Associate, Infrastructure

Talanto; Northern (KY); Hybrid; USD 87,000 - 118,000; Full time

Job summary

Talanto is seeking an Associate, Infrastructure to drive design and execution of projects helping local governments deliver priority public infrastructure. Location is flexible within the U.S. but travel to major airports is required.

The role focuses on day‑to‑day leadership, stakeholder engagement, and implementation across multiple projects, with a strong emphasis on data‑driven solutions and change management. Start date is flexible.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required; equivalent years of professional experience will be considered.
• Three or more years delivering public infrastructure projects or related work.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and collaboration tools (Canva, Zoom).
• Willingness to travel 7–10 times per year.
• Strong organizational and communication skills.
• Ability to work in a remote environment and manage multiple tasks.

Responsibilities

• Support project scoping and qualitative/quantitative research through interviews, surveys, process mapping, and policy reviews.
• Develop realistic and high-impact projects, informed by data and a clear theory of change.
• Design and implement day‑to‑day project deliverables, such as: Procurement solicitations; Work plans; Streamlined policy and procedure documents; Research reports or memos; Engaging training and case study materials; Effective public-facing communications; Project impact reports.
• Lead day‑to‑day project management, implementation, and change management activities, such as: Meetings and workshops with government and nonprofit stakeholders to align priorities, implement project work, and address challenges; Coaching and advisory support to government partners; Internal and external project check‑ins and strategy reviews.
• Represent PPG at conferences and events, presenting insights from project work and proactively networking to form partnerships that support PPG's goals.

Skills

Project management

Analytical thinking

Communication

Time management

Education

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Canva

Zoom

Job description

Associate, Infrastructure
Location: Flexible within the U.S. but requires access to a major U.S. airport for travel.

Position Type: Full-time

About Us

•••••••••••••••••••••• is a nonpartisan team of doers who work alongside state and local governments to strengthen the operational systems—procurement, staffing, budgeting, and technology—that determine whether policy turns into results for residents. We go in alongside government staff through implementation, not just as advisors who deliver recommendations and leave, but as practitioners who stay until something has actually changed. Through our implementation work, applied research, and the Procurement Excellence Network—a practitioner community of more than 3,000 government professionals—we translate what we learn from individual governments into knowledge and tools that travel across jurisdictions. When government works, communities thrive.

Role & Organizational Impact

We’re seeking an Associate to drive the design and execution of projects helping local governments better deliver priority public infrastructure. PPG’s Infrastructure Team helps hundreds of local governments nationwide deliver public infrastructure projects responsively, efficiently, and effectively for all residents. The team provides hands‑on support to priority projects, runs workshops, provides training and coaching, and produces off‑the‑shelf templates and playbooks for governments. The Associate will report to a Project Leader on the Infrastructure Team.

At PPG, Associates drive the day‑to‑day delivery of programmatic projects, working closely with Project Leaders and Assistant Directors to turn strategy into action. This can include multiple and fractional projects across teams. They facilitate meetings with government partners, design and produce project materials, deliver trainings and coaching, and draft key deliverables and reports. Associates may work on one in‑depth project or contribute across several shorter‑term or fractional engagements, depending on portfolio needs.

Responsibilities

Project Design & Implementation

• Support project scoping and qualitative/quantitative research through activities such as interviews, surveys, process mapping, and policy reviews.
• Develop realistic and high-impact projects, informed by data and a clear theory of change.
• Design and implement day‑to‑day project deliverables, such as:
  • Procurement solicitations
  • Work plans
  • Streamlined policy and procedure documents
  • Research reports or memos
  • Engaging training and case study materials
  • Effective public-facing communications
  • Project impact reports
• Lead day‑to‑day project management, implementation, and change management activities, such as:
  • Meetings and workshops with government and nonprofit stakeholders to align priorities, implement project work, and address challenges.
  • Coaching and advisory support to government partners to diagnose the root causes of challenges, offer feedback from outside perspectives, and help participants adopt changes.
  • Internal and external project check‑ins and strategy reviews.

Stakeholder Engagement & Thought Leadership

• Build strong relationships with government leaders and nonprofit partners.
• Contribute to the development of public-facing tools, templates, and publications that share best practices and innovations in public sector operational excellence.
• Work collaboratively with PPG colleagues on cross‑cutting initiatives, contributing to a team-based culture that advances PPG's mission and navigates complex stakeholder dynamics.

Organizational Growth & Strategy

• Provide input to internal operational improvement initiatives.
• Support efforts to expand and refine PPG’s offerings and impact.
• Support funder reporting and contribute to fundraising efforts by helping to design and scope new projects and identifying data and evidence that presents PPG’s impact.
• Represent PPG at conferences and events, presenting insights from project work and proactively networking to form partnerships that support PPG's goals.

Who You Are

We’re looking for candidates who are:

• Analytic solution builders. You can break down complex problems. You develop actionable, clear, creative, and high-impact solutions.
• Project managers at heart. You are a self‑starter who can juggle multiple priorities, stay organized, and keep projects on track in a remote environment. You have a bias to action and take pride in being an implementer.
• Strong communicators.You excel in verbal, written, and visual communication. You make technical or complex concepts accessible and engaging for a range of audiences.
• Change catalysts. You recognize that true change requires culture shifts, capacity‑building, and empowerment—in addition to better processes. You build trust and momentum, bringing stakeholders along with you while moving with urgency.
• Adaptable. You thrive in a fast‑paced, team‑oriented environment where every project is unique and we often have to dive in and learn quickly.
• Collaborative. You care for your colleagues and are quick to pitch in when someone needs help. You are comfortable giving and receiving direct feedback.
• Mission aligned. You are motivated by the opportunity to help state and local governments harness core operational functions so that every resident has a government they can count on, every day.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree required. Equivalent years of professional experience and/or certifications will be considered in lieu of formal education.
• Three or more years of experience delivering public infrastructure projects or closely related work. This may include experience in public sector procurement, public works or infrastructure, government finance and operations, or consulting.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams), visual collaboration tools (Canva, Zoom) and comfort with other technology tools.
• Willingness and ability to travel at least 7‑10 times per year.
• Strong organizational and time‑management skills.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to facilitate group work and collaborate effectively across internal teams and external stakeholders.
• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks with minimal supervision.

Additional Information:

Deadline to Apply: PPG will review applications on a rolling basis. All applications received by the deadline of September 14, 2026 will be considered.

Compensation: The salary for this role is $102,800 plus benefits. We offer a comprehensive, people‑first benefits package to support the well‑being of our team and their families. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, with multiple plan options to fit individual needs as well as access to health and flexible savings accounts. Paid time off includes: 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, 2 floating holidays, 12 paid holidays, and a winter recess. We also provide an employer match for retirement savings, paid parental leave, and access to backup care for caregiving needs. To support remote work, we offer work‑from‑home stipends or shared office space options.

Start date: The desired start date for this role is October 2026.

This position is grant‑funded. Employment is contingent on continuation of funds and organizational needs, at PPG’s sole discretion.

Physical Demands: This position requires sitting, talking, listening, reading, and writing for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties.

Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity

•••••••••••••••••••••• is an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.