Define American is an award-winning media advocacy organization and go-to resource for storytelling on immigrant experiences across film, TV, theater, publishing, and digital media. Define American engages storytellers and equips them with research and resources to combat harmful narratives and tell nuanced, authentic immigrant stories. Founded in 2011 by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Tony and Emmy-nominated producer Jose Antonio Vargas, Define American continues to redefine the conversation around immigration and identity, fostering a greater sense of belonging for immigrants in the U.S. Learn more at DefineAmerican.com and follow us on social media @DefineAmerican.

Define American is seeking an experienced, energetic, and detail-oriented Project Manager to join our Programs team. This person will be responsible for leading project management across a range of cross-functional programmatic initiatives, helping us execute an integrated approach to maximize the impact of our narrative change work. The Project Manager serves a critical role in enabling effectiveness and efficiency at Define American. This person will assist the Vice President in moving forward cross-functional efforts to completion and will collaborate with staff members across the organization as well as external stakeholders. The position prioritizes communication, detail orientation, data orientation, and follow-up. The role does not require certification in project management, though experience managing multi-stakeholder projects is critical.

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week, Monday – Friday; non-traditional hours may be required at times.

Classification: Exempt

Location: Remote, USA

Salary:  $75,000 - $83,000

Reports To: Vice President

TRAVEL: <25%, domestic travel

Responsibilities

Serve as project manager for high-impact, cross-functional projects as assigned

• Coordinate and promote collaboration among internal staff, external vendors, and key partners to optimize flows and results toward on-plan, on-budget, and high-quality project execution.
• Lead project meetings as needed, providing status updates and action steps before, during, and after meetings as important for project quality and execution.
• Serve as lead on project management using Asana to manage and ensure visibility across projects.
• Develop and maintain all required project documents, including project plans, schedules, stakeholder and role clarity, budgets, and resource management plans. 
• Ensure engagement of relevant stakeholders for each assigned project, including administrative needs (e.g. contracting vendors and scheduling), proactive notification about project status updates, and communication of stakeholder priorities to project leadership. 
• Identify and share successes, challenges, and potential delays or changes proactively.
• Produce regular status reports as needed on a project-by-project basis, for internal and/or external stakeholders.

Champion, maintain, and monitor engagement with data systems for projects

• Serve as best practice user, ambassador, and trainer for data systems including Asana for project management, and over time for Salesforce. 
• Identify and coordinate improvements to data systems and document management processes. 
• Collaborate across the organization toward effective impact measurement, including process development, training staff on requirements, and monitoring reporting.

Coordinate departmental priorities

• Bring strategic input into Programs department conversations.
• Coordinate departmental priorities, such as team retreats and presentations.
• Serve as a key collaborator in identifying departmental capacity on a proactive basis to support decision making, and serve in a ‘special projects’ capacity to the Vice President as appropriate.

Candidate Profile

• Commitment to and passion for Define American's mission and model, and a desire to share that commitment and passion to benefit the organization 
• 3-5 years of demonstrated project management experience in dynamic and fast-paced environments, with a preference for individuals with some remote work experience.
• Track record of effective collaboration with diverse internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with office productivity and data management tools, with a preference for experience with Asana, Salesforce, and Google Apps.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills, as well as detail orientation 
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work in a team environment, as well as the ability to fully own and drive forward work independently
• Exceptional time management skills and an ability to organize and coordinate multiple concurrent projects
• Comfortable and self-directed working within ambiguity and maintaining flexibility; inspired by challenges
• Ability to maintain confidentiality at all times

Compensation & Benefits 

• Unlimited PTO 
• Full medical, vision & dental insurance
• 401(k) match
• 12 weeks of fully paid parental leave
• Short & long-term disability coverage
• Life insurance coverage
• Internet + cell phone stipend
• Health & wellness reimbursement
• Television streaming service reimbursement
• Professional development stipend

We have posted this opportunity as an Exempt staff role. We will also accept applications from individuals who wish to support aspects of Define American’s needs outlined above on an independent contractor (consultant) basis for project-based work in this area, details of which would be negotiated based on the general responsibilities outlined below. Candidates interested in working on a contractor basis should complete the online application and indicate their interest in a contractor agreement there. Note that the items listed under “Compensation and benefits” above are not applicable as part of independent contractor agreements and that such agreements are subject to contracting terms such as LLC contractor business structure and contractor documenting they hold professional liability coverage.

How to Apply

Please submit your employment application, along with all requested documents, via the employment application portal link here.

About Define American

Define American is an award-winning media advocacy organization and go-to resource for storytelling on immigrant experiences across film, TV, theater, publishing, and digital media. Define American engages storytellers and equips them with research and resources to combat harmful narratives and tell nuanced, authentic immigrant stories. Founded in 2011 by Pulitzer Prize-winning journalist and Tony and Emmy-nominated producer Jose Antonio Vargas, Define American continues to redefine the conversation around immigration and identity, fostering a greater sense of belonging for immigrants in the U.S. Learn more at DefineAmerican.com and follow us on social media @DefineAmerican.

Define American is proud to be an equal opportunity workplace and does not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, sex, gender identity, sexual orientation, age, physical or mental disability, national origin, veteran status, or any other basis covered by appropriate law. All employment is decided on the basis of qualifications, merit, and business need.