Administrative Project Manager

United Way Worldwide; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 68,000 - 90,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

BCBS PPO health plan

Dental insurance

401k with company match

PTO with summer hours / Thanksgiving 3

Hybrid work schedule

Job summary

United Way of Massachusetts Bay is seeking an Administrative Project Manager to serve as a strategic operational connector between Development and External Affairs. The role emphasizes creating tools, structures, and processes to enhance collaboration, coordinate planning, and support executive priorities.

The position includes high-level administrative support to the Chief Development Officer and Chief of External Affairs, with an emphasis on visibility, efficient information flow, and

Qualifications

• 3+ years of project management, operations, executive support, or administration.
• BA/BS degree preferred.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Experience supporting senior leaders and coordinating work across multiple teams or functions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication with strong attention to detail and follow-through.

Responsibilities

• Serve as a strategic operational connector across Development and External Affairs and the broader organization.
• Develop practical project management tools, shared work plans, calendars, templates, and processes.
• Coordinate timelines, milestones, dependencies, and information flow across teams.
• Create and manage organization-wide communications calendar in partnership with teams.
• Provide high-level administrative support to senior leaders, managing complex calendars and agendas.
• Support leadership meetings, board activities, retreats, and other key engagements.

Skills

Project management

Executive support

Calendar management

Communication

Collaboration

Education

BA/BS degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

CRM tools

Job description

ABOUT UNITED WAY:

For over 90 years, United Way of Massachusetts Bay has brought people, partners and communities together to solve our region's toughest challenges. Our work is centered on scaling safe and stable housing, strengthening educational opportunities, building economic mobility, centering youth and young adults, and stabilizing the safety net. United Way is advancing transformational impact through investing in communities and organizations, elevating community voice, sharing expertise and knowledge, convening partnerships across sectors and advocating for changes in public policy that scale what works. We believe real, transformative change only happens when people work together. We bring together community-based organizations, businesses, government, philanthropy, and neighbors to respond to today's challenges while building long-term solutions that help everyone thrive.

We offer excellent benefits including a BCBS PPO plan, dental, 401k retirement savings with company match and a discretionary employer base contribution. Our PTO policy offers summer hours and a three-day closure for Thanksgiving. We also offer a hybrid work schedule, with a minimum of 2 fixed days in office per week. Additional in person work will be required based on the needs of the position and the organization.

POSITION OVERVIEW:

The Administrative Project Manager is a shared resource for Development and External Affairs, offering strategic operational, project coordination, and executive support to enhance collaboration and improve efficiency in both departments and the organization overall. This role reports jointly to the Chief Development Officer and Chief of External Affairs, highlighting its integrated nature and its responsibility to support key priorities across both areas.

A key focus of the position is creating the systems, tools, and structures that enable teams to collaborate effectively, manage shared priorities, and successfully execute joint deliverables. The Administrative Project Manager will help create greater visibility across the work, coordinate shared planning and organizational tools, including the organization-wide communications calendar, and support strong information flow between Development, External Affairs, and partners across the organization. The role will also provide high-level executive and administrative support to both the Chief Development Officer and Chief of External Affairs, representing approximately 25% of the position. Across all areas of responsibility, this role will help create capacity for teams and leaders by strengthening coordination, improving shared processes, and providing the structure needed to move priorities forward effectively.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Strategic Operations, Project Management & Collaboration

• Serve as an operational connector across Development, External Affairs, and the broader organization (as it relates to the functions of Development and External Affairs) creating the tools, structure, and coordination that help teams collaborate and move shared priorities forward.
• Build and maintain effective ways of working: Develop practical project management tools, shared work plans, calendars, templates, and processes that create visibility, clarify responsibilities, and make it easier for teams to execute.
• Enable cross-functional collaboration: Support joint priorities and deliverables across Development and External Affairs by coordinating timelines, milestones, dependencies, and information flow, particularly where fundraising, communications, marketing, public affairs, and events intersect.
• Manage shared organizational planning tools: Create and manage the organization-wide communications calendar in partnership with teams across the organization, creating visibility into key communications, campaigns, events, fundraising activities, advocacy moments, and organizational milestones.
• Support planning and execution: Coordinate key meetings, planning processes, and special projects; help translate discussions into clear next steps and ensure teams have the information and resources needed to move work forward.
• Improve how we work: Identify opportunities to simplify processes, strengthen collaboration, reduce administrative burden, and create greater consistency across Development and External Affairs.

Executive & Administrative Support

• Provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Chief Development Officer and Chief of External Affairs, helping both leaders maximize their time and focus on strategic priorities.
• Manage complex calendars, scheduling, and coordination across internal and external stakeholders.
• Anticipate needs and prepare agendas, briefings, presentations, and other materials that support effective meetings and decision-making.
• Partner with other department staff to coordinate leadership meetings, Board and committee activities, retreats, and other key engagements.

REQUIREMENTS:

• 3+ years of relevant experience in project management, operations, executive support, or administration.
• BA/BS degree preferred
• Strong project management and organizational skills, with demonstrated ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines.
• Experience supporting senior leaders and coordinating work across multiple teams or functions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to detail and follow-through.
• Collaborative and relationship-oriented, with the ability to move work forward across teams without formal authority.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office suite, and comfort using project management, collaboration, calendar, and CRM tools.
• Commitment to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion and to the mission of the United Way of Massachusetts Bay

United Way of Massachusetts Bay is committed to hiring individuals who reflect the diversity of our communities.