Senior Program Manager

About The Position

The Senior Program Manager (SPM) will serve as the operational lead for the Human Performance Optimization Consortium and as a central coordinating resource for consortium members. Working within the UTSA Military Health Institute (MHI) ecosystem, this individual will be responsible for fostering connections among researchers, military end users, industry partners, and participating institutions while helping align activities around shared objectives and mission priorities. This position is designed to provide dedicated management and coordination during the formative stages of the consortium, ensuring that HPOC develops the organizational structure, stakeholder engagement, and collaborative environment necessary to become a leading platform for advancing human performance research and innovation.

This is a full time position working on site at the University of Texas-San Antonio (UTSA) Military Health Institute. Background checks will be administered.

Salary Range

$135,000 - $150,000. Salaries are determined based on several factors including external market data, internal equity, and the candidate’s related knowledge, skills, and abilities for the position.

Qualifications

• Master’s degree or Bachelor’s degree with PMP certification required

• Minimum 15 years of progressively responsible experience in program management, supervisory experience, research administration, military health, human performance, federal research, or related fields

• Minimum 5 years of experience managing consortiums, centers, collaborative research initiatives, or other multi-organizational programs

• Demonstrated experience working with DoD, Military Health System, federal agencies, universities, industry partners, and/or nonprofit organizations

• Proven ability to build and maintain senior-level relationships with academic, military, government, and industry stakeholders

• Strong understanding of federal research funding mechanisms, cooperative agreements, grants, contracts, and Other Transaction Authorities (OTAs)

• Experience supporting business development, capture management, or strategic partnership activities within federal R&D environments

• Existing network within the Human Performance, Military Health System, defense innovation, or related research communities preferred

• Strong knowledge of budgeting and resource allocation

• Experience evaluating data to understand trends that can help guide decisions

• Skilled with the use of Microsoft Office software; Microsoft Project experience preferred, to include development and use of GANTT charts

• Proven track record of effective oral and written communication including the necessary skills to interact with senior military and civilian officials, managers and subordinates in a fast-paced, high-pressure environment

• Organized, attentive to detail, and a positive, friendly and professional demeanor

• Adaptable and resilient when faced with conflicting priorities

• Self-directed, detail-oriented problem solver

• Successful in fast-paced environment that requires independent time management, task prioritization, flexibility, and experience identifying problems and proactively working towards solutions

Management Responsibilities

• Assist in the staffing, hiring, salary negotiations, on-boarding, mentorship, and performance review processes for program staff

• In collaboration with Principal Investigator and Human Resources, conduct counseling, corrective action, up to and including termination

• Ensure research employees demonstrate a basic understanding of their job descriptions and work requirements

• Plan and facilitate individual and team meetings

• Ensure employees comply with the Geneva Foundation and site policies and SOPs

• Management and mentorship of all assigned staff, to include program employees

Responsibilities

• Facilitate cross-functional study teams, to include collaborators, in the timely delivery of research studies

• Establish and maintain comprehensive timelines for each study and use these timelines to help drive study team activities

• Develop and execute strategies to drive program growth, to include driving relationship development and management with current and potential sites, researchers, and partners

• Lead enterprise or department-wide initiatives, task forces, projects

• Collaborate with Research Portfolio Manager and Award Manager to ensure alignment of study timelines, risk reviews, and budgets with higher-level program timelines

• Support development of comprehensive study budgets in partnership with site and corporate teams and help the team manage costs to established budgets

• Contribute to development and implementation of various cross-functional study plans and materials (e.g., communication plans, program management plans, etc.)

• Provide guidance and training to portfolio and project teams on project management tools

• Lead large and complex research programs

• Develop and manage budgets in collaboration with the Office of Award Management (OAM) and ORM to include study-related forecasts (e.g., spending, team performance, ect.)

• Facilitate ongoing risk management activities including identification and tracking of risks and issues

• Develop, design, coordinate production, and assist with the distribution of marketing materials and/or research dissemination for studies

• Generate, establish, review, and track key performance indicators/metrics for performance to ensure compliance with sponsor requirements

• Track and report on program progress and status (financial, project, etc.) to established oversight committees and relevant stakeholders

• Ensure study activities are conducted in compliance with applicable regulations

• Assist with preparation of technical or sponsor required reporting

• Assist with preparation of funding applications

• Support the coordination of protocol submissions

• Promote networking opportunities with sponsors and researchers

• Hold regular meetings with researchers and program leads

• Serve as the primary point of contact with research teams

• Address research management issues and escalate as needed

• Timely execution of research deliverables and operations

• Drive submission of grant and contract proposals

Consortium Lead Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary operational lead and principal point of contact for the Human Performance Optimization Consortium

• Lead consortium governance activities, working groups, strategic initiatives, and member engagement efforts

• Coordinate consortium meetings, workshops, symposia, stakeholder engagements, and special initiatives

• Facilitate collaboration among consortium members, academic institutions, military stakeholders, industry partners, and federal agencies

• Coordinate multi-institutional research initiatives and foster collaboration among investigators, operational end users, and partner organizations

• Ensure consortium activities remain aligned with evolving military readiness, human performance, health, and research priorities

• Develop executive briefings, strategic plans, white papers, concept papers, and stakeholder communications specific to consortium activities

• Represent the consortium at conferences, workshops, symposia, and strategic stakeholder engagements

• Promote research dissemination, strategic communications, and visibility of consortium accomplishments

Strategic Growth and Partnership Development Responsibilities

• Support growth and expansion of the Human Performance Optimization portfolio through strategic partnership development and opportunity cultivation

• Identify, develop, and maintain relationships with universities, military organizations, federal agencies, foundations, industry partners, and research collaborators

• Track emerging technologies, funding opportunities, policy developments, and market trends impacting the human performance ecosystem

• Develop and maintain a pipeline of strategic opportunities aligned with consortium priorities

• Facilitate teaming discussions and partnership strategies that strengthen consortium capabilities and competitive positioning

• Collaborate with Geneva Business Development personnel on opportunity shaping, partner engagement, capture planning, and strategic positioning activities

• Support development of capability statements, concept papers, white papers, and other strategic business development materials

• Identify opportunities to leverage consortium capabilities to secure new funding, partnerships, and collaborative initiatives

• Provide subject matter expertise and operational insight in support of proposal development and funding pursuits

• Assist leadership in establishing and executing long-term growth strategies for the Human Performance Optimization portfolio