The Urban Institute
Project Manager (Urban-Brookings Tax Policy Center) (R&D)
At the nonprofit Urban Institute, we believe in the power of evidence to improve lives and strengthen communities. Our employees are empowered to open minds, shape decisions and offer solutions. We encourage intellectual honesty, innovation, diversity, and mutual respect, and our analysis elevates the debate, wherever it takes place.
Urban's greatest asset is our people. We strive to attract and cultivate a vibrant, creative, and diverse community. Our employees drive Urban's mission through entrepreneurship, innovation, leadership, effective communication, results-orientation, and relationship cultivation. Our success depends on engaging individuals who possess and value these attributes.
How you'll contribute:
The Tax Policy Center (TPC), a joint project of the Urban Institute and the Brookings Institution, is nonpartisan and strives for the highest standards of scholarly rigor and objectivity. The Tax Policy Center (TPC) is seeking a project manager to join our center operations team as an employee of the Urban Institute. While contributing broadly to TPC, the project manager will take full ownership of all financial operations of the center, monitor the center's broad funding pipeline and project spending, draft and submit progress and financial reports, and work with the director and senior staff to guide the development and execution of funding proposals.
Manage the financial administration functions necessary to support the Tax Policy Center.
Monitor, proactively track, and communicate relevant information on multiple and varied types of funding accounts to avoid cost overruns and determine annual fundraising needs.
Support principal investigators (PIs) and research teams in the development of project budgets, full proposal submissions, and cost-to-complete budgets.
Track project deliverables, working with PIs and research teams to ensure they conduct work according to scope, on time, and on budget.
Lead check-in meetings between PIs and the center director assuring that various project milestones have been met.
Manage reimbursements, invoice payments, and funder-specific no-cost extensions and budget amendment requests
Work with other administrative offices at Urban to set up, review, and execute consulting agreements and sub-awards.
Prepare annual center budget and staff utilization forecasts.
Request, interpret and review accuracy of financial reports from accounting.
Lead the center's training in using business systems and other accounting tools.
The successful candidate will:
Possess a bachelor's degree or higher, plus a minimum of five years of relevant experience in project management, budgeting, contract monitoring, and financial reporting.
Demonstrate proficiency in applying project management principles, practices, tools and/or processes, and lead activities across multiple projects of a complex nature.
Coordinate financial and operational oversight of multiple funded projects, and significantly contribute to proposal development activities.
Contribute regularly to the process for developing and monitoring project scope, objectives, timeline(s), schedules, and budget for multiple funders.
Demonstrate fiscal responsibility when committing financial resources, recommend approaches to streamline for operational efficiency, and improve internal controls.
Provide authoritative guidance to center/office staff on moderately complex and/or irregular matters and tasks pertaining to multiple functions and specializations.
Working in the Nation's Capital, the epicenter of public policy among a network of policy experts, you can expect to have an impact on policy areas you care about and work with great colleagues who are smart, mission-driven, and collaborative. You will blend academic rigor with on-the-ground collaboration, be encouraged and supported to fulfill your potential through meaningful work that matters, and enjoy a welcoming workplace free from harassment, discrimination, and intolerance.
In addition, we offer a comprehensive benefits package that includes: medical, dental, disability, and life insurance coverage. Competitive paid time off allowance, and eligibility to participate in a generous retirement savings plan and reimbursable commuting expense program. '
The Urban Institute is committed to Equal Employment Opportunity without regard for race, ethnicity, gender, protected veteran status, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or any other protected status under applicable law.
The Urban Institute is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer Minorities/Women/Disabilities/Veterans.