Senior Program Manager, CGM

SPIA-Office of the Dean - Pennsylvania-Pittsburgh - (26000559)

Reporting to the Executive Director of CGM and faculty principal investigators, the Senior Program Manager will oversee the planning, coordination, and implementation of CGM’s research initiatives, ensuring timely delivery of all required outputs and activities in accordance with documented commitments. The incumbent will be responsible for maintaining continuity, quality control, and alignment across project components, while proactively monitoring progress against milestones and addressing implementation challenges as they arise.

The Senior Program Manager will serve as the primary programmatic liaison among faculty leadership, university units, and external partners, including civic, religious, nonprofit, and community organizations across Pittsburgh and the greater tri-state region, as well as national partner organizations. The role includes leading community-engaged programming, managing regional partnerships, and supporting applied civic leadership initiatives. A core responsibility of this position is to build trust-based relationships across ideological, cultural, and institutional divides, ensuring that programming reflects CGM’s pluralism-centered approach to civil discourse in practice.

The position also carries responsibility for tracking program outputs, participation, and deliverables; maintaining clear documentation to support evaluation, reporting, and replication; managing internal project management systems and digital repositories; and coordinating closely with CGM leadership to ensure grant compliance, reporting, and evaluation requirements are met. The qualified candidate will have commitment to the mission of CGM, with strong interest and experience in issues related to pluralism and civil discourse and thrive in an environment of viewpoint diversity. The incumbent will interface with scholars within the University and around the world and must be able to communicate with clarity, humility, discretion, and represent the Center’s values. An ideal candidate will have the ability to integrate AI-driven tools into project management processes to improve efficiency, tracking, and decision-making

This position is 100% funded by non-operating funds.

The University of Pittsburgh’s Center for Governance and Markets (CGM), located in the School of Public and International Affairs (SPIA), seeks a Senior Program Manager to lead the execution of the Center’s research portfolio. CGM serves as a global hub for scholars and practitioners analyzing institutional diversity in the US and around the world.

Job Summary

Manages and ensures effective research project completion. Oversees complex and concurring projects and supervises team. Coordinates research operations, answers inquiries, and prepares research reports and materials. Designs and implements an organizational system, quality control procedures, and systems for maximum utilization of project resources. Implements communications plans, obtain applicable regulatory approvals, and ensure adherence to regulations, policies, and procedures.

Essential Functions

Excellent organizational and project management skills; ability to communicate clearly and professionally with diverse audiences; strong written, verbal, and interpersonal communication skills; ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously; proficiency with common office, communication, and project management technologies.

Physical Effort

Primarily sedentary. May occasionally be required to lift or transport materials or supplies and to move between locations on campus for meetings or events.

Assignment Category: Full-time regular

Job Classification: Staff.Supervisor - Research Program Coordinator

Job Family: Research

Job Sub Family: Research Program Support

Campus: Pittsburgh

Minimum Education Level Required: Bachelor's Degree

Minimum Years of Experience Required: 2

Will this position accept substitution in lieu of education or experience: Combination of education and relevant experience will be considered in lieu of education and/ or experience requirement.

Additional details about Required Licensure/Certification: Master’s degree strongly preferred, particularly in public policy, social sciences, or a related field.

Work Schedule: Monday - Friday, 8:30 a.m. - 5:00 p.m.

Work Arrangement: Hybrid: Combination of On-Campus and Remote work as determined by the department.

Hiring Range: To be determined based on qualifications

Relocation_Offered: No

Visa Sponsorship Provided: No

Background Check: For position finalists, employment with the University will require successful completion of a background check

Child Protection Clearances: Not Applicable

Required Documents: Resume, Cover Letter

Optional Documents: Not Applicable