Research Project Manager

About the role

This is a full-time, exempt position embedded within the Research Development office, reporting through the Office of the Vice Provost for Research. You'll work across a portfolio of grant-funded and internally funded projects, serving as the operational lead who translates research ambitions into structured, compliant, and well-communicated programs.

Key Accountabilities

• Work closely with PIs and project teams to plan, organize, and execute internally/externally funded projects; continuously develop, refine, and maintain project plans, management processes, and tools to improve efficiency, communication, sustainability, and steady progress.
• Lead, integrate, and coordinate the efforts of faculty, staff, students, and external collaborators across multiple concurrent workstreams to ensure all activities align with institutional priorities and operational processes.
• Establish and maintain strong collaborative relationships with the grant team, administrators, faculty, and staff to optimize program operations, oversight, and continuous improvement.
• Direct and lead the recruitment of student participants through targeted workshops, academic department visits, and individual outreach meetings.
• Manage and develop strategic relationships with external partner institutions—including facilitating advisory board meetings—while leading the planning and execution of all other project meetings and events.
• Partner with the internal project evaluator to ensure accurate data collection for outcomes assessment, and assist PIs in meeting all reporting requirements in coordination with the Office of Research and Sponsored Programs.
• Develop, manage, and track budgets and resources to ensure all spending strictly aligns with project goals, milestones, guidelines, and institutional commitments.
• Continuously monitor financial risks and proactively provide recommendations to project leadership regarding necessary budget adjustments or funding reallocations.
• Reconcile and approve monthly One Card expenses in strict accordance with university and funding agency rules, regulations, and policies.
• Develop and implement a robust communication plan to keep full internal teams informed, prepare program communications tailored for both internal and external audiences, and oversee the development and regular updating of Lehigh University project websites.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's Degree in a related field; Master's Degree preferred
• Five to eight years of related work experience
• Grant management experience preferred
• Experience developing and executing communications strategies for multi-stakeholder projects
• Familiarity with research administration systems used in higher education settings