NIAR Project Operations Manager

Wichita State University; Wichita (KS); On-site; USD 85,000 - 110,000; Full time

Job summary

Wichita State University’s NIAR is seeking a detail-driven Project Operations Manager to oversee laboratory projects, grants, and contract work. The role focuses on planning, execution, financial oversight, and ensuring compliance with sponsor expectations.

The position requires strong project management experience, financial stewardship, and the ability to navigate complex workflows to support NIAR’s mission and research programs.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Seven (7) years of related project management experience; Every 30 hours of related college coursework can be substituted for one year (max four).

Responsibilities

• Provides operational oversight for laboratory projects, including grant-funded and contract work.
• Manages project budgets, funding tracking, and burn rates.
• Ensures work aligns with approved scopes of work and sponsor requirements.
• Coordinates with internal/external partners to ensure timely invoicing and financial reporting.
• Monitors program performance, data collection, and key metrics.
• Maintains compliance with policies, laws, and sponsor guidelines.
• Maintains records and produces timely reports for stakeholders.

Skills

Project management

Budgeting

Compliance

Data tracking

Organization

Risk management

Communication

PM tools

Stakeholder coordination

Scope alignment

Office/administrative

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

PM tracking tools

Job description

This job was posted by https://www.kansasworks.com : For more information, please see: https://www.kansasworks.com/jobs/13654247

• Export Compliance Requirement: This position requires access to EAR or ITAR controlled technologies. Applicants are required to be eligible for employment under U.S. export control laws and must meet the requirement of being a U.S. Citizen.

Job Information

NIAR is seeking a detail-driven and highly organized Project Operations Manager to support the successful planning, execution, and financial oversight of laboratory projects and grant-funded initiatives. This role serves as a central operational partnerworking closely with project teams, leadership, finance, and contractsto ensure projects stay on track, align with approved scopes, meet sponsor expectations, and maintain compliance with internal and external requirements. The ideal candidate brings strong project management experience, a commitment to operational excellence, and the ability to navigate complex workflows to support NIARs mission and research programs.

Job Summary

Performs project management in the laboratory to ensure effective execution, financial stewardship, and operational discipline of programs and projects. This role provides centralized oversight of project management activities, grant-funded work, and associated financial tracking to ensure compliance, timely execution, and accurate billing. Serves as a key operational partner to leadership, project leads, finance, and/or contracts, helping protect the organization from risk while enabling growth, continuous improvement, and successful delivery of customer and sponsor commitments.

Essential Functions

• Provides operational oversight for laboratory projects, including grant-funded and contract work. Supports project planning, schedules, milestones, deliverable tracking, monitoring project status, and identifying risks, issues and resource constraints.
• Manages laboratory activities related to the projects, including tracking funding, budgets, and allowable expenditures, and monitoring burn rates and funding availability.
• Coordinates with project teams to ensure work performed aligns with approved scopes of work.
• Works closely with internal and/or external partners to ensure accurate and timely invoices. Supports reconciliation of project budgets, expenditures and revenue, and identifies potential financial risks.
• Evaluates program effectiveness by collecting and analyzing data in support of key performance metrics.
• Ensures that activities are in compliance with policies, laws, and regulatory agencies.
• Maintains records and documentation; coordinates with and provides reports and updates to internal and external resources and stakeholders.

Required Education and Experience

• High school diploma or equivalent
• Seven (7) years of related project management experience; Every 30 hours of related college coursework can be substituted for one (1) year of experience (maximum of four (4) years).

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Project management principles and workflow coordination
• Budgeting, financial tracking, and grant/contract requirements
• Compliance standards, policies, and sponsor guidelines
• Basic data tracking and performance measurement methods
• Strong organization and multitasking
• Risk identification and problem-solving
• Financial monitoring and budget reconciliation
• Clear written and verbal communication
• Proficiency with project management and tracking tools
• Work effectively with cross-functional teams and stakeholders
• Maintain alignment with scopes of work and sponsor expectations
• Ensure compliance while supporting efficient operations
• Analyze data to inform decisions and improvements
• Manage documentation and produce timely reports

Physical Requirements

• Ability to remain in a stationary position.
• Ability to operate a computer and other of ice equipment.
• Ability to communicate with others and accurately exchange information.
• Ability to interpret effectively, accurately and impartially, both receptively and expressively.