SECURE Senior Project Manager

University of Washington•Seattle, WA

11d•Hybrid

About The Position

The National Science Foundation (NSF) established the SECURE Center to strengthen the integrity and resilience of the U.S. research enterprise by empowering institutions of higher education, non-profit research organizations, and small-to-medium enterprises to address foreign government interference and advance security-informed decision-making. In this leadership role, you will oversee high-impact, multi-stakeholder initiatives that bridge academia, industry, and government. You will provide strategic direction for programs that align institutional efforts with U.S. government priorities, ensuring the SECURE Center operates as a national nexus for collaboration, policy translation, and capacity building in research security. As an Assistant Director of Program Operations, you will provide strategic leadership and operational oversight for complex, multi-institutional projects advancing research security and integrity across the U.S. and globally. Reporting to the SECURE Center Principal Investigator/Faculty Director, you will lead cross-functional teams of faculty and administrative leaders, and ensure accountability for project outcomes. This role will establish and oversee a comprehensive work breakdown structure tied to milestone-based deliverables, ensuring execution aligns with Center goals, sponsor requirements, and timelines. The Assistant Director of Program Operations will integrate strategic planning with financial management, guiding project teams through technical development, compliance, and budget execution in a dynamic research environment. Responsibilities also include staff supervision, coordination of partner institutions, and leadership of continuous improvement efforts to sustain long-term program impact.

Requirements

Masters degree in Engineering, Computer Science, Business Administration, Fiinance, or relevant field
Three years experience in advanced project management and business tools (JIRA, CRM, MS Office and BI platforms)
Equivalent education/experience will substitute for minimum education/experience qualifications, except when there are legal licensing requirements to perform minimum job duties on the first day of work.
Advanced skills using tools such as Jira, Trello, Asana, or Monday.com to support project management/product development
Strong financial modeling and analytical abilities
Experience configuring and using customer relationship management (CRM) systems and financial systems
Proficiency with MS Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and business intelligence tools
Significant experience leading business and technology projects by developing plans and managing execution
Experience establishing operational readiness plans to ensure that systems, staff, procedures and documentation are in place to support product launches
Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving skills
Strong written and verbal communication abilities
Success working with cross-functional teams as both leader and member
Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet tight deadlines
Experience supervising staff and managing organizational change
Ability to work as part of a large, distributed team with people from diverse backgrounds and academic levels
Demonstrated commitment to contributing to an inclusive working environment

Nice To Haves

Master's degree in engineering, business administration, economics, or related field
Experience working with UI designers and software developers in the context of website and web/mobile application development
Federal grant management experience at an R1 research university or institution
Background in research security or related compliance areas

Responsibilities

Project Management & Product Coordination
Coordination and Product Delivery
Develop and maintain integrated roadmaps and timelines for all SECURE Center services, platforms, and products; leverage the roadmap and timeline established by the Co-Creation teams and adjust as needed.
Identify and manage interdependencies between SECURE Center services and the Secure Virtual Environment (SVE).
Translate annual objectives into actionable plans across all teams.
Perform schedule analysis, identify critical paths, and develop mitigation strategies
Develop strategies and systems to monitor and track progress, lead effective decision-making to ensure that technical details are considered appropriately and decisions facilitate product quality and timely delivery.
Translate high-level annual objectives (new products, engaging additional stakeholders, updating existing products based on new policies and procedures, etc.) into actionable plans across all teams and ensure annual objectives are met.
Oversee tech development at UW and externally to ensure timelines and deliverables
Document for the Director and Deputy Directors on a monthly basis regarding the status of project deliverables
Utilize specialized project management expertise to guide the development of appropriate strategic plans and lead implementation efforts to ensure timelines are met.
Cross-Team Leadership
Work with PI, Deputy Directors, Co-Creation Director, Technical Solutions Director and the Leadership team in setting strategic and tactical directions of SECURE, developing shared objectives and service standards, and responding to unanticipated challenges.
Lead collaboration between national center and regional centers
Mentor and coach diverse teams including engineering staff, technical leads, and product owners
Foster a culture of collaboration, transparency, and innovation
Document for the Director and Deputy Directors on a monthly basis regarding the status of project deliverables
Utilize specialized project management expertise to guide the development of appropriate strategic plans and lead implementation efforts to ensure timelines are met.
Operations Readiness & Support
Collaborate with Leadership and product development teams to define customer support models
Coordinate operational readiness for product releases
Supervise staff that provide Center operations services and customer support
Risk Management & Quality Assurance
Monitor project progress and implement systems to track delivery milestones
Identify scope creep and delivery delays; escalate risks appropriately
Ensure alignment between platform development, services, and broader research security goals
Actively participate in routine conference calls and meetings to apprise project teams of progress and communicate issues, risks, and possible mitigation strategies.
Financial Management & Operations
Budget Development & Management
Plan and manage annual operating budgets to ensure project resources are allocated to strategic priorities and goals.
Build and maintain complex financial models to support budget planning and strategic initiatives
Monitor actual performance against forecasts and explain variances
Establish reporting policies and procedures for project subawardees and contractors; ensure ongoing reporting requirements are met and roll up accurately into overall project and sponsor reports.
Financial Operations & Reporting
Oversee subaward invoice intake, administrative review, and budget category alignment
Conduct scenario and sensitivity analyses to evaluate business risks and opportunities
Prepare monthly and quarterly financial reports and dashboards for senior leadership and sponsor
Identify key performance indicators, communicate platform requirements for tracking and reporting, and provide actionable insights
Vendor & Contract Management
Monitor subcontractor performance and recommend improvements
Support specialized projects including research, analysis, and report writing
Staff Management & Development
Team Leadership
Assist in hiring and onboarding as well as supervising, finance, administrative, and project management team members
Conduct performance evaluations and recommend performance management actions when necessary
Assign and review work, manage leave requests and timesheets
Grow team member skills through mentorship and coaching
Organizational Development
Collaborate with leadership on shared objectives and service standards
Align SECURE processes with center, local, state, and federal requirements
Ensure program operations align with institutional policies and follow NSF guidance.
Participate in ad-hoc committees contributing specialized expertise
Continuous Improvement
Leverage technology and tools for automation and operational insights
Identify and implement process improvements to enhance efficiency
Participate in special projects as assigned
Support Center goals and values through additional duties as required