Project Manager

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

20d

About The Position

The Department of Neurology has an open opportunity for a Manager of Program Operations to support a new multidisciplinary initiative focusing on brain health, cognitive aging, and resilience among community-dwelling adults and older adults throughout the Pacific Northwest. This Program will focus on advancing research into the individual factors that reduce risk and foster resilience to neurodegenerative disease, increase education and awareness in our communities, and promote community engagement related to cognitive health, aging, and resilience across the adult lifespan. This position exists to provide centralized operational leadership and coordination for a complex, multi-year program that spans research activities, administrative functions, and partnerships across the University of Washington and with external organizations. The Program Manager plays a critical role in translating faculty leadership’s strategic priorities into coordinated operational plans, timelines, and operational workflows. By overseeing day-to-day program operations, managing administrative and budgetary processes, and coordinating activities across diverse stakeholders, this position ensures effective execution of program goals while maintaining compliance with institutional requirements, scientific objectives, and project milestones. The role enables faculty leadership to focus on scientific direction and innovation by providing consistent, high-quality operational support that sustains program continuity and growth. This position operates within a dynamic academic and research environment characterized by moderate to high operational complexity. The Manager of Program Operations must manage multiple concurrent activities with overlapping timelines, shifting priorities, and diverse stakeholder needs. Program activities may fluctuate based on project cycles, funding priorities, reporting requirements, and research milestones, requiring adaptability and strong judgment. The role requires frequent coordination with faculty, research staff, trainees, administrative units, and external partners, each with distinct workflows, expectations, and constraints. Balancing these competing demands while ensuring accuracy, consistency, and compliance with UW policies and sponsor guidelines is a central challenge of the position. The Manager of Program Operations must independently identify operational issues, recommend solutions, and adjust workflows as needed, escalating matters to leadership when appropriate.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in public health, health sciences, social sciences, business administration, or a related field, or equivalent experience
Four or more years of progressively responsible experience in program or project coordination, preferably in academic, healthcare, or research settings
Two or more years of supervisory or team leadership experience
Demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities, internal and external deadlines, and stakeholders simultaneously
Strong written and verbal communication skills
Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail

Nice To Haves

Master’s degree (MPH, MPA, MS, MBA, or related field)
Demonstrated experience supporting healthcare, neuroscience, aging, or population health programs
Familiarity with federally and privately funded programs, research administration, or community-engaged initiatives
Experience working within UW or similar large academic medical institutions
Proficiency with project management tools, budget tracking systems, and reporting platforms

Responsibilities

Contribute to strategic planning and implementation of near-term Program initiatives and long-term objectives
Translate programmatic goals into clear operational plans, timelines, and assignments
Monitor workflows to ensure activities are completed accurately, consistently, and efficiently and on schedule
Identify operational challenges and recommend practical solutions to program leadership
Develop and maintain detailed project plans, operational protocols, and standard operating procedures
Manage all day-to-day operations of the Program
Coordinate activities among faculty, research staff, trainees, and external collaborators
Track program milestones, deliverables, and dependencies across multiple concurrent projects
Support onboarding and training of program personnel
Provide ongoing supervision for program staff (e.g., research coordinators, outreach coordinators) and students, including managing schedules, performance evaluations, and corrective actions as needed
Organize and support recurring meetings, including agenda preparation, documentation, and follow-up
Maintain detailed program budgets, including expense tracking, financial projections, and reconciliation
Coordinate purchasing, contracts, and service agreements in accordance with UW policies
Assist with monitoring any subawards, vendor agreements and deliverables, and associated timelines
Resource planning to ensure efficient use of program funds
Ensure tracking and reporting of key milestones and metrics, and other relevant data for program evaluation
Prepare routine progress reports, summaries, and metrics for leadership and funders
Maintain accurate program documentation to support reporting, audits, and evaluation
Ensure program activities comply with UW policies and applicable sponsor requirements
Serve as a primary operational point of contact for internal and external stakeholders
Draft and coordinate program communications, including updates, briefings, and presentations
Support dissemination of program activities and outcomes in collaboration with leadership