Program Manager

Overview

This position has been budgeted for $6,416.67 per month and is non-negotiable. 

The “Approaches to Research with Communities affected by HIV and Substance Use” (ARCHES) Lab is led by Dr. Eileen V. Pitpitan, Associate Professor in the School of Social Work at San Diego State University. The ARCHES Lab is focused on research and initiatives aimed at understanding and intervening on the syndemic of HIV, substance use, and co-occurring conditions (e.g., poor mental health, violence, stigma) among marginalized communities. Research conducted in the lab primarily utilizes approaches that blend community-engagement with advanced quantitative methods to understand how, for whom, and under what conditions different interventions or factors affect poor health outcomes among disadvantaged communities. Other initiatives undertaken by the lab include implementation science projects, and mentoring and training efforts designed to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in academic and public health.

Major Job Responsibilities:

Under the direction of Dr. Pitpitan and other principal investigators, the incumbent will serve as project/program director, data manager, and administrative support coordinator. This position primarily requires the coordination, management, and oversight for multiple NIH-funded grants, including research studies and mentored training programs. The incumbent will engage in research- and program-related tasks and projects that range from basic administrative tasks to more complex study/program coordination and data management tasks, all requiring creative solutions and self-direction from the incumbent.

The incumbent must have high motivation to help lead efforts in a fast-paced research environment, have a high degree of flexibility, attention to detail, and the ability to work proactively as a team leader with initiative and creativity, and under minimal supervision. Skills critical to this role include the ability to work effectively with various stakeholders, principal and other co-investigators, and manage multiple projects with overlapping timelines, attending to the Lab’s day-to-day needs and long-term objectives.

The incumbent will independently develop project management tools (e.g., Gantt charts) and oversee study timelines to achieve research and program objectives while navigating a diverse scope of project needs. The position sets workflow priorities and should engage in workflow analysis to strengthen the Lab’s productivity and reputation.

Overall, the work and tasks that will be conducted by the incumbent will require organization, independence, originality, ingenuity, resourcefulness, and flexibility. The incumbent must be bilingual in English and Spanish so that s/he/they can communicate orally and in writing with investigators, students, community stakeholders, research associates, participants, and other project staff at various sites (this person must be able to read Spanish and English, and translate back and forth between the two languages).

Appointment duration and percent:

The incumbent will dedicate 100% full-time effort to the position. This position is a one-year position, with strong likelihood of continuation depending on funding availability and a positive first-year performance review. An interim performance review will also be conducted 6-months into the position.

Responsibilities

Under the overall general supervision of Dr. Pitpitan, and indirect supervision of other principal investigators, the incumbent is responsible for but not limited to:

Program management (70%)

• Independently coordinate, organize, plan, and execute tasks in a timely manner, and with attention to deadlines
• Communicating and liaising with project investigators, staff, students, community partners, and research fellows
• Designing, formatting, and programming questionnaires, interview guides, or evaluation tools
• Managing all aspects of data collection including qualitative data collection
• Drafting, developing, maintaining all study-related protocols, measures, and documents
• Engaging in database management, include conducting preliminary or descriptive data analysis
• Developing and maintaining human subjects protocols, including protocols for ethical review
• Contributing to reports, including internal reports and NIH progress reports
• Making original contributions to publications (e.g., conducting literature reviews), conference abstracts, research design, and grant/manuscript writing
• Developing and coordinating logistics of program curriculums, including inviting guest speakers, organizing seminars
• Following policies and procedures involved in the disbursement of project-related funds, including coordinating travel and travel reimbursements, and processing invoices
• Attending project-related meetings, facilitating these meetings, and/or taking meeting minutes (including meetings with community advisory boards)
• Supervising, overseeing, and training of a) professional interviewers/counselors b) staff research associates, c) assistants and d) graduate students

Other duties and responsibilities as assigned (30%)

• Maintaining working relationships with community partners, students, campus, and off-campus partners to ensure the success of projects
• Maintaining project or program websites to reflect the most up-to-date information
• Manage program and attend meetings in absence of program directors/principal investigators
• Develop and disseminate program marketing materials to promote and recruit
• Managing program budgets, which may include tracking invoices and expenses, and managing payments to guest speakers, workshop facilitators, seminar presenters, and/or honorariums
• Other required tasks involve providing other, direct assistance to aid Dr. Pitpitan and other PIs with their professional responsibilities (including but not limited to composing correspondence, and scheduling and coordinating one-on-one meetings or larger conferences)

Qualifications

Knowledge and Abilities

• Strong leadership and organizational skills to independently coordinate, organize, plan, and execute tasks in a timely manner, and with attention to deadlines.
• Strong attention to detail and accuracy in compiling work- and data-related reports.
• Solid, professional interpersonal skills to interact effectively (in person and in writing) with collaborators, community stakeholders, co-workers, clients, and program participants.
• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• High level of motivation, reliability, and dependability to oversee study timelines to achieve research and program objectives and meet deadlines.
• Ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes, and to navigate and respond to a diverse scope of project needs.
• Ability to develop knowledge and skills to promote diversity, equity, and inclusion in research.
• Adaptability in managing changing workloads, including high- and low-level demanding tasks and workloads.

Minimum Education and Experience

• Bachelor's degree and/or equivalent training and administration work experience involving study, analysis, and/or evaluation leading to the development or improvement of administrative policies, procedures, practices, or programs.
• Six years of progressively responsible experience in office or administrative environment.
• Must be bilingual, and read, speak, write and translate English/Spanish.

Additional Applicant Information

• Candidate must reside in California or live in a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.
• Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on Brackground Check results (including a criminal record check).
• San Diego State University Research Foundation is an EEO/AA/Disability/Vets/Title IX Employer.