Technical Project Manager

BACKGROUND

The Jane Goodall Institute (JGI) mission is to understand and protect chimpanzees, other apes and their habitats, and to work towards creating a critical mass of informed and compassionate citizens who will help to create a better world for people, other animals and our shared environment. 

The institute has a long-standing legacy and foundation in science, with a focus on long-term basic and applied research to drive action and results. JGI’s Conservation Science Department continues Jane’s legacy by tackling complex questions as viewed through the lens of three major inextricably linked systems: Animals, People, and the Environment (A.P.E.). JGI leverages and uses the power of geography and geospatial technologies, including satellite imagery, GIS, mobile and cloud technologies, to integrate traditional knowledge with science data, connect and monitor the health of chimpanzees, habitats, and other animals, people, and the environment to support conservation decisions with actionable information, intelligence, and insights. 

Using this framework to guide our efforts over the coming years and guided by a new Science Strategy JGI teams and partners will leverage science and technology through innovative and grounded country-specific national policies to accelerate the pace, scale, and increase effectiveness of conservation. The Conservation Science Department is committed to supporting meaningful change at the intersections of research, storytelling, community & partnerships, data & technology, and policy & advocacy.

THE ROLE

JGI is currently seeking an experienced Technical Project Manager with the skills and experience necessary to join our Conservation Science team. The successful candidate will efficiently and effectively organize projects, coordinate and allocate resources, budget and track the logistics of projects, and produce high quality plans and proposals.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Work effectively with internal team, external customers, vendors, and senior management as needed to successfully coordinate the delivery of multiple projects

• Schedule and lead project kickoff, periodic status update, and deliverable calls & meetings for conservation science involved projects.

• Interact with stakeholders to understand operational requirements and the project team to determine project scope, budget estimates, schedule, and deliverables

• Ensure accuracy and delivery of plans and proposals

• Maintain a solid understanding and demonstrated expertise in current Geospatial technologies, systems and process development methods

• Manage scope, schedule, and budget of multiple GIS projects

• Responsible for all internal and external project status reporting

• Setup new projects and develop project work plans and determine resource requirements

• Coordinate and organize teams and tasks to ensure projects remain on task

• Manage and coordinate GIS sub-consultant work

• Monitor and control project expenses within allotted budget

• Invoice assigned projects and provide projections to organizational leadership

• Respond to stakeholder inquiries professionally and promptly

SKILLS/REQUIREMENTS 

• Bachelor’s degree and 6 -10 years of experience in GIS, technical project management, or conservation project management or equivalent experience.

• Must have some technical project management experience in an environmental organization. Candidates with project management certification (PMP, Prince2, etc.) preferred.

• Knowledge of GIS technologies including Esri suite, cloud infrastructure, and relational databases.

• Proficiency in Project Management software such as JIRA, Airtable, Asana, etc..

• Communicates effectively with all levels of internal and external project stakeholder

• Excellent organizational, analytical and planning skills to manage multiple projects, priorities and deadlines.

• Excellent coordination of complex processes, multiple schedules and reporting needs.

• Experience preparing and delivering reports, recommendations, or alternatives.

• Strong communication skills, both verbal and written, are required. Ability to effectively communicate with agency stakeholders that have a variety of different skill sets and personalities, including technical, business, and management staff.

• Flexibility to determine the best project management practices and processes to employ, between Agile and traditional methods.

• The ability to explain complex technical issues to non-technical audiences.

• Experience with a hybrid of traditional waterfall and Agile iterative project management methods.

WORK ENVIRONMENT

JGI-USA is part of a global network of scientists, conservationists, animal behavior and welfare experts, educators and nonprofit professionals dedicated to building a better world for all. We focus on science-driven and compassionate solutions that have a far-reaching impact on people, other animals, and the environment. Our staff members are both personally and professionally

committed to making the world a better place—and work hard at doing so. In return, we offer competitive salaries and benefits, a warm and dynamic working environment, and the satisfaction of knowing that your contributions are directly contributing to advancing the legacy of Dr. Jane Goodall.

DIVERSITY, EQUITY AND INCLUSION EQUAL OPPORTUNITY EMPLOYER

The Jane Goodall Institute supports diversity, equity and inclusion. We believe that when we can bring our whole selves to work on a day-to-day basis, we become happier, more comfortable, more confident, and more excited to do great things for our organization, each other, and our world. When we bring inclusive teams together, our collective work is more effective. The Jane Goodall Institute is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We value attracting diverse talents and welcome and support individuals with diverse experiences, identities, and backgrounds.