Research Project Manager

University of Kansas; Kansas City (KS); Hybrid; USD 63,000 - 76,000; Full time

Job summary

The Juniper Gardens Children\'s Project (JGCP), a community-based research center affiliated with the University of Kansas, seeks a Research Project Manager to lead community projects and disseminate research impact. This full-time role is based at the JGCP in downtown Kansas City, Kansas, within the Children\'s Campus of Kansas City building.

The position emphasizes outreach, development of materials for funders and policy makers, budget coordination, event planning, and program evaluations.

Qualifications

• Hybrid work: primarily on-site with minimal telework.
• Master's degree with one year related experience or a bachelor's degree with three years experience.
• Experience in higher education, a non-profit organization, or related field.
• Doctoral degree preferred.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate community outreach, dissemination, and marketing channels.
• Develop materials and products for funders, practitioners, and policy makers.
• Coordinate services including budgets and expenditures; manage invoices.
• Organize center and community events and conduct program evaluations and impact reporting.
• Write proposals and popular press articles; provide grant/report writing support.

Skills

Project management

Budget management

Communications

Marketing

Research experience

Education

Master's degree with 1 year related experience

Bachelor's degree with 3 years experience

Job description

Position Overview

The Juniper Gardens Children's Project (JGCP), a community-based research center affiliated with the University of Kansas, is seeking a Research Project Manager to work full-time to develop community projects and services that amplify the reach of the center's research and impact. The responsibilities of this position include but are not limited to designing community outreach, dissemination, and marketing channels; developing materials and products for funders, practitioners, and policy makers; coordinating services derived from JGCP's research including managing budgets and expenditures; collaborating with investigators and community partners to plan and host community events; performing a variety of administrative and facilities management tasks; assisting with writing proposals and popular press articles; conducting internal and programmatic evaluations and other types of assessments; and crafting impact and financial reports. The position is at JGCP, located in downtown Kansas City, Kansas in the Children's Campus of Kansas City building: 444 Minnesota Ave, Suite 300, Kansas City, KS 66101.

40% Project Coordination, Execution, Support and Evaluation:

• Coordinate the dissemination of new materials, channels, services, and products using effective and innovative marketing concepts and strategies.
• Oversee the projects' logistics such as scheduling, identifying space, curating resources, staffing, and purchasing.
• Review, track, and maintain invoices.
• Support JGCP investigators when interacting with local, regional, and international partners.
• Provide training and technical assistance.
• Organize center and community events.
• Conduct and coordinate project evaluations and impact reporting.
• Oversee the center's adherence to internal and external policies and regulations.

30% Administrative and Facilities Management:

• Create and maintain a welcoming environment for staff and visitors.
• Manage internal and external communications.
• Supervise the distribution of US mail and campus mail.
• Oversee the maintenance of the building, including the center's space, equipment, supplies, and facilities.
• Coordinate with outside vendors for building maintenance.
• Manage subleasing tenants, including agreements, onboarding, and communication.
• Provide literature review, copy editing, proof reading, referencing, presenting, and formatting support to investigators.
• Assist with scheduling, purchasing, and financial transactions, as needed.
• Assist with project management, as needed.
• Monitor the investigators' regulatory requirements and needed trainings.

25% Project Development:

• Develop fee-for-service business plans, services, and products.
• Develop dissemination and implementation materials and channels.
• Develop budgets and a coordinated budget model.
• Develop requests for proposals and review applications.
• Develop and maintain manuals of operations and other procedural guides.
• Develop marketing campaigns using state-of-the-art marketing strategies.
• Develop plans for project evaluation and impact reporting.

5% Other Duties as Assigned

Position Requirements

1. This position will be a hybrid of primarily on-site work and minimal telework, as deemed by the supervisor.

Required Qualifications

1. Master's degree with one year related experience or a bachelor's degree with three years experience.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Experience in higher education, a non-profit organization, or related field/sector.
2. Doctoral degree.
3. Property management experience.
4. Research experience.
5. Experience writing and editing.
6. Strong organizational and multitasking skills as evidenced by experience.
7. Experience in business or finance.
8. Experience in marketing or public relations.
9. Experience developing new projects based on community need.
10. Experience maintaining confidentiality regarding sensitive personnel issues.
11. Skills in complex problem solving, including data-based decision making as evidenced by experience.
12. Experience with working collaboratively with other individuals.

Additional Candidate Instructions

In addition to the online application, the following documents are required to be considered for this position:

1. A cover letter addressing how required and preferred qualifications are met and indicating how you see your particular skills set and prior experience contributing to the research at JGCP.
2. Resume or curriculum vitae.
3. Contact information for three (3) professional references.

Review of applications will begin Monday, November 16, 2026, and continue until a qualified applicant pool has been identified.

Contact Information to Applicants

If you have questions about the position, you may email Dr. Spencer at [e-mail]. If you have questions about the application process, you may contact Diana Skill at [e-mail].

Advertised Salary Range

Begins at $69,500

Application Review Begins

Monday November 16, 2026

Anticipated Start Date

Monday January 4, 2027