Tech Grove Project Manager

Central Florida Tech Grove:

The Central Florida Tech Grove is a nationally recognized hub for defense innovation, connecting the Department of War with industry, academia, and entrepreneurs. Located within Orlando’s world-class modeling and simulation ecosystem, Tech Grove accelerates technology transition through collaboration, challenge-based programs, and startup engagement. It serves as both a physical space and virtual platform for solving mission-critical defense challenges. Tech Grove plays a key role in expanding the defense industrial base and driving applied research with real-world impact. UCF’s leadership of Tech Grove helps advance national security, innovation, and regional economic growth.

For more information, visit the Central Florida Tech Grove website.

The Opportunity:

Join the team behind one of the nation's premier defense innovation hubs. As a Project Manager II with Central Florida Tech Grove, you'll lead high-impact projects that bring together government, industry, academia, and entrepreneurs to solve real-world challenges, accelerate emerging technologies, and strengthen national security. This is a unique opportunity to help transform innovative ideas into mission-driven solutions with national significance.

Classification Title: Administrative Project Manager II

Responsibilities:

Project Leadership and Stakeholder Engagement

• Lead assigned projects and initiatives involving internal and external stakeholders, including UCF, Tech Grove, government agencies, industry, universities, non-profits, and entrepreneurs.
• Identify, define, and maintain relationships with key project stakeholders and decision-makers.
• Establish and maintain clear, consistent communication channels throughout the project lifecycle.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for assigned projects and facilitate effective coordination among stakeholders.
• Proactively identify stakeholder needs, concerns, dependencies, and potential conflicts and develop strategies to address them.
• Build and maintain strong working relationships with government customers, sponsors, partners, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Provide regular project updates, briefings, and recommendations to Tech Grove Management and other senior stakeholders.
  

Project Scope and Objectives Definition

• Lead the development, documentation, and ongoing management of project scope, objectives, milestones, deliverables, and success criteria.
• Collaborate with stakeholders to translate strategic priorities and customer requirements into actionable project plans.

• Ensure project activities remain aligned with approved objectives, requirements, contracts, and stakeholder expectations.

• Identify and manage scope changes, dependencies, and competing priorities.

• Evaluate proposed changes and coordinate appropriate approvals before implementing adjustments to project scope, schedule, resources, or deliverables.

• Maintain focus on project outcomes while minimizing unnecessary scope variance.

Project Planning and Resource Management

• Develop comprehensive project plans identifying required personnel, resources, facilities, technology, vendors, and other requirements.
• Independently coordinate and manage resources necessary to achieve project objectives.
• Monitor resource utilization throughout the project lifecycle and make recommendations to optimize efficiency and effectiveness.
• Identify resource constraints, conflicts, and obstacles and develop solutions within established authority.
• Escalate issues requiring management decisions with appropriate analysis and recommended courses of action.
• Coordinate cross-functional teams and ensure resources remain aligned with project priorities.
• Maintain accountability for project execution and keep project teams focused on approved objectives.

Project Schedule Development and Management

• Develop, maintain, and manage detailed project schedules that identify tasks, milestones, dependencies, deliverables, and deadlines.
• Establish realistic timelines in coordination with project stakeholders and team members.
• Monitor project progress and proactively identify schedule risks, delays, and dependencies.
• Develop and implement recovery strategies when project milestones are at risk.
• Communicate schedule variances and recommended corrective actions to Tech Grove Management in a timely manner.
• Ensure project teams remain accountable for assigned tasks and deliverables.
• Maintain minimal variance from approved project objectives, milestones, and deadlines.
  

Risk, Issue, and Change Management

• Proactively identify, assess, document, and manage project risks throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop mitigation and contingency strategies for identified risks.
• Maintain visibility of project issues, dependencies, decisions, and action items.
• Facilitate resolution of project issues and escalate significant risks or decisions to Tech Grove Management as appropriate.
• Evaluate the potential impact of proposed changes to project scope, schedule, resources, budget, and deliverables.
• Maintain appropriate documentation of project decisions, approvals, and changes.

Social Media and Email Campaign Management

• Develop and maintain social media content for LinkedIn, Instagram, Facebook, X, and other applicable platforms to promote Tech Grove projects, programs, events, and initiatives.
• Coordinate project-related social media campaigns and ensure consistent messaging and engagement.
• Obtain required Tech Grove Management and Government Public Affairs Office (PAO) approvals for applicable content.
• Develop and execute project-related email campaigns using HubSpot, ensuring timely and relevant communications with customers, partners, and stakeholders.
• Analyze social media and email campaign performance and provide recommendations to improve outreach, engagement, and stakeholder participation.
• Coordinate communications activities with broader project objectives and organizational priorities.

Project Team Leadership and Vendor Management

• Lead and coordinate project teams, ensuring team members understand project objectives, responsibilities, timelines, and deliverables.
• Provide direction and coordination to project staff, facilitators, contractors, vendors, and other project resources as assigned.
• Establish accountability mechanisms to monitor completion of assigned responsibilities.
• Coordinate with external vendors, suppliers, subcontractors, and service providers to ensure contractual deliverables and performance expectations are met.
• Monitor vendor performance, schedules, deliverables, and potential issues.
• Identify obstacles to project execution and develop recommendations for strategic solutions.
• Coordinate approved solutions and corrective actions to maintain project progress.

Project Documentation, Reporting, and Performance Management

• Maintain comprehensive and accurate project documentation throughout the project lifecycle.
• Develop project status reports, executive briefings, dashboards, presentations, and other project communications as required.
• Track project performance against established objectives, milestones, budgets, and key performance indicators.
• Develop and maintain project metrics and performance measures to assess progress and outcomes.
• Prepare information and recommendations for leadership decision-making.
• Ensure project records and documentation are maintained in accordance with applicable UCF, contractual, and government requirements.

Project Closure and Continuous Improvement

• Lead project closeout activities and ensure all project objectives, deliverables, contractual requirements, and stakeholder expectations have been addressed.
• Review project outcomes with Tech Grove Management and key stakeholders.
• Complete all required organizational, contractual, financial, and project documentation.
• Conduct post-project reviews and develop lessons learned.
• Identify opportunities for process improvements, operational efficiencies, and improved project delivery.
• Recommend and implement approved improvements to project management processes, tools, and practices.
• Apply lessons learned to future Tech Grove projects and initiatives.

Other Duties

• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned by Tech Grove Management.

Minimum Qualifications: 

Bachelor's or Master's degree and 4+ years of relevant experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience pursuant to Fla. Stat. 112.219(6).

Preferred Qualifications:

• Extensive experience in project and program management, including scope definition, resource allocation, risk mitigation, scheduling, and full lifecycle execution.
• Demonstrated experience leading programs and initiatives, including strategy development, implementation, and performance tracking.
• Proven ability to partner with leadership and cross-functional stakeholders to align operational priorities with organizational goals and drive measurable outcomes.
• Familiarity with U.S. military culture, traditions, and customs gained through military service, ROTC participation, professional experience, or other relevant exposure.
• Strong background in data-driven decision-making, including development of KPIs, dashboards, and reporting frameworks to monitor program performance and inform strategy.
• Demonstrated success in facilitating meetings, including steering committees, and preparing high-quality briefing materials and reports.
• Ability to build and manage networks or teams, including facilitators, project staff, or regional program leaders.
• Proven track record of driving process improvements and operational efficiencies.
• Strong communication and relationship-building skills.
• Proficiency with project management, customer relationship management (CRM), design, and AI-powered productivity tools, such as Microsoft Project, Canva, ChatGPT, Claude, or similar platforms.

Special Instructions to the Applicants:

The anticipated salary range for this position is $64,518 to $80,648. The final salary will be determined based on the candidate's qualifications, experience, and internal equity considerations.

If you are selected as the final candidate for an employment opportunity here at UCF, both your position and salary will be significantly based upon the information that you have provided in your application for employment. We urge you to please take the time to complete the application in its entirety.

This role may require access to secure facilities or classified information. Selected candidate must meet all federal security requirements, which may include obtaining a U.S. Government security clearance.

All applicants must be authorized to work for any U.S. employer. Visa sponsorship is not available for this position, and the university cannot accommodate H 1B transfers or employment-based visa processing for individuals currently sponsored by another employer.

This is a Contract and Grant (C&G) funded position. Employment is subject to availability of funding and may cease at the time funding for this employment is depleted.

Classification Title: Administrative Project Manager II

Are you ready to unleash YOUR potential?

As a next-generation public research university and Forbes-ranked top employer in Florida, we are a community of thinkers, doers, creators, innovators, healers, and leaders striving to create broader prosperity and help shape a better future. No matter what your role is, when you join Knight Nation, you’ll play an integral role at one of the most impactful universities in the country. You’ll be met with opportunities to connect and collaborate with talented faculty, staff, and students across 12 colleges and multiple campuses, engaging in impactful work that makes a positive difference. Your time at UCF will provide you with many meaningful opportunities to grow, you’ll work alongside talented colleagues on complex projects that will challenge you and help you gain new skills, and you’ll have countless rewarding experiences that go well beyond a paycheck. 

Working at UCF has its perks! UCF offers:

• Benefit packages, including Medical, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, Flexible Spending, and Employee Assistance Program   

• Paid time off, including annual and sick time off and paid holidays  

• Retirement savings options   

• Employee discounts, including tickets to many Orlando attractions   

• Education assistance   

• And more…For more benefits information, view the UCF Employee Benefits Guide. 

Dive into our Total Rewards Calculator to discover the diverse selection available to you, giving you a glimpse into the benefits that together shape your comprehensive rewards package at UCF. 

Unless explicitly stated on the job posting, it is UCF’s expectation that an employee of UCF will reside in Florida as of the date the employment begins. 

Additional Requirements related to Research Positions:

Pursuant to Florida State Statute 1010.35, prior to offering employment to certain individuals in research-related positions, UCF is required to conduct additional screening. Applicants subject to additional screening include any citizen of a foreign country who is not a permanent resident of the U.S., or who is a citizen or permanent resident but is affiliated with or has had at least 1 year of education, employment, or training in China, Cuba, Iran, Russia, North Korea, Syria, or Venezuela. 

The additional screening requirements only apply to research-related positions, including, but not limited to faculty, graduate positions, individuals compensated by research grants or contract funds, postdoctoral positions, undergraduate positions, visiting assistant professors, and visiting research associates.

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The University of Central Florida is an equal opportunity employer that does not discriminate against any employee or applicant for employment based on any characteristic protected by law.  The University maintains programs for protected veterans and individuals with disabilities in accordance with all applicable federal and state laws.

As a Florida public university, the University of Central Florida makes all application materials and selection procedures available to the public upon request.  

UCF is proud to be a smoke-free campus and an E-Verify employer. 

For general application or posting questions, please email [email protected].

If an accommodation due to a disability is needed to apply for this position, please email [email protected].