Project Manager for the Center of Environmental Health and Susceptibility

Employment Type: Permanent Staff (EHRA NF)

Vacancy ID: NF0010138

Salary Range: $80,000 - $90,000

Position Summary/Description:

The Center for Environmental Health and Susceptibility ( CEHS ) is a UNC -Chapel Hill collaborative center housed within the Gillings School of Global Public Health that advances translational environmental health sciences research serving North Carolina and the nation. Funded by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences ( NIEHS ) through a five-year, $7.7M P30 center grant, CEHS brings together researchers, physicians, public health professionals, educators, and community partners from across UNC including the Gillings School, UNC Lineberger Comprehensive Cancer Center, and UNC School of Medicine to address pressing environmental health challenges across three major research focus areas: environmental cancer, cardiopulmonary health, and healthy development and aging. The Center’s mission centers on translating interdisciplinary research on environmental health threats to improve public health in North Carolina, leveraging its Facility Cores, Career Development Program, and Community Outreach and Engagement Core ( COEC ) to move science from laboratory models to communities. The Project Manager for CEHS provides project management, operational leadership, and administrative oversight for the Center, reporting directly to the Research Program Director and coordinating Center-wide activities that support research, pilot projects, training programs, community engagement initiatives, and strategic priorities. Serving as a key member of the CEHS Administrative Core the organizational unit responsible for ensuring alignment with NIEHS , UNC , and community priorities this position manages the full breadth of sponsored research activities associated with the Center’s grant portfolio, including pre-award and post-award administration, compliance monitoring, budget oversight, progress reporting, and sponsor communications.

The Project Manager directly administers the Center’s Pilot Project Program, overseeing solicitation development, application review coordination, award administration, project monitoring, and outcome assessment, while facilitating interdisciplinary research collaborations and connecting investigators with Center resources, core facilities, and funding opportunities. This position coordinates the collection, analysis, and reporting of Center metrics, accomplishments, publications, grants, trainee outcomes, and community engagement activities, and supports the preparation of annual reports, progress reports, advisory committee materials, site visits, and Center renewal applications. The Project Manager works closely with Center leadership, faculty investigators, trainees, and university partners to manage projects, facilitate collaborations, support sponsored research activities, monitor Center performance metrics, and coordinate reporting requirements, as well as with external collaborators, community organizations, and NIEHS program officers. This position serves as a key member of the Administrative Core and helps ensure the successful implementation, growth, and long-term sustainability of Center programs and initiatives.

Education and Experience:

• Experience supporting a multidisciplinary research center, institute, training program, or other complex academic research enterprise.

• Experience working with federally funded research programs, including NIH grants, center grants, or training grants.

• Knowledge of environmental health, public health, biomedical research, or community-engaged research.

• Experience with project management, strategic planning, program evaluation, or research development activities.

• Experience coordinating scientific meetings, workshops, advisory committees, or stakeholder engagement activities.

• Experience developing reports, presentations, communications materials, or research impact metrics.

• Experience supervising, mentoring, or leading administrative, research, or project staff.

• Familiarity with university research administration, financial management, and compliance systems. Certification or formal training in project management, research administration, or a related field.

Essential Skills:

• Demonstrated experience managing complex projects, programs, centers, or research initiatives, including developing and monitoring work plans, timelines, deliverables, performance measures, and operational processes, in an academic, public health, healthcare, nonprofit, government, or scientific environment.

• Demonstrated ability to independently plan, organize, prioritize, and coordinate multiple concurrent projects, activities, and deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy and attention to detail.

• Experience coordinating activities across diverse stakeholder groups, including faculty, staff, trainees, institutional partners, community organizations, and external collaborators.

• Experience supporting sponsored research activities, including proposal development, project implementation, regulatory compliance, reporting requirements, budget monitoring, or research administration functions.

• Demonstrated ability to collect, analyze, track, and report programmatic data and performance metrics to support decision-making, strategic planning, and program evaluation.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare reports, presentations, meeting materials, and professional correspondence for a variety of audiences.

• Demonstrated ability to facilitate meetings, manage committees or working groups, coordinate events, and ensure follow-through on projects and action items.

• Strong interpersonal, collaboration, and relationship-building skills, with the ability to work effectively across multidisciplinary teams and establish productive partnerships with internal and external stakeholders.

• Demonstrated problem-solving, critical-thinking, and organizational skills, with the ability to exercise sound judgment and work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Experience developing, implementing, and improving operational procedures, administrative processes, or programmatic workflows.

• Demonstrated leadership experience, including the ability to coordinate, mentor, supervise, or provide work direction to staff, students, trainees, or project teams.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and experience using project management, data management, or reporting tools to support program operations.

AA/EEO Statement:

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.