Sr. Project/Ops Coordinator On Site (2 positions: One in Phoenix and One in DC Office)

WestEd Career • Phoenix, AZ

8d • $80,000 - $125,000 • Hybrid

About The Position

WestEd’s Center for Education Systems partners with state education agencies and their regional and local constituents to strengthen the systems, structures, and processes that support statewide improvement. The Senior Project Coordinator supports Project Managers and Project Directors across a portfolio of state education agency engagements, helping translate plans, proposals, and scopes of work into schedules, trackers, materials, and well-run meetings and events. Projects vary in length and complexity and may involve several projects or proposals of moderate complexity during the year.

The coordinator is a flexible operational partner to project leadership, helping plan, launch, and monitor work across multiple stakeholders. The role combines structured project coordination with hands-on production and logistics. It reports to the Talent Manager and partners closely with project leads and other project coordination staff across the Center.

The position may be based near WestEd’s Phoenix, Arizona, or Washington, DC, office, with flexibility to work remotely for day-to-day convenience. Occasional in-person availability at the applicable office and approximately 25–30% travel, including multi-day trips, are expected to support client meetings and convenings. Candidates must be authorized to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is unavailable. Employment offers are contingent on a clear background check, and new hires undergo criminal background, fingerprint, and education verification.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent professional experience.
• Experience coordinating or managing workflows for moderately complex projects, ideally in public-sector, education, or professional-services consulting settings, including with fully remote or distributed teams.
• Experience working alongside subject-matter experts and translating their approach into operational plans for the wider team.
• Hands-on experience running logistics for in-person meetings, workshops, or multi-day convenings.
• Direct experience interacting with clients and external partners.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, with strong spreadsheet skills.
• Proficiency with Smartsheet, Asana, or comparable project management software, including the ability to build and maintain trackers, dashboards, and templates.
• Comfort with common web-based business tools and managing virtual meetings, such as Zoom.
• Ability to quality-check deliverables, including proofreading, formatting, and brand compliance.
• Flexible, versatile approach and willingness to shift between tasks and support team needs.
• Strong team orientation and interest in supporting colleagues and shared success.
• Ability to pursue work with tenacity, flexibility, and persistence amid complex, uncertain, or changing circumstances.
• Ability to learn on the job, give and receive constructive feedback, and grow into new responsibilities.
• Careful attention to detail across documents, schedules, and logistics.
• Good writing ability and command of the English language.
• Excellent interpersonal and communication skills.
• Authorization to work in the United States; visa sponsorship is not available.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with on-site meeting facilitation.
• Proximity to WestEd’s Phoenix, Arizona, or Washington, DC, office.

Responsibilities

• Provide project coordination and management support across projects under the direction of Project Directors and Project Managers.
• Draft project plans, schedules, and trackers for review, and keep them current as priorities and sequencing change.
• Conduct quality assurance reviews of agendas and meeting materials, draft recaps for standing team meetings, and assist with meeting facilitation.
• Build effective relationships with internal staff, clients, and partners, and respond to changing needs and circumstances.
• Monitor workflow progress and issues, keep leadership informed, and escalate risks in a timely manner.
• Oversee and contribute directly to producing presentations, reports, and participant materials, including formatting, proofreading, and quality checks.
• Assist with preparing and monitoring contracts for consultants and subcontractors and review related documents.
• Produce meeting and workshop materials, including assembling, formatting, printing, and quality-checking participant-facing documents and presentations.
• Coordinate end-to-end logistics for in-person client meetings, workshops, and multi-day working sessions, including venue and room setup, catering, registration, travel coordination, and on-site support.
• Serve as an on-the-ground point of contact during convenings and troubleshoot logistics in real time.
• Follow established processes and protocols to ensure consistency, and participate in collaborative process improvement when appropriate.
• Participate in coordination and management team improvement initiatives.
• Assist with onboarding and training new team members on tools and protocols.

Benefits

• 15% contribution toward retirement effective on the first day of employment, immediately 100% vested.
• Pre-tax Flexible Spending Accounts and a Health Savings Account option.
• Health and welfare benefits effective the first of the month following the hire date.
• 19 days of PTO, increasing to 21 days beginning the third year of employment.
• 12 paid holidays.
• Life insurance valued at three times gross salary, up to a maximum of $500,000.
• Opportunities for annual merit-based performance increases and annual incentives.
• Professional development opportunities and a mentorship program.

What This Job Offers

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