Senior Project Manager – Civic Education

Arizona State University•Tempe, AZ

1d•$77,500 - $80,000

About The Position

The Center for American Civics at Arizona State University is seeking a Senior Project Manager for Civic Education. Under the general direction of the Center Director, the Senior Project Manager for Civic Education provides strategic leadership and oversight for complex, multi-stakeholder civic education initiatives, events, and grant-funded programs. This role serves as the primary liaison among internal leadership, program directors, educators, funders, and external partners, with responsibility for project planning, execution, risk management, budgeting, and reporting. The Senior Project Manager leads projects from concept through completion, ensuring programs are delivered on time, within scope and budget, and in compliance with grant, institutional, and contractual requirements. The role applies advanced project management practices, proactively manages risk and change, and provides leadership and guidance to project staff and cross-functional teams to achieve high-quality outcomes aligned with CAC’s mission.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree in related field AND five (5) years' experience managing projects/client relationships; OR, Any equivalent combination of experience and/or education from which comparable knowledge, skills and abilities have been achieved.

Nice To Haves

Experience coordinating events, program logistics, and stakeholder communications.
Proficiency with event and registration platforms (e.g., Mazveo, Stova), email/newsletter tools (e.g., SFMC), and/or basic data management systems.
Experience managing program budgets, grant requirements, and reporting deadlines.
Ability to collect, track, and report evaluation data for program assessment and grant compliance.
Demonstrated experience leading large-scale or grant-funded programs with multiple stakeholders.
Advanced project management skills, including risk management, change management, and budget oversight.
Experience serving as a primary client or funder liaison.
Strong leadership, facilitation, and decision-making skills.
Experience in higher education, civic education, nonprofit, or public-sector environments.
Demonstrated ability to work independently and collaboratively with educators, faculty, staff, and/or external partners.

Responsibilities

Provides overall leadership and accountability for civic education initiatives and grant-funded programs, managing the full project lifecycle from planning through evaluation and closeout.
Proficiency with event and registration platforms (e.g., Mazveo, Stova), email/newsletter tools (e.g., SFMC), and basic data management systems.
Develops and oversees comprehensive project plans, including scope, timelines, milestones, deliverables, risk mitigation strategies, and resource allocation.
Establishes project governance, decision-making frameworks, and escalation pathways to ensure effective execution and issue resolution.
Proactively identifies, assesses, and manages project risks, dependencies, and changes, ensuring continuity and successful delivery.
Serves as the primary point of contact for internal leadership, funders, educators, and external partners regarding program status, expectations, and outcomes.
Builds and sustains strong relationships with internal and external constituents, ensuring alignment with strategic goals and contractual or grant commitments.
Represents the Center as needed in the absence of the Director or Program Directors to ensure continuity of relationships and decision-making.
Oversees program budgets in collaboration with the Business Operations Specialist Sr., including forecasting, expense monitoring, variance analysis, and financial reporting.
Ensures project plans align with grant agreements, funding requirements, and institutional financial policies.
Monitors grant deliverables, reporting timelines, and compliance requirements; ensures accurate and timely submissions.
Allocates and manages internal and external resources to support effective program delivery.
Provides direction and guidance to project staff and cross-functional team members involved in program delivery.
Establishes clear roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations for project contributors.
Facilitates collaboration across departments to ensure infrastructure, facilities, technology, communications, and staffing needs are met.
Supports training, onboarding, and continuous improvement related to project management practices and systems.
Oversees execution of major events and programs, including professional learning institutes, boot camps, and convenings, ensuring high-quality participant experiences.
Ensures logistical planning (space, registration platforms, catering, speakers, materials, technology) is aligned with project goals and timelines.
Maintains accountability for quality standards, participant satisfaction, and operational excellence.
Oversees program evaluation strategies, including data collection, analysis, and interpretation of outcomes.
Prepares and reviews project status reports, dashboards, debriefs, and executive summaries for leadership and funders.
Uses data and lessons learned to recommend improvements to program design, delivery, and operational processes.
Ensures consistent use of approved systems, templates, and project management tools.