Program Manager for The Global Institute on Innovation Districts
(Remote)
**To apply for this role, please send a copy of your CV and a cover letter explaining why you are an ideal candidate for the role to **
The Global Institute on Innovation Districts (GIID) is seeking a self-directed and technology-savvy Program Manager to support the organization as we bring it to new heights. We are a group of dedicated researchers and practitioners ambitiously working together to help take on some of the world’s most daunting challenges through place-based innovation, known as innovation districts. Our work involves advising, connecting, and advancing innovation districts around the world—some of the smartest places on the planet that have the capacity to take on complex challenges, such as climate change, cancer, and infectious diseases.
The GIID team includes a multi-disciplinary group of out-of-the-box thinkers and doers, and we thrive on pushing the limits and constantly proving ourselves. Located in cities around the world, we work together on empirically led research projects and initiatives, as well as connect dozens of districts worldwide to help them evolve together.
We are seeking an independent, highly-organized and detail-oriented self-starter to join us and help us revolutionize the way we organize ourselves for impact. As Program Manager you will work directly with the President and the leadership team at GIID. You will play a crucial role both shaping and sharpening how we managed business operations, working across teams to support synergies and processes that strengthen work quality.
Key responsibilities:
Team operational support
· Track progress across different types of GIID projects to ensure coordination across internal teams and external partners.
· Organize and staff team meetings, helping to ensure items are executed, engaging with individual and groups of teams to ensure clear communication and deliverables.
Vendor and contract management
· Onboarding and offboarding of team members, including the set-up, tracking, and access of GIID software tools (including, but not limited to, Microsoft 365, Zoom and Asana).
Board and Governance Support
· Manage preparation and coordination for Board of Directors including: scheduling meetings, reviewing and distributing meeting materials, drafting board minutes, ensuring all recordings and transcripts are saved, and tracking of follow-up actions.
· Organize logistics for GIID Steering Committee meetings, including scheduling meetings, reviewing and distributing meeting materials, ensuring all recordings and transcripts are saved, preparing high level summaries, and tracking of follow-up actions.
Systems Management
· Support the administration and access of internal tools such as Asana, Airtable, and SharePoint.
· Creation of protocols and best practice guides for GIID operations.
· Ownership of remote logistics, including virtual mailbox, virtual voicemail, and coordinating with the bank where necessary.
· Monitoring of subscriptions to GIID software platforms ensuring that payments are made so licenses are kept up to date.
· Monitoring of software platform tools to ensure all active subscriptions are being used.
Financial and Contract Management
· Support the development and processing of contracts, scopes of work, and agreements, with vendors, partners, and network participants.
· Coordinate with the financial administrator and external bookkeepers to communicate accurate up to date records.
· Management of the Global HR vendor platform, both as an administrator and a key point of contact for staff.
Preferred Qualifications:
· At least five years of experience in program management, operations, or project management in a fast-paced environment.
· Demonstrated experience supporting or participating in fundraising, partnership development, or donor engagement.
· Experience working with senior leaders or governing boards.
· Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple projects and competing timelines.
· Demonstrated problem-solving ability and strong attention to detail.
· Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with the ability to communicate effectively with an international audience.
· Experience working in nonprofits, start-ups, or mission-driven organizations is preferred.
· Experience working with distributed or global teams.
Technical Skills:
· Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel and Word).
· Experience with project management tools such as Asana.
· Familiarity with Airtable or other database platforms.
· Experience with financial tracking tools such as QuickBooks is preferred.
· Familiarity with collaboration platforms such as SharePoint.
Further Information
This is a remote contract position. Compensation is based on experience. The position is remote, with approximately 30% of work occurring outside normal Central European Time business hours due to the global nature of the organization. Candidate must be authorized to work in their location.
The Global Institute on Innovation Districts encourages candidates from all backgrounds, nationalities, ethnicities, gender identities, and lived experiences to apply. The organization is committed to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion in all aspects of its work, including its team.