Project Manager

San Diego State University Research Foundation • ,

8d • $6,667 - $7,917

About The Position

The Institute for the Arts, Humanities, and Social Justice (IAHSJ) at San Diego State University is seeking a strategic, collaborative, and mission-aligned Project 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, such as the Prison Arts Collective (PAC), Valuing Incarcerated Scholars Through Academia (VISTA), and the Holistic Learning in Higher Education in Prisons (HLHEP) project. The Project Manager ensures operations are effective, efficient, and aligned with program and IAHSJ goals. The role supports the coordination and implementation of IAHSJ operations by maintaining systems, tracking budgets and administrative requirements, and supporting onboarding processes and personnel tracking to ensure consistency and accountability. The Project Manager prioritizes oversight and coordination based on grant requirements and funding commitments to support timely, compliant, and well-resourced implementation. This role supervises program leads, part-time staff, and interns, and oversees IAHSJ communications. Working under the direction of the Founding Director, the Project Manager plays a central role in supporting program staff and ensuring that initiatives are organized, responsive, and positioned for continued growth.

Requirements

• 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.
• Equivalent to a bachelor's degree and/or equivalent training and administrative work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
• 5 years of progressively responsible experience performing varied or specialized administrative and analytical duties and/or service as a program administrator.

Nice To Haves

• 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

• Identify gaps in processes (e.g., onboarding, off-boarding, communication, reporting) or support structures within PAC and VISTA (and across IAHSJ) and communicate recommendations for improvement.
• Implement recommendations by developing and maintaining systems, workflows, and documentation 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.
• Manage projects, including collaboration with SDSURF partners for financial projections and tracking, and ensuring equity and accountability with staff across roles and positions.
• Monitor financial activity and follow up with program leads 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, 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.
• Supervise student assistants, interns, and part-time staff, including timesheet approval and training compliance.
• 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.
• 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 Assistant Director in ensuring programs operate effectively and meet established goals.
• Oversee program performance within VISTA initiatives by monitoring implementation, reviewing progress, and supporting the VISTA Coordinator in ensuring programs operate effectively and meet grant/SDSU/CDCR requirements and timelines.
• 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 all staff and mentor leadership staff across all projects to provide effective mentoring, community building, and clear guidelines to their teams.
• 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.
• Work closely with the Founding Director to support the implementation of IAHSJ priorities, goals, and ongoing initiatives.
• Coordinate work across IAHSJ programs, with a special focus on PAC, VISTA, and Holistic Learning in Higher Education in Prisons, 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.
• 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.
• Supervise the IAHSJ creative lead and communications team 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.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

Benefits

• Equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.
• Equal access to resources and support.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level