Project Management Lead

About Us

The Coleridge Initiative is a nonprofit organization, focused on applied data analytics research for public policy at the federal and state level. At Coleridge, we work with government agencies to create value by providing public agencies with the opportunity to enhance their workforce data literacy to develop better policies for the public good. We facilitate the development of collaborations within and across states allowing for new technologies to be developed through the secure access to and sharing of confidential microdata. The Products and Development division is responsible for several key functions crucial to the organization's mission and operations. These functions include: 

• Product Development: Driving the creation and enhancement of data dashboards and data visualizations.
• Data Enclave Operations: Managing and overseeing the secure operation of the Administrative Data Research Facility.
• Oversight of Project Delivery: Ensuring successful execution, timelines, and budgets across projects.
• Training: Designing and delivering training on the ADRF and using administrative data to inform program and policy development.

Summary

The Project Management Lead will lead project execution and oversight across Coleridge’s delivery portfolio, ensuring projects are delivered on time, on scope, and within budget. This position will establish and manage systems for project tracking, labor planning, and internal reporting, while coordinating closely with Program Delivery teams (Training, DEO, and Product) and operational partners (Finance, Contracts, HR).  The PMO will serve as the central point of accountability for project health and performance visibility, driving adoption of best practices and enabling the team to scale delivery capacity in line with Coleridge’s strategic goals.

Essential Job Functions 

Project Oversight and Execution

• Develop and maintain centralized systems for tracking project scope, milestones, deliverables, and client satisfaction.
• Conduct monthly and quarterly project reviews with division leads and project teams.
• Work with project leads to build and update estimates-to-complete (ETCs) for all active projects.
• Serve as Project Manager for a limited number of existing Coleridge projects.

Labor and Budget Planning

• Develop and manage labor allocation plans across projects based on available staff capacity and project budgets.
• Partner with Finance to generate regular reports on project spend-to-date and staff utilization.
• Use time tracking and forecasting tools to inform real-time adjustments in workload distribution.

Governance and Coordination

• Define and implement consistent project roles (Project Lead, Account Lead, etc.).
• Work across divisions and support teams to align on delivery responsibilities and operational handoffs.
• Maintain a project portfolio dashboard with KPIs tied to Coleridge’s strategic goals

Continuous Improvement

• Lead feedback loops with staff and leadership to improve delivery practices.
• Conduct onboarding and training for new project leads and contributors on PMO processes.
• Regularly update project management documentation, tools, and templates to reflect best practices.

Qualifications

• 4 to 7 years of experience in project management or program delivery within a matrixed or cross-functional environment.
• Undergraduate Degree in Business Administration, Nonprofit Management, Public Administration, Communications, Social Sciences, or related technical field 
• Proven ability to manage multiple concurrent projects with varying scopes and funding sources (including federal grants and contracts).
• Proactive problem solver, able to anticipate needs of different stakeholders and provide solutions or processes to identify solutions. 
• Experience implementing and managing project tracking and labor planning systems (e.g., Asana, Smartsheet, or equivalent).
• Strong interpersonal and written communication skills; able to influence without formal authority and ability to work across departments.
• Experience with the public sector, federal contracts, or grant-funded programs including non profit. .
• Familiarity with data governance, research delivery, or technical platforms like Coleridge's Administrative Data Research Facility (ADRF).
• Project Management Professional (PMP), Certified Associate in Project Management (CAPM) or other relevant project management certification.

Coleridge is an equal opportunity, affirmative action employer committed to maintaining a

non-discriminatory, diverse work environment.

Work environment & physical demands

This is a remote-based position. Work may be programmed for weekdays, weekends, and evenings. Some travel is required. The physical demands described here represent those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions. Duties require the employee to regularly talk and hear; sit or stand for extended periods of time at a desk or computer workstation; occasionally walk, sit, use hands to finger, handle, or feel and reach with hands and arms.; occasionally climb or balance and stoop, kneel or crouch; occasionally lift and/or move up to 15 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, color vision, and ability to adjust focus.