Project Management Specialist, Children's Health Services Research

About the Role

The Department of Pediatrics at Indiana University School of Medicine is seeking a Project Management Specialist in the division of Pediatrics Children's Health Services. This role is responsible for leading medium-to-large-scale projects from initiation through completion, ensuring deliverables are completed on time and within budget. The Project Manager develops and manages project plans, monitors project performance, identifies risks and shortfalls, and provides regular updates on project progress, stakeholder engagement activities, and project metrics.

Department Specific Responsibilities

• Lead the full lifecycle management of medium- to large-scale, complex, grant-funded research projects, ensuring alignment with study aims, sponsor expectations, regulatory requirements, and institutional priorities while maintaining strict adherence to timelines, scope, and budget constraints.
• Direct and oversee the day-to-day operations of multiple concurrent federally funded studies (including NIH R01 and other large-scale awards), ensuring seamless coordination of study activities, compliance with Institutional Review Board (IRB) protocols, and adherence to federal, institutional, and Good Clinical Practice (GCP) standards.
• Monitor and evaluate study performance using key operational metrics (e.g., recruitment and retention rates, data quality and completeness, protocol adherence, budget utilization), proactively identifying risks, bottlenecks, and deviations from study plans.
• Develop and implement mitigation strategies to address operational, financial, and regulatory risks, including adjusting timelines, reallocating resources, and collaborating with leadership to resolve complex issues impacting study success.
• Oversee financial tracking of projects in collaboration with direction from program manager, forecasting budget needs, and ensuring alignment with approved funding allocations and sponsor guidelines.
• Ensure readiness for audits, sponsor reviews, and regulatory inspections by maintaining organized documentation, up-to-date study records, and adherence to evolving compliance requirements.
• Lead workforce planning and staffing coordination by assessing project needs, monitoring team capacity, and ensuring adequate staffing levels to support operational demands across assigned projects and user support functions.
• Identify staffing gaps and participate in recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes, providing informed recommendations on candidate selection and role alignment.
• Develop and manage staff schedules to ensure appropriate coverage, efficient workload distribution, and continuity of operations, particularly during periods of high demand, staff transitions, or competing project priorities.
• Adjust staffing strategies as needed to maintain productivity and meet project and service delivery expectations.
• Provide direct supervision and day-to-day oversight of assigned staff, clearly defining roles, responsibilities, and performance expectations.
• Monitor staff productivity, quality of work, and adherence to protocols.
• Collaborate with investigators, research teams, and community partners to support the development of culturally responsive outreach materials that are accessible, inclusive, and tailored to the needs of a wide variety of families and populations.
• Contribute to the design and refinement of communication strategies that enhance engagement with participants and community stakeholders, ensuring messaging is clear, culturally sensitive, and aligned with research goals.
• Incorporate feedback from families, community members, and partners to improve outreach approaches, strengthen trust, and reduce barriers to participation in research activities.
• Promote inclusive practices within team operations and outreach efforts, ensuring that engagement strategies reflect diverse perspectives and support equitable access to research opportunities.

General Responsibilities

• Manage medium to large projects from start to finish, ensuring on-time completion within budget.
• Develop project plan(s) and efficiently analyze, track, forecast, and report on project metrics and shortfalls.
• Coordinate and facilitate efforts of project team(s) consisting of various staff and hourly employees.
• Communicate ongoing changes in tasks, goals, or performance.
• Collaborate to ensure that project objectives are achieved within established time frames.
• Participate in client meetings, vendor/contract decisions, and development of project requirements and specifications.
• May provide guidance and support to less experienced peers.

Education

Bachelor's degree in a relevant field.

Work Experience

2 years of relevant experience. Combinations of related education and experience may be considered. Education beyond the minimum required may be substituted for work experience. Work experience beyond the minimum required may be substituted for education.

Skills

• Ability to drive multiple projects to successful completion.
• Demonstrates project management skills.
• Proficient written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent organizational skills.
• Excellent collaboration and team building skills.
• Demonstrates time management and priority setting skills.
• Highly thorough and dependable.

Pay

$60,000.00 - 70,000.00 per year based on a combination of experience, skill level, education, and training.

Benefits

• Comprehensive medical and dental insurance
• Health savings account with generous IU contributions
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• Basic group life insurance paid by IU
• Voluntary supplemental life, long-term disability, critical illness, and supplemental accidental death & dismemberment insurance
• Base retirement plan with generous IU contributions, subject to vesting
• Voluntary supplemental retirement plan options
• Tuition subsidy for employees and family members taking IU courses
• 10 paid holidays plus a paid winter break each year
• Generous paid time off plans
• Paid leave for new parents and IU-sponsored volunteer events
• Employee assistance program (EAP)

Schedule

This role requires the ability to effectively communicate and to operate a computer and other standard office productivity equipment. The position involves sedentary work as well as periods of time moving around an office environment and the campus. The person in this role must be able to perform the essential functions with or without an accommodation.