Worlds Reading, Operations Manager

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Job No: 538189

Work Type: Full Time

Location: Main Campus (Gainesville, FL)

Categories: Communications/Public Relations/Marketing, Executive/Director/Management, Office/Administrative/Fiscal Support

Department:  - ED-LASTINGER CENTER

Classification

Title:

Project Manager II

Classification

Minimum Requirements:

Master’s degree in an appropriate area; or a bachelor’s degree and two years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Job Description: The New Worlds Reading, Operations Manager will be responsible for leading the development and implementation of outreach and engagement strategies for the New Worlds Reading Initiative. They will work with stakeholders to define project scope, goals, and deliverables, and will develop work plans, resource plans, and status reports. The ideal candidate will have experience in management/coordination, community outreach, and strong relational, organizational, and communication skills.

This position is time limited and soft‑funded.

The University of Florida Lastinger Center for Learning’s mission is to improve the quality of teaching, learning, and childcare. We research, develop, and scale educational innovations for adults and children that put all learners on trajectories for lifelong success. Specifically, the Center targets kindergarten readiness, 3rd grade reading proficiency, and algebra proficiency as critical milestones in children’s educational trajectory that are predictive of success in school and life.

The Center works at the nexus of research, practice, and policy to develop sustainable systems that leverage educational technologies and improve the implementation of research‑based practices. Housed in one of the nation’s elite public research universities, the Center operates as a dynamic, entrepreneurial workplace focused on executing UF’s service mission to strengthen the human condition and improve the quality of life.

The Lastinger Center is committed to attracting, hiring, and retaining top talent by valuing a broad range of thought, skill, and experience. We believe in fostering environments where team members feel included, valued, and empowered to do their best work.

• Support the process of defining project scope, timing, deliverables, resources, and key measures of success and prioritizing responsibilities.
• Develop and communicate a strategic project plan, including timelines and milestones, for stakeholders and team members.
• Create and manage all project‑related tools, including project plans, timelines, communication channels, and internal asset management sites.
• Ensure adherence to high‑quality standards, best practices, and UF policies and procedures.
• Create recommendations to identify successful and unsuccessful project elements.
• Facilitate the analysis and resolution of issues that impede project progress.
• Drive and execute strategies for operational efficiency and productivity.
• Establish a consistent and efficient reporting system to regularly communicate program progress, risks, and key milestones to leadership, supporting informed decision‑making.
• Create a risk management strategy to proactively and promptly identify, assess, and prioritize potential risks that could impact the project’s objectives and then develop strategies to mitigate, avoid and manage those risks, and remove roadblocks that impede project progress.
• Troubleshoot challenges and address them as they arise providing implementation support to ensure consistency and efficiency.

• Supervision of Operations team (Operations Coordinator, Senior Operations Specialist, Operations Specialist) providing project management support for all New Worlds Reading Operations.
• Effectively set and communicate project expectations to team members and stakeholders.
• Lead project meetings, developing and delivering progress reports, proposals, requirements documentation, and presentations.
• Proactively manage and communicate ongoing changes in project scope, identify potential crises, and devise contingency plans.
• Lead the development of best practices…