Project Administrator - CORE in Houston, Texas at Houston Food Bank

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Project Administrator – CORE is responsible for managing project timelines and internal deliverables related to the CORE by Houston Food Bank (CORE). The Project Administrator role collaborates with all departments and task owners throughout Houston Food Bank (HFB). This role may need to attend meetings outside of traditional work hours.

Adhere to PACT values. (Purpose: Using our strengths passionately to contribute to our mission. Accountability: Choosing to rise above one’s circumstances and demonstrating ownership to achieve results. See It. Own It. Solve It. Do It. Courage: Standing up for what’s right and acting. Transparency: Doing things openly and honestly).

ESSENTIAL JOB FUNCTIONS:

1. Coordinates and documents cross-functional internal projects related to the CORE facility and transition, including operational workflows, move planning, equipment readiness, staffing impacts, and process continuity.
2. Creates and maintains detailed project plans, timelines, trackers, status updates, and risk logs to monitor progress and ensure accountability across departments.
3. Partners with department leaders to identify operational inter/intra dependencies, potential disruptions, and transition risks, and proactively develop mitigation strategies.
4. Coordinates and facilitates regular readiness meetings with internal stakeholders to review progress, remove barriers, clarify responsibilities, and escalate issues as needed. These meetings may include external project team members.
5. Tracks project deliverables and ensures that assigned tasks are completed on time and in alignment with broader organizational priorities, transition goals, and timelines.
6. Develops communication tools and reporting materials to keep leadership informed of transition progress, decision points, risks, and resource needs.
7. Prepares presentations and reports for the Building Committee and Board of Directors at the direction of the COO.
8. Attends and/or hosts relevant meetings, documents, and follows up on key takeaways, adheres to deadlines, and participates as a vital member to collectively advance project objectives.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:

This position has no direct supervisory responsibilities but may indirectly provide guidance and/or oversight to vendors and/or contractors related to special events. Carries out responsibilities following the organization's policies and applicable laws. Responsibilities include planning, assigning, and directing work, as well as resolving problems. Responsibilities also include sponsoring, directing, coordinating, and supporting projects and participating in and/or supporting project teams sponsored by other management team members.

QUALIFICATIONS:

Education/Experience:

• Bachelor's degree from an accredited four-year college or university in Business Management, Communications, or a closely related field (strongly preferred) or a combination of education and relevant experience
• 5 years of experience coordinating large-scale/multi-faceted projects
• Proven track record of leading through influence throughout all levels within an organization
• Solid understanding of business process principles
• Plus 3-5 years of direct senior-level administrative support experience or extensive exposure to C-Suite protocols and executive meeting etiquette, including capturing meeting minutes
• Working knowledge of HFB strongly preferred

Certificates, Licenses, and Registrations:

• Must have reliable transportation, a valid driver’s license, and insurance
• Project Manager Professional (PMP) Certification preferred

Special Knowledge/Skills/Abilities:

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the job holder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.)

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite, including but not limited to Excel, Word, PowerPoint, Outlook, Google Sheets, and Docusign
• Working knowledge of Artificial Intelligence (AI) platforms and programs
• Must be proactive, have meticulous attention to detail and execution of all responsibilities, strong judgment, and decision making, and be forward-thinking
• Ability to work effectively with situations that require tact and diplomacy
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously on a variable schedule based on project demand
• Prior experience managing sensitive or confidential information
• An active listener - giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times
• Ability to meet and work with diverse populations and the general public
• Must have excellent written and verbal communication skills with the ability to effectively interact and communicate with all levels within the company in English
• Ability to learn new software systems
• Strong customer service skills and willingness to assist others
• Strong organizational skills, including the ability to multitask, prioritize, and thrive in a fast-paced environment
• Demonstrated ability to work independently to complete projects and effectively collaborate with cross-functional teams and senior-level leadership
• Strong analytical and problem-solving skills
• High attention to integrity, ethics, and sensitivity, particularly regarding confidential information

COMPLIANCE:

Carries out responsibilities in accordance with HFB policies.

REASONING ABILITY:

Ability to apply common sense understanding to carry out detailed but uninvolved written or oral instructions. Ability to deal with problems involving a few concrete variables in standardized situations. To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability needed. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable qualified individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. (For best performance, the jobholder in this position would be expected to show the right knowledge, skills, and abilities in the listed areas.)

COMPETENCIES:

Business Insight / Instills Trust / Directs Work / Composure / Manages Ambiguity / Communicates Effectively / Organizational Savvy / Decision Quality / Manages Conflict / Presentation Skills / Action-Oriented / Customer Focus / Drives for Results / Priority Setting / Managerial Courage / Interpersonal Savvy / Creativity / Standing Alone / Time Management / Decision Quality / Self-development / Patience

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

The physical requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. While performing the duties of the job, the employee is required daily to analyze and interpret data, communicate, and remain in a standing or stationary position for a significant amount of the workday, and often access, input, and retrieve information from the computer and other office productivity devices. The employee must regularly move about the office and around the facility and use hands, wrists, and fingers to grip, type, and write. The employee must frequently lift 25 pounds. The employee will need to have the average ability to hear horns, warnings, and alerts associated with a warehouse. The employee will need to use personal protective equipment (I.e., hard hat, safety glasses, steel-toe shoes/boots, as required. The employee will need to have the ability and willingness to safely navigate uneven terrain. The employee must frequently commute to different locations.

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job. While the job is generally performed in an office environment, the employee is exposed to work/construction sites, including but not limited to dusty and unventilated spaces, wet and/or humid conditions, strong food-related smells, and outside weather conditions. The noise level in the office environment is typically quiet, but the employee will occasionally be exposed to loud noise levels (e.g., horns, fans).

TRAVEL REQUIRED:

Travel is required for this position (up to 25% of the time within the greater Houston area).

This role supports hours of operations at the Houston Food Bank facilities, as necessary, and may require flexibility (e.g., times of disaster, community events, company events).

*Is legally able to work in the United States.