CINA Project Manager
CINA Project Manager
The George Mason University Criminal Investigations and Network Analysis (CINA) Center for Excellence invites applications for a Project Manager. George Mason University has a strong institutional commitment to the achievement of excellence and diversity among its faculty and staff, and strongly encourages candidates to apply who will enrich Mason’s academic and culturally inclusive environment.
About the Department:
The Center’s primary objective is to serve as an academic hub for thought leadership and for the emergence of novel solutions to support the Homeland Security Enterprise in its efforts to effectively predict, detect, identify, monitor, track, disrupt, thwart, and ultimately dismantle Transnational Criminal Organizations (TCOs) and other illicit actors. The Center is part of the Office of Research, Innovation, and Economic Impact and is funded in part by a DHS multi-year, multi-fund grant.
About the Position:
The CINA Project Manager is responsible for supporting the CINA Deputy Director in managing progress for projects in the CINA research portfolio. The Project Manager directly engages with project teams to monitor project lifecycle, requirements, expenditures, and milestones; summarizes progress in periodic reports for center leadership and the funding agency; supports coordination efforts among research teams and stakeholders, and provides broad coordination support across other Center operations that relate to research. This position is essential in maintaining daily and long-range program success.
Responsibilities:
- Oversees project life cycles from start to finish;
- Coordinates and attends regular status meetings with project teams;
- Tracks, assesses, and communicates project progress, risks, and expectations (including timelines, milestones, budgets, and other key project metrics);
- Coordinates and maintains up-to-date materials for each project, to include workplans, budgets, start-up and closeout materials, research compliance documents (IRB and federal compliance), and project artifacts and deliverables;
- Proactively assesses and resolves issues to ensure that project, Center, and sponsor objectives are effectively met;
- Works with CINA Transition and Impact Manager to identify and support potential transition and dissemination paths for project outcomes (trainings, knowledge products, and tools/technology/software products) and coordinates with Center leadership and other relevant groups (university tech transfer, federal stakeholders, industry partners) to support transition of CINA research to operational use;
- Provides regular reporting to Center leadership on project status;
- Establishes and maintains a well-communicated online reporting portal showing status for each project;
- Prepares regular written reports for Center leadership, sponsors, and stakeholders as requested;
- Includes sponsors and stakeholders in project status meetings when appropriate;
- Works with appropriate individuals to ensure that any changes or adjustments to projects are understood and approved properly;
- Prepares and provides project updates that are appropriate for public-facing materials (website, newsletter, one-pagers, annual reports) to Center communications staff;
- Supports and assists with Center events as needed;
- Supports and attends Center outreach activities such as information sessions, workshops, meetings, and briefings with potential sponsors and stakeholders; and
- Assists in the development of RFIs and corresponding events for the update of the Center’s research portfolio through the introduction of new research projects.
Required Qualifications:
- Bachelor’s degree in a field closely related to the scope of CINA’s research, or in business administration, management, or public administration; or, an equivalent combination of related education and experience; Master’s degree preferred;
- Demonstrated successful experience in project management (2 or more years preferred);
- Ability to be well-organized, prioritize and manage multiple projects and tasks in a diverse and collaborative environment;
- Demonstrated skill in effective communication;
- Demonstrated problem-solving skills with the ability to make real-time decisions;
- Ability to collaborate and build rapport with individuals and stakeholders at all levels of the organization;
- Ability to manage multi-disciplinary, federally funded projects; identify, track, and mitigate risks; and report to sponsors;
- Ability to work with project budgets and other project-related financial materials;
- Ability to interpret and apply federal, state, Mason, and sponsor rules and regulations to sponsored projects;
- Proficiency with Microsoft Office Products, online project management tools, and collaborative workspaces such as Smartsheet, MS Teams, Dropbox, and Google Drive; and
- Must be a U.S. Citizen.
Preferred Qualifications:
- Project Management Professional (PMP) Certification, or Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) preferred; and
- Experience in a higher education, government, or other research-oriented setting preferred.
Special Instructions to Applicants
For full consideration, applicants must apply for 10638z, Recruit Number STF11389 at https://jobs.gmu.edu/; complete and submit the online application; and upload a cover letter, resume, and a list of three professional references with contact information.
George Mason University is an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, committed to promoting inclusion and equity in its community. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability or veteran status, or any characteristic protected by law.