Senior Project Manager

ABOUT US

The Aspen Institute

The Aspen Institute is a global nonprofit organization committed to realizing a free, just, and equitable society. Since its founding in 1949, the Institute has been driving change through dialogue, leadership, and action to help solve the most critical challenges facing communities in the United States and around the world. Headquartered in Washington, DC, the Institute has a campus in Aspen, Colorado, and an international network of partners.

Commitment to Diversity, Equity & Inclusion

To achieve our mission of a more free, just, and equitable society, we commit to working proactively to advance the principles of diversity, equity, and inclusion across our myriad endeavors such as the recruitment, compensation, training, and advancement of staff. The best people-serving institutions make this commitment, and we seek to be a leader in the ways that we do so and learn from others. Visit our website to learn more about our commitment and recent actions taken toward building and nurturing a diverse and inclusive environment.

The Economic Opportunities Program (EOP)

EOP advances strategies, policies, and ideas to help low- and moderate-income people thrive in a changing economy. We recognize that race, gender, and place intersect with and intensify the challenge of economic inequality and we address these dynamics by advancing an inclusive vision of economic justice. For over 30 years, EOP has focused on expanding individuals’ opportunities to connect to quality work, start businesses, and build economic stability that provides the freedom to pursue opportunity.

We collaborate with national and local leaders across the United States – nonprofit leaders, policymakers, labor leaders, business leaders, educators, academics, and more – and we actively seek input and ideas from individuals and communities affected by proposed approaches to address economic opportunity challenges. Through our leadership and fellowship programs; applied research and evaluation; data and analysis; and dialogue with diverse stakeholders, we work at both local and national levels to build understanding and galvanize action to address the challenge of economic opportunity in America.

ABOUT THIS ROLE

EOP is seeking a dynamic Senior Project Manager to play a key role in driving progress across two major areas: 1) addressing the job quality crisis and 2) advancing women in the workplace. This is an opportunity to lead meaningful change and impact across portfolios that are central to EOP’s longstanding work to help more low-and moderate income people thrive in a changing economy.

The Senior Project Manager will play a critical role in an exciting new initiative – the Women in the Workplace Innovation Challenge, which will advance innovative, high impact, actionable solutions that lower barriers for women in the workplace, and help women thrive to the benefit of themselves, their families, the economy, and the community at large. The program revolves around a high-profile prize competition and will include a summit, an advisory council, specialized groups of judges, and engagement with workplace thought leaders, decision-makers, media, policy makers, and others. The Senior Project Manager assumes a primary role in project management and coordination of all activities related to the Women in the Workplace Innovation Challenge’s business practice change prize. Working closely with the project team, the Senior Project Manager will help drive this competition forward across all phases of the competition, including the successful development, launch, growth of the challenge.

The Senior Project Manager will also play a leading role in guiding the evolution of a core body of work for EOP – advancing job quality in small businesses through the Shared Success demonstration project. This project, launched in 2021,collaborates with community development financial institutions (CDFIs) to implement advising and coaching services that advance job quality in small businesses. The project is designed to foster new norms and narratives among small businesses, financial intermediaries that support them, and institutions positioned to drive structural changes for a more just and equitable economy. In collaboration with other team members, the Senior Project Manager will oversee and coordinate project planning, building timelines to ensure project outcomes are completed within the grant period and adjusting and communicating across the team as workloads and priorities shift.

Our ideal candidate is inspired by the potential to create positive change, bringing a deep commitment to advancing economic opportunity for all, and in particular to addressing barriers to economic opportunity for marginalized workers in employment and helping low-income individuals earn a living in today’s economy. Our candidate must be comfortable in being both a leader and a learner and should bring an open mind and curious spirit to exploring innovative approaches for improving job quality and advancing women in the workplace. EOP values creativity, team spirit, integrity, commitment to mission, hard work, work-life balance, and fun.

This role reports directly to the Managing Director, Economic Opportunities Program. The salary range is $100,000 - $120,000. This position is based in our Aspen Institute offices in Washington, DC, and currently is expected to report to the DC office at least 40% time. Travel may be required.

WHAT YOU WILL DO

Project Management

• Manage a multi-faceted, fast-paced stream of work with timelines that include internal and external partners.

• Develop and execute project plans that support execution of public events, strategic communications, engagement with high profile stakeholders, and other activities.

• Effectively serve as liaison to internal and external consultants to advance project activities and track and share project progress.

• Identify and address risks and issues affecting project deadlines and communicate any needed adjustments to project timelines or deliverables.

• Work with colleagues to implement operational and administrative structures and processes that allow for effective management of contracts and vendor relationships.

• Identify ongoing project staffing needs and make recommendations regarding the use of outside consultants as needed.

Event Planning and Meeting Design and Facilitation

• Coordinate meetings with internal and external stakeholders, and help steward meetings, e.g. by scheduling, agenda development, facilitation.

• Provide operational, planning and programming capacity for virtual and in-person events, via coordination with the Aspen team members.

Writing and Communications

• Support EOP and Aspen leadership with internal and external content development such as briefing documents, articles, op-eds, donor updates, blogs, landscape reviews and analysis, and other content to support field-building.

• Coordinate the analysis of project findings, in collaboration with relevant EOP team members and external collaborators.

• Support team learning regarding job quality and advancement work and advancing opportunities for women, and provide feedback and input on other program work and products in order to contribute to the work of the program as a whole.

• Identify opportunities to communicate project findings and raise the profile of the work to ensure that information and recommendations reach key audiences. This could include working with local implementers to plan and support public events, presenting at conferences, contributing blogs and op-eds to appropriate outlets, and other efforts.

Network Development and Relationship Management

• Maintain, nurture, and establish relationships with a variety of external partners and stakeholders including non-profit leaders in economic development, community development finance, and worker advocacy as well as businesses, business associations, philanthropy, thought leaders across various disciplines, and others.

• Supporting research and potentially developing presentations and participate in strategic outreach around the work of the program at key conferences, meetings, and events.

• Ensure regular communication with key project funders and partners regarding project progress, accomplishments and lessons learned. Contribute to the development of new project ideas and the crafting of proposals.

WHAT YOU WILL NEED TO THRIVE

• Minimum 5 to 7 years of experience in economic policy advocacy, worker rights advocacy, leadership development, grant-making, organizational consulting, economic development, small business development, or related work.

• Strong project management skills including experience establishing, implementing, and coordinating project plans, timelines, and management systems to ensure projects stay on schedule and in line with project goals.

• Ability to manage a multi-faceted stream of work that includes internal and external partners.

• Demonstrated capacity to build and sustain productive working relationships with philanthropic partners, consultants, field practitioners and other internal and external colleagues.

• Exceptional writing, editing, and analytic ability. Strong verbal communication, meeting facilitation, and presentation skills.

• Familiarity with managing vendors and contractors.

• Experience with and understanding of issues related to gender equity in the workplace, with familiarity of women in technology a plus.

• Ability to collaborate with research team staff and engage the talents of colleagues who bring varied experience levels and expertise to the project.

• Ability to independently conceptualize and draft a variety of written products for multiple audiences.

• Ability to work both autonomously and as part of a close-knit team.

• Flexibility to adapt to changing program priorities.

• Enthusiasm for the ongoing work of the program.

• Previous experience in grant making or prize competitions in the social sector would be a plus, but is not required.

• Experience working with philanthropic investors or community development finance would be a plus, but is not required.

• Occasional travel is required.

To Apply:

Please visit the Aspen Institute’s career page and follow the instructions. Cover letter should highlight applicant’s interest and specific qualifications for this position. Applications without a cover letter will not be considered. The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws.

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION

The Aspen Institute offers a generous benefits package including health, dental, vision, and prescription benefits, retirement benefits, and paid leave.

The Aspen Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer and complies with all District and federal laws. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, or protected veteran or disabled status and will not be discriminated against.

If you would like to request a reasonable accommodation regarding the accessibility of our website, a modification or adjustment of the job application or interview process due to a disability, contact HRSupport@aspeninstitute.org or call (202) 736-5800.

Salary : $100,000 - $120,000