have decades of work behind them, so we are often trying to figure out how to say yes to new projects the community wants to see. However, we also realize that sometimes we need to say not now or that another organization may be a better fit – we share the wealth! We are a flexible workplace – with our approaches to the work, the projects we take on as an organization, and how we make use of our time together when we are in person. This flexibility is balanced by an expectation of accountability to our colleagues, our partners, and the communities we serve. We empower team members to work with a high level of autonomy and to take initiative. Our work is challenging and ever-changing, so we make room to laugh, but there is no need for you to be goofy to join our team. To learn more about our values, please visit our Strategic Compass and JEDI Principles.
Requirements
- Bachelor's degree and 4 or more years of relevant experience, or a comparable combination of relevant education and experience.
- Familiarity/experience with some or all of the following:
- Rural transportation systems (preferred), Upper Valley transportation systems (a plus)
- Climate mitigation and adaptation strategies, community resilience and sustainability efforts, and/or environmental justice
- Municipal governance and regional structures (e.g., regional planning commissions, school supervisory unions/school administrative units) in the Upper Valley, how zoning impacts relevant program areas (e.g., housing availability)
- Creativity and strategic vision, with a focus on co-designing and executing impactful projects that are grounded in, and guided by, the expertise of impacted community members and stakeholders.
- Strong project management skills, including the ability to prioritize workloads across multiple projects and apply time management best practices to achieve grant and strategic outcomes for complex portfolios
- Ability to operate successfully in a relationship-based culture, connecting with community members and stakeholders across varied viewpoints and philosophies
- Clear verbal and written communication, including the ability to explain complex concepts for a variety of audiences and produce concise and engaging written content
- Excellent group facilitation skills
- Attention to detail
- Experience with data gathering and analysis, including using data to drive decisions and continuous improvement
Nice To Haves
- Familiarity/experience with Rural transportation systems (preferred)
- Upper Valley transportation systems (a plus)
- Familiarity with collective impact and Results-Based Accountability a plus
Responsibilities
- Oversee program area portfolios within the larger context of Vital Communities
- Work closely with the Programs Director and other Program Managers to set strategic programmatic priorities for the organization
- Develop and manage annual program area budgets based on complex braided funding from government, corporate, foundation, and individual donors with varying levels of restriction
- Apply systems thinking to program design and delivery
- Collaborate with fellow Program Managers on cross-cutting initiatives
- Supervise and conduct ongoing assessment and evaluation activities to ensure programming aligns with both organizational goals and community priorities and to identify emerging opportunities for innovative solutions and new partnerships
- Advocate for program area needs and represent input from direct report staff -- including differing viewpoints and ideas for improving operations – in communications with directors and other program managers
- Manage program area staff
- Supervise project managers, coordinators, and interns
- Work with program team to build out annual workplans, monitor and adapt as needed for successful outcomes
- Offer coaching and thought partnership to direct reports
- Steer program area sustainability
- Identify strategic funding opportunities for program portfolio stability and growth
- Contribute to successful grant proposals in collaboration with the Development team
- Encourage program area investment through donor meetings and written reports
- Implement programs
- Conduct hands-on project work
- Incorporate partner and community input into program and project design, delivery, and evaluation
- Serve as an internal consultant to other program areas
- Collaborate to strengthen Upper Valley program partners, networks, and systems
- Expand strategic partnerships by identifying new opportunities and maintaining existing relationships
- Identify opportunities to uplift and support the work of partner organizations, including when to step up and when to step back in collaborations with stakeholders and community members
- Represent Vital Communities in regional, state, and Upper Valley program networks
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What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Mid Level
