Senior Project Support Coordinator - Data Science and Analytics Innovation Center

Hiring Department: Data Science and Analytics Innovation Center (dSAIC) of the Office of Research and Innovation (ORI) at the University of Missouri-Kansas City (UMKC).

About the role

This position will lead and support strategic academic, industry, and research collaboration initiatives across the University and external partner organizations. The role requires a strong combination of project management, relationship management, outreach, organizational leadership, and technical coordination capabilities. The successful candidate will work closely with faculty, executive sponsors, industry partners, and operational teams to ensure the successful planning, execution, deployment, and sustainability of projects and educational initiatives, including professional certificate and workforce development programs.

This position serves as a liaison between academic, research, technical, and external business communities to foster collaboration opportunities, support strategic growth initiatives, and ensure the successful delivery of program objectives. The individual must be comfortable managing complex cross-functional projects simultaneously while maintaining strong stakeholder engagement and communication.

This is a fully in-person and onsite position. Travel may be required based on project and program needs. Limited pre-scheduled weekend hours (5-10 weekends across calendar year) may be required.

This position is 100% externally funded and is contingent on continued funding.

Responsibilities

• Prepare and submit project documentation, including financial and procurement details, for review, approval, and prioritization.
• Develop, maintain, and strengthen relationships with faculty, industry partners, healthcare organizations, research institutes, collaborators, staff, and external stakeholders.
• Provide flexible operational support as needed to meet project timelines, academic objectives, and program requirements.
• Conduct outreach to new companies, organizations, and strategic partners to establish and expand collaborative opportunities and workforce development initiatives.
• Coordinate and manage educational, research, technical, and professional development programs, including certificate-based and collaborative initiatives.
• Prepare, implement, and manage project plans addressing scope, cost, schedule, quality, human resources, risk management, communications, procurement, and change management.
• Manage multiple concurrent projects and collaborations across healthcare, data science, infrastructure, and related interdisciplinary domains.
• Collaborate with faculty, researchers, technical staff, and external organizations to define project objectives, deliverables, milestones, and resource requirements.
• In conjunction with functional managers, identify and coordinate appropriate project resources, establish scheduling timelines, and oversee task assignments.
• Execute, monitor, and control projects throughout the project lifecycle, including establishing project baselines and tracking scope, budget, timelines, and deliverables.
• Identify, assess, monitor, and mitigate project risks and issues while maintaining regular communication with stakeholders and leadership.
• Prepare and submit periodic project status reports, progress updates, and executive summaries to stakeholders and sponsors.
• Support the deployment, implementation, operational coordination, and ongoing maintenance of projects and collaborative initiatives.
• Ensure all project deliverables and objectives are successfully completed and documented.
• Prepare and submit project closure documentation for review and approval.
• Track projects and programs within University-owned Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tools and serve as a resource and trainer for local users.
• Support strategic planning efforts and contribute to the growth and expansion of partnership-driven initiatives.
• Support and coordinate academic technical resources and platforms used for the creation, deployment, and management of courses, certificate programs, and educational initiatives.
• Other duties as assigned.

Requirements

• A Bachelor's degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience and 3 years of experience from which comparable knowledge and skills can be acquired is necessary.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in computer science, information technology, data science, engineering, business, project management, healthcare administration, higher education administration, or a related field.
• Master’s degree preferred.
• Experience managing multiple concurrent projects or programs in higher education, healthcare, research, technology, or industry collaboration environments.
• Experience coordinating cross-functional teams involving academic, technical, operational, and external stakeholders.
• Demonstrated experience building and maintaining professional relationships with faculty, companies, research organizations, and external partners.
• Experience supporting workforce development, educational certificate programs, professional training initiatives, or collaborative academic programs preferred.
• Strong organizational, communication, interpersonal, and stakeholder management skills.
• Ability to independently manage complex projects with competing priorities and deadlines.
• Experience with project management methodologies, project lifecycle management, budgeting, scheduling, and risk mitigation.
• Familiarity with Project Portfolio Management (PPM) tools or similar project tracking platforms.
• Technical aptitude and ability to coordinate projects involving infrastructure, healthcare technology, research computing, data science, or related technical environments.
• Experience preparing executive reports, project documentation, presentations, and status updates.
• Ability to work collaboratively across academic, research, healthcare, and industry environments.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and collaboration/project management tools.

Pay

The anticipated hiring range for this position is $60,000 to $84,000 annually. Salary is determined by a variety of factors, including but not limited to, the individual’s particular combination of education, skills, and experience, as well as organizational requirements.

Benefits

This position is eligible for University benefits. The University offers a comprehensive benefits package, including:

• Medical, dental, and vision plans
• Retirement contributions
• Paid time off
• Short- and long-term disability
• Paid parental leave
• Paid caregiver leave
• Educational fee discounts for all four UM System campuses

For additional information, visit the Faculty & Staff Benefits website.

Location

Kansas City offers a vibrant, urban community with Midwestern appeal. The city is known for its rich history, thriving arts districts, energetic downtown nightlife, diverse shopping options, and champion sports teams. Kansas City is also famous for its world-class barbecue and a dynamic culinary scene.

UMKC’s campuses are conveniently located near key attractions, including the Country Club Plaza and downtown Kansas City, close to University Health Truman Medical Center and Children’s Mercy Hospital.