Community Health Research Program Manager

University of Wisconsin; Madison (WI); Hybrid; USD 70,000 - 94,000; Full time

Job summary

The Office of Community Health within the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health seeks an experienced Research Program Manager to lead and coordinate a diverse portfolio of community-centered health initiatives across Wisconsin, guiding strategic oversight of multiple projects and funding streams while aligning with timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations.

Working with faculty, staff, community partners, and healthcare providers, you will foster partnerships, navigate

Qualifications

• Experience in community engaged research and/or outreach within public/community health
• Experience supervising program staff in health projects
• Experience collaborating with team members, collaborators, and community stakeholders
• Experience with complex funding portfolios and budget management

Responsibilities

• Develops policies, procedures, and institutional agreements on behalf of the program.
• Plans and directs the day-to-day operational activities of one or multiple research programs or units according to established objectives.
• Serves as a unit liaison among internal and external groups, promoting accomplishments and developments of scholars and research initiatives.
• Exercises supervisory authority over at least 2.0 FTE employees including hiring, performance, and assignments.
• Assists in developing trainings and workshops to disseminate program developments.
• Plans, develops, and implements processes and protocols to support research aims.
• Monitors program budgets and approves unit expenditures.

Skills

Project management

Community engagement

Budget management

Stakeholder collaboration

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Research Program Manager

Job Summary:

The Office of Community Health within the Department of Family Medicine and Community Health seeks an experienced Research Program Manager to lead and coordinate a diverse portfolio of community-centered health initiatives that advance health and well-being across Wisconsin, as well as play a key role in building up DFMCH’s community engaged research profile. Working closely with faculty, staff, community partners, and healthcare providers, this role will provide strategic oversight of multiple interconnected projects and funding sources, ensuring alignment with organizational goals, timelines, budgets, and stakeholder expectations are all met. The ideal candidate is a collaborative leader with strong research program management, communication, and relationship-building skills, who can effectively navigate complex environments, manage competing priorities, leverage data to inform decision-making, and foster partnerships that support meaningful community impact to the benefit of the communities we serve.

• This position may require some work to be performed in-person, onsite, at a designated campus work location. Some work may be performed remotely, at an offsite, non-campus work location.
• This position has been identified as a position of trust with access to vulnerable populations.The selected candidate will be required to pass an initial caregiver check to be eligible for employment under the Wisconsin Caregiver Law and every four years.

Candidates who demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities will be given first consideration

• Ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects (within an overall program)
• Ability to consistently maintain a high level of attention to detail and demonstrate organizational skills
• Ability to communicate effectively (verbal and written) with a keen sense of responsive, professional business communication

Key Job Responsibilities:

Develops policies, procedures, and institutional agreements on behalf of the program - 5%

Plans and directs the day-to-day operational activities of one or multiple research programs or units according to established research objectives in alignment with strategic plans and initiatives - 30%

Serves as a unit liaison and subject matter expert among internal and external stakeholder groups, collaborates across disciplines and functional areas, provides program information, and promotes the accomplishments and developments of scholars and research initiatives - 10%

Exercises supervisory authority, including hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct and performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of at least 2.0 full-time equivalent (FTE) employee - 20%

Assists in the development, coordination, and facilitation of trainings and workshops for internal and external audiences to disseminate research program developments and information - 10%

Plans, develops, and implements processes and protocols to support research aims - 10%

Monitors program budget(s) and approves unit expenditures - 15%

Department:

School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Family Medicine and Community Health, Office of Family Medicine and Community Health

The Department of Family Medicine and Community Health (DFMCH) at the University of Wisconsin is a leading clinical department within the School of Medicine and Public Health. DFMCH is dedicated to advancing patient care, education, and research. Our 18 clinics provide primary care to more than 170,000 patients, yielding over 375,000 patient visits annually. Each year, we train more than 160 residents (at sponsored and academic partner sites) and 300 medical students. Learn more: https://www.fammed.wisc.edu/

Compensation:

The starting salary for the position is $82,000 annually but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage and SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026.

Required Qualifications:

• Experience in community engaged research and/or outreach within public/community health
• Experience in supervising program staff in health projects
• Experience collaborating with team members, collaborators, and community stakeholders
• Experience with complex funding portfolios and budget management

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in higher education, research, government, healthcare, or other complex shared governance environments
• Experience in supervising staff in health projects
• Experience in overseeing multiple portfolios including sponsored projects from federal and foundational partners
• Experience in working with diverse communities to improve community health
• Experience in working with healthcare professionals to improve patient outcomes through community partnerships