Program/Project Manager

The Company

Belay Diagnostics is an innovative, clinical lab working to transform the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors. Our mission is to serve patients and those who care for them. Belay Diagnostics is an innovative cancer diagnostics startup working to transform the diagnosis and treatment of brain and spinal cord tumors. Utilizing next-generation sequencing (NGS), our cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) testing platform detects arm level chromosomal alterations and mutations, enabling diagnostic insights to help guide clinical decisions. At Belay, we are growing rapidly, having recently launched our first product. Join a passionate, fast-paced team dedicated to reshaping cancer diagnostics. This is an exciting opportunity to be part of a mission-driven company with ample room for career growth and advancement.

All applicants must be legally authorized to work in the U.S.    

Employment Type

Full-time

Compensation

$90k base salary annually

Job Location

Onsite - Chicago, IL

The Role
The Project/Program Manager will design, build, and implement project management methodology and processes to help ensure Belay achieves its ambitious commitments to the scientific community. In this role, the individual will develop and direct the strategic planning of multiple projects, oversee the coordination of stakeholders and resources, ensure the systems drive accountability, and drive resource prioritization. They will work closely with department leads to implement processes and create standards to achieve better quality, consistency, and oversight of projects across the departments. This individual will have a proven track record of successful project delivery, an ability to develop project management practices from the ground up, and exceptional team facilitation experience. 

Location:                                             Chicago, IL

Number of Employees:                       ~50

Reports to:                                          Associate Director of Business Operations

Major responsibilities

• Lead the management, performance, and completion of multiple concurrent projects that integrate timelines and activities across functional areas.
• Design and implement dashboards to visualize project status, timelines, risks, and project KPIs
• Determine stakeholder requirements and develop comprehensive project plans, including schedules, resource allocations, status reports, and progress tracking.
• Manage project scope and maintain effective and transparent documentation.
• Assemble and lead project teams, assign individual responsibilities, and coordinate team activities to achieve project goals and deliverables.
• Conduct and lead project meetings, including agenda setting, material preparation, recording meeting minutes, decision-making, and task assignment.
• Support quarterly and year-end reporting by consolidating project data, analyzing performance against KPIs, and preparing executive-level summaries and insights

Identify and assess issues, risks, and interdependencies and escalate appropriately.

• Prepare communications & presentations for a variety of audiences, including senior leadership.
• Build mutual trust, encourage respect and cooperation among team members, facilitate consensus building, and work across differing work styles.
• Respectfully hold people accountable for their project roles and deliverables.
• Serve as a role model for cross-functional collaboration and effectively achieving measurable objectives.

Position requirements and experience

• Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, lab science, business administration, or a related field
• 3-5 years of project management experience; healthcare environment preferred
• Project Management Professional (PMP) or evidence of robust PM experience
• Experience in a startup environment
• Knowledge of both theoretical and practical aspects of project management techniques and tools
• Strong technical experience, leveraging digital PM tools; SmartSheet experience a plus
• Excellent interpersonal, written, and verbal communication skills; strong presenter
• Effective relationship-building and stakeholder management skills
• Strong team orientation and comfortable working cross-functionally at all levels of the organization
• Demonstrated initiative, problem-solving, and conflict-resolution skills
• Strong organizational, planning, and follow-up skills with an attention to detail and an ability to bring structure to the project environment
• Experience with data management software, including Microsoft Project, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Visio

Personal characteristics and cultural fit

• Passionate & energetic
• Collaborative
• Comfortable with ambiguity, this is a fast-paced environment
• Sophisticated and professional demeanor
• Ability to think strategically as well as function in a hands-on capacity
• Problem-solver; solutions-oriented