Project Manager, CSSI Grants

Department: Kellogg Ctr for Sci & Innov
Salary/Grade: EXS/8

Job Summary:

The Center for Science of Science and Innovation (CSSI), based at Northwestern University's Kellogg School of Management, is a leading interdisciplinary research hub that explores the science of science, innovation, computational social science, and network science. CSSI is supported by a diverse portfolio of competitive federal and private grants. It brings together world-class faculty, postdocs, PhD students, and staff in a fast-paced, high-impact environment, and its work regularly appears in top-tier journals such as Nature, Science, and PNAS.

The Project Manager will oversee federally funded grants at CSSI, with emphasis on the National Science Foundation (NSF) Assessing and Predicting Technology Outcomes (APTO) grant. Under supervision of CSSI's leadership, the Project Manager will provide administrative leadership for grant management, compliance, and reporting. Responsibilities include coordinating the NSF reporting process and maintaining ongoing communication with program officers through monthly check-ins, annual reports, and site visits. The project manager will also lead the planning and execution of annual APTO conferences and related convenings and will be responsible to prepare meeting materials and work closely with the team-including co-PIs and senior investigators at Kellogg and Northwestern's McCormick School of Engineering-on regular updates. The Project Manager must understand the scientific project goals to effectively manage operations and contribute to the success of the research. This role will also help shape strategies for future grant submissions and long-term project planning ensuring alignment with CSSI's boarder vision.

Specific Responsibilities:

Administration

• Directs and leads development of program/project strategic plan, aligning grant goals and resources.
• Oversees & ensures that day-to-day operations are appropriately managed, efficient and effective across CSSI grant-related projects.
• Operationalizes goals & objectives; ensures that resources are created or obtained.
• Manages and creates associated practices & procedures & metrics to measure success.
• Prepares meeting materials, agendas, and reports for PIs, co-PIs, and project stakeholders
• Oversees data analysis & recommends & implements changes & improvement to better ensure attainment of mission.
• Oversees documentation of agreements between NU and partner institutions, ensuring that agreements are complete and reviewed by all necessary NU officials.
• Participates in developing IT strategy to meet the security & needs of program/project.
• Ensures necessary hardware, software & network infrastructure technology services are appropriated from central or internal IT.

Budgets & Financial

• Ensures that the program/project meets associated revenue & expense goals.
• Ensures compliance with federal and institutional financial policies
• Reviews transactions, cost-sharing, effort reporting; provides regular financial updates to PIs/senior management
• Provides regular financial updates to PIs and senior management.
• Develops and implements ideas for improving business processes and increasing program/project revenues and margins.
• Plans & manages complex budget(s) which fund strategic mission including financial sustainability & enhancement models.
• Plans & implements annual budget process.
• Oversees all daily, monthly & annual financial activities including transactions, analysis, & reporting.
• Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate.

Communication, Outreach & Recruitment

• Builds and maintains collaborative relationships with internal and external stakeholders to increase program profile, reputation, visibility and support.
• Facilitates effective communication across multi-unit teams at Northwestern and sub-awardee institutions.
• Creates plan to drive awareness of program/project in appropriate markets.
• Partners with academia and organizations to continue to innovate & enhance program/project.
• Builds relationships with appropriate communities & organizations that will result in program/project enhancement.
• Collaborates with senior leadership to effectively communicatee grant related outcomes with external stakeholders.

Evaluation

• Oversees development & implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative & qualitative measurements that ensure that program/project benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
• Manages evaluation processes; recommends & implements changes for enhancement; monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation studies.
• Assesses programming and recommends changes that will innovate and invigorate program including cutting edge developments in the field and changes to better meet external partners' needs in order to achieve goals.

Events

• Develops, plans & implements strategies, goals & approach for programs & events.
• Oversees creation of events designed to implement program/project objectives.
• Collaborates with internal/external partners to ensure that events are implemented and meet or exceed planned goals.

Grants & Contracts

• Consults with & advises Principal Investigators (PI) in identifying & defining problems that can be resolved with scientific research that will help guide study design and methods to accomplish the scientific goals of the program/project.
• Prepares results & co-authors scientific papers for presentation & publication & disseminates information via seminars, lectures, etc.
• Creates data for use in grant submission.
• Develops new proposals for research including obtaining financial support.
• Writes technical reports detailing procedures, outcomes, and observations.
• Manages grant reporting, NSF check-ins, site visits, convenings, subaward coordination, compliance with NUIT/Export Control, reviewing progress reports, supporting proposals and budgets.

Human Resources

• Determines & implements organizational structures to align with strategic mission.
• Coordinates onboarding for new staff, postdocs, and students, ensuring awareness of compliance requirements.
• Provides training on Responsible Conduct of Research (RCR), export control, and grant-related responsibilities.

Program Development

• Determines goals, objectives, outcome measurements and metrics, financial feasibility, marketing strategies and collaboration opportunities with other internal and external organizations.
• Oversees the ongoing development and refinement of the program's/project's current and future curriculum and course offerings in consultation with subject matter experts.
• Recruits, hires, and directs instructors/faculty.
• Provides leadership for planning, scheduling, delivering and maintaining program(s)/project(s) to sustain quality instruction in all educational activity.
• Directs actions to consistently high-quality standards across all partner programs, including admissions, teaching, grading, service levels, and facilities.
• Participates in grant development processes to develop future federal funding strategies.

Regulatory Compliance

• Collaborates with internal stakeholders to ensure adherence to all regulatory requirements.
• Oversees development & implementation of processes & procedures for all safety, security & compliance programs.
• Ensures compliance with all applicable federal, state, local & NU laws, regulations, policies & procedures.
• Oversees creation &/or implementation of associated training.

Strategic Planning

• Develops and implements a comprehensive, visionary program/project strategy designed to continually grow and improve programs and build internal/external engagement.
• Provides guidance and support to staff in the creation of program/project components.

Miscellaneous

Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 5 years program/project administration or other relevant experience.
• Experience in research event planning and logistics.
• Excellent organizational, communication, and multitasking skills

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Strong organizational and time management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication.
• Ability to manage multiple projects in a fast-paced environment.
• Proactive, diplomatic, and detail-oriented.
• Collaborative team player.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Master's or PhD degree in a relevant field.
• Experience with NSF FastLane, Research.gov, SciENcv, and related systems.
• Demonstrated experience managing large, multi-PI or multi-institution grants.
• Strong knowledge of federal research compliance (e.g., NSF regulations, export control).

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Familiarity with Northwestern University financial and research administration systems.
• Knowledge of institutional data security and compliance systems.

Target hiring range for this position will be $75,000 - $90,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.

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