Program Manager

San Francisco, CA

Full Time

About the role

The ALBA Language Neurobiology Lab and the UCSF Dyslexia Center, housed within the Memory and Aging Center in the UCSF Department of Neurology, operate under shared leadership and advance a multidisciplinary portfolio of research, education, innovation, and translational initiatives. Together, these programs bring interdisciplinary teams and partners together to translate scientific discovery into meaningful educational, clinical, and community impact.

The ALBA Language Neurobiology Lab and Dyslexia Center seek an experienced, highly collaborative Program Manager to provide strategic and operational leadership across this growing portfolio. Serving as a key partner to the Director, the Program Manager will translate strategic priorities into clear, coordinated plans and provide the structure and oversight needed to move initiatives from concept through development, implementation, evaluation, and dissemination. The role will establish priorities and timelines, coordinate interdependent projects and teams, monitor progress and resources, anticipate and resolve barriers, and develop the systems and processes necessary to ensure work remains organized, aligned, and on track across multiple initiatives, partnerships, and funding streams.

Working closely with the Director, faculty, researchers, staff, educators, technology and product teams, community partners, funders, and other external stakeholders, the Program Manager will serve as a central point of coordination across the Lab and Center. The role will ensure that priorities and decisions established under the Director’s leadership are effectively translated into action, that commitments and deliverables are followed through, and that the collective work of the programs is coordinated and visible to internal and external stakeholders. The Program Manager will also strengthen communication and collaboration across teams, facilitate strategic partnerships, and support reporting and dissemination of program accomplishments and impact.

This position requires an individual who can operate effectively at both the strategic and execution levels—helping shape how organizational priorities are translated into programs while building the operational infrastructure required to deliver them successfully. The ideal candidate will be comfortable navigating a complex academic and research environment, managing multiple priorities and stakeholders, creating clarity where processes are still evolving, and establishing scalable systems that enable the Director and multidisciplinary teams to execute effectively and advance the broader mission of the ALBA Lab and Dyslexia Center.

% of time	Essential Function (Yes/No)	Key Responsibilities (To be completed by Supervisor)
35	YES	Project Management & Implementation Direct day-to-day program and project management for complex initiatives involving multiple UCSF teams and external partners. Develop project plans, establish milestones and deliverables, track progress, and proactively identify and resolve implementation barriers. Coordinate implementation across research, education, product/technology, operations, and external organizations. Help the director to establish clear roles, responsibilities, decision rights, and communication structures for multidisciplinary teams. Facilitate project and program meetings, including agenda development, decision tracking, documentation, and follow-up. Coordinate competing priorities and adjust schedules, resources, and implementation plans as program needs, research findings, or funding conditions change. Conduct post-implementation review and analysis to identify opportunities for improvement, refinement, and scale. Promote consistent project-management and implementation practices across the Lab.
15	YES	Partnerships & Stakeholder Engagement Serve as a key point of coordination for internal and external stakeholders across complex initiatives. Develop and maintain productive relationships with UCSF faculty and staff, academic collaborators, schools and educators, community organizations, technology and industry partners, funders, government entities, and other stakeholders. Coordinate collaborations across organizational boundaries to ensure shared objectives, responsibilities, deliverables, and timelines remain aligned. Support the Director in developing new strategic partnerships and funding opportunities consistent with Lab priorities. Represent the Director in meetings, working groups, presentations, conferences, and other external engagements as appropriate and requested. Facilitate communication among stakeholders when priorities or perspectives differ and help develop practical paths forward.
30	YES	Program Strategy, Planning, and Leadership Partner with faculty and Lab leadership to translate the Lab's scientific and programmatic vision into strategic priorities, implementation plans, milestones, and measurable outcomes. Support the planning and coordination across a portfolio of multidisciplinary research, education, technology, and other initiatives. Develop and maintain integrated program roadmaps, work plans, timelines, decision frameworks, and accountability structures. Identify dependencies, risks, resource constraints, and opportunities across programs and recommend solutions to Lab leadership. Support long-term program planning and development of operational policies, procedures, and systems. Ensure individual projects remain aligned with broader Lab, departmental, institutional, and funding objectives.
15	YES	Program Operations, Resources & Administration Develop and oversee operational systems necessary to support a complex and growing research program. Coordinate program budgets, forecasts, contracts, subcontracts, purchasing, staffing needs, and other resources in partnership with appropriate UCSF administrative teams. Monitor program expenditures and resource allocation against priorities and funding requirements. Support grant-funded and externally funded initiatives by coordinating deliverables, reporting requirements, timelines, and partner obligations. Develop and maintain documentation, workflows, policies, standard operating procedures, and program-management systems. Identify opportunities to improve operational efficiency, communication, quality, and accountability across the Lab. Support planning related to staffing, vendors, consultants, space, technology, and other program resources.
5	YES	Communications, Reporting & Program Development Develop high-quality reports, presentations, executive summaries, program updates, and other materials for internal and external audiences. Track program milestones, outcomes, risks, and impact and communicate these effectively to Lab leadership and stakeholders. Support presentations, meetings, conferences, seminars, and dissemination activities. Contribute to proposals, partnership materials, funding opportunities, and other initiatives supporting the Lab's long-term sustainability and growth.

Required Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in related area and minimum six years of experience inclding five in a lead/supervisory role or equivalent experience / training.
Demonstrated experience managing complex projects or programs in an academic, research, healthcare, education, nonprofit, technology, or similarly multidisciplinary environment.
Demonstrated ability to translate strategic objectives into actionable project and implementation plans.
Strong project and program management skills, including experience developing work plans, managing timelines, coordinating deliverables, identifying risks, and resolving barriers.
Strong analytical and problem-solving skills, including the ability to synthesize complex information and develop actionable recommendations.
Excellent written, verbal, interpersonal, and presentation skills.
Demonstrated ability to work effectively with multidisciplinary teams and diverse internal and external stakeholders.
Ability to manage multiple complex priorities and deadlines with a high degree of independence, judgment, and accountability.
Proficiency with common project-management, collaboration, data, and productivity tools.

Preferred Qualfications

Master's degree, PhD, or other advanced degree in a relevant field.
Project Management Professional (PMP) certification or comparable project/program management training.
Experience managing academic or research programs within a leading research university, healthcare institution, or comparable organization.
Experience supporting neuroscience, cognitive science, education, learning sciences, child development, health, or related research. Experience with translational research and/or implementation science.
Experience managing grants, contracts, subcontracts, program budgets, and/or externally funded initiatives.