Senior Project Manager

The Ohio State University

7h • Remote

About The Position

The John Glenn College of Public Affairs is a leading public affairs college that conducts rigorous academic research and translates and applies that research for public, nonprofit, and private partners. Public safety is a growing area of expertise within the college, with multiple faculty and students involved in criminal justice research projects, and an array of technical assistance and training partnerships with criminal justice organizations. The Senior Project Manager will be responsible for managing complex research and technical assistance projects from proposal through completion, by collaborating with Public Safety research staff, Glenn College faculty, students, and other stakeholders. This role oversees the full project lifecycle—initiation, planning, execution, monitoring, and closure—across multiple large-scale grants and contracts, ensuring compliance with institutional policies and funder requirements. Key project management responsibilities include planning, governance, resource and budget management, progress tracking, and risk and change management, while enforcing rigorous quality standards for all deliverables. Additional duties for the Senior Project Manager include fostering strong relationships with internal and external stakeholders, leading project team meetings, and implementing continuous improvement practices to enhance efficiency and quality. The Senior Project Manager will also contribute to business development by identifying new project opportunities and supporting strategic planning. Finally, the Senior Project Manager will serve as the day-to-day support for financial and HR activities related to the public safety research portfolio (e.g., budget updates, effort allocations, etc.).

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience.
• 4 years of relevant experience in managing research projects.

Nice To Haves

• Advanced degree in relevant field is preferred
• 4-8 years of experience managing multiple projects simultaneously, supported by diverse funding sources, and with demonstrated success collaborating with public safety or law enforcement organizations
• Experience working in a university setting and managing research-driven projects
• Demonstrated ability to manage budgets, schedules, and cross-functional teams
• Familiarity with compliance and reporting tasks, including Data Use Agreements, IRB protocols and submissions, and funder progress reporting
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office, meeting facilitation software, and other project management tools
• Strong leadership and team management skills.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills.
• Strong analytical and writing skills.

Responsibilities

• Project Management Develop and maintain project plans, schedules, and budgets aligned with organizational goals.
• Monitor project status, timelines, progress reports, budgets and deliverables to meet funder requirements and recommend corrective actions to research/project leads for schedule, resource allocation, or cost adjustments.
• Conduct financial analysis, modeling, and forecasting to develop, implement, and reconcile budget projections and actual spending Provide administrative support including scheduling, note-taking, organizing and maintaining project documentation, coordinating meetings and events, and ensuring compliance with institutional policies and procedures.
• Manage risks, issues, and change requests effectively to minimize project disruptions.
• Research Team and Stakeholder Collaboration Lead project team meetings to facilitate communication between stakeholders, gather progress updates, and ensure clarity on timelines, deliverables, and expectations.
• Cultivate strong relationships with internal and external partners to optimize collaboration and outcomes.
• Deliverable Quality Control Establish and enforce quality standards for all project outputs, including presentations and all written deliverables.
• Conduct reviews and audits of deliverables to ensure accuracy, completeness, and relevance for law enforcement practitioner and policy-maker audiences.
• Implement continuous improvement practices to enhance project quality and efficiency.
• Business & Project Development Identify new project opportunities and contribute to strategic planning efforts.
• Support grant proposal development by providing project scope, timelines, and resource requirements.
• Other duties as assigned

Benefits

• Eligible Ohio State employees receive comprehensive benefits packages, including medical, dental and vision insurance, tuition assistance for employees and their dependents, and state or alternative retirement options with competitive employer contributions.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Number of Employees: 5,001-10,000 employees