POSITION OVERVIEW
A member of the Flinn Foundation Bioscience Team, the Program Manager, Bioscience Roadmap and Research plays a central role in the Foundation's work to strengthen Arizona's bioscience ecosystem. This position sits at the intersection of research program management, ecosystem intelligence, and strategic coordination—supporting the Foundation's bioscience grantmaking, stewarding the ongoing implementation of Arizona's Bioscience Roadmap, and building the data infrastructure and stakeholder relationships that allow the Foundation to act as an informed, effective partner to Arizona's bioscience community.
The role requires someone who is equally confident reviewing a research portfolio and facilitating a cross-sector working group; someone who can synthesize complex information and manage multiple projects with competing timelines; someone who can communicate clearly with scientists, institutional leaders, and industry, government, and philanthropic partners alike.
This is a full-time, exempt, salaried position. The position pays a minimum of $90,000 per year, with comprehensive benefits, including paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave; health insurance; and retirement plan. (See additional information below.)
HOW TO APPLY
Applications must be submitted via email to [email protected]. Applicants should submit (1) a resume and (2) a cover letter explaining their interest in and alignment with the position. The cover letter should include a current email address and phone number.
RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES
Bioscience Roadmap Implementation & Coordination
- Support advancing the goals of Arizona's Bioscience Roadmap, including implementation of its recommended strategies and actions and coordinating Roadmap Steering Committee activities, including membership development, meeting planning and execution, and stakeholder communications.
- Track and report progress against Roadmap goals, synthesizing data from multiple sources to produce dashboards, status updates, and briefings for leadership and Steering Committee members.
- Facilitate relationships with universities, research institutes, industry and economic-development groups, state agencies, and Foundation consultants, while monitoring emerging developments across Arizona's bioscience ecosystem.
Research Program Management
- Manage components of the Foundation’s bioscience grants portfolio, building relationships with grantees, resolving issues as they arise, and tracking progress against set goals and milestones.
- Developing collateral and compiling reports to communicate the Foundation's strategic priorities to internal and external stakeholders.
- Conduct due-diligence research and landscape analyses to identify and inform invitational grant opportunities and strategic investments across the portfolio.
Convening, Communication, and External Coordination
- Support the Foundation's convening role by planning and executing forums, meetings, and working sessions that unite stakeholders around the Foundation’s bioscience priorities.
- Prepare briefings, summaries, presentations, and talking points and represent the Foundation at bioscience events, conferences, and stakeholder meetings as appropriate.
- Contribute to external communications about bioscience programs, including website and social-media content, board reports, and publications.
Foundation Responsibilities
- Contribute to Foundation-wide initiatives, planning processes, and special projects as needed.
- Undertake other tasks as assigned and contribute to cooperative and collegial shared responsibility for fostering excellence at the Foundation.
- Foster the mission and values of the Flinn Foundation, including a commitment to inclusive excellence across internal practices, engagement with the community, and philanthropic activities.
- Pursue professional development (continuing education and relevant association membership) in areas of professional relevance responsibility.
SKILLS AND ABILITIES
Required
- Demonstrated familiarity with Arizona's bioscience ecosystem—its institutions, research strengths, industry landscape, and/or policy environment.
- Knowledge of translational-research processes, clinical-development pathways, and bioscience commercialization.
- Experience supporting governance bodies, such as steering committees, advisory boards, or boards of directors.
- Fluency with data visualization and/or knowledge-management tools used to communicate ecosystem or portfolio information.
- Ability to maintain a high level of discretion with confidential information.
- Professional manner and demonstrated ability to work successfully with staff and diverse constituencies.
- Skill in efficient meeting scheduling and management.
- Skill in planning and staging formal meetings and events.
- Demonstrated technical skills, including use of Microsoft 365 applications, AI platforms, social media, and other software tools, or capacity to learn and demonstrate proficiency.
- General experience with and understanding of database software.
Preferred
- Experience building and maintaining external relationships with institutional, industry, and/or government partners.
- Excellent written and oral communication skills, with the ability to adapt content for scientific, philanthropic, policy, and lay audiences.
- Strong analytical skills, including experience synthesizing data from multiple sources and producing clear written summaries, reports, and presentations.
- Strong proficiencies in program management, research management, and grantmaking.
KEY COMPETENCIES
- Strategic orientation: Sees beyond immediate tasks to understand how individual projects connect to broader organizational goals and ecosystem dynamics.
- Project-management discipline: Manages timelines, stakeholders, and deliverables with rigor; follows through reliably and flags issues early.
- Intellectual curiosity: Engages deeply with complex scientific and policy material; stays current on developments in the bioscience field.
- Relationship stewardship: Builds trust with diverse partners—researchers, entrepreneurs, executives, and community leaders—through consistent, respectful engagement.
- Communication: Translates complexity into clear, purposeful prose and presentations; writes with precision and adapts well to different audiences.
- Builder mentality: Takes initiative to create structure and tools where they don't yet exist; comfortable iterating toward better solutions.
- Mission alignment: Genuinely committed to Arizona's future and to the idea that a strong bioscience ecosystem improves quality of life for all Arizonans.
EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE
- Post-baccalaureate degree required in life sciences, health and/or science policy, health administration, or a related field, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
- Five or more years of experience required in a foundation, research institute, technology-transfer office, industry, economic-development organization, science-policy context or other related organization.
PHYSICAL AND OTHER REQUIREMENTS
- Prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer.
- Prolonged periods of standing and walking.
- Must be able to lift up to 20 pounds at times.
- Valid U.S. driver license.
- Current auto insurance on personal vehicles.
ABOUT THE FLINN FOUNDATION
The Flinn Foundation is a private philanthropic foundation with grantmaking and programmatic areas that include arts and culture, bioscience, civic leadership, and education. The Flinn Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. More information is available at flinn.org/about regarding the Foundation, its values, and its commitment to inclusive excellence.
LOCATION/SCHEDULE
Central Phoenix. This position functions primarily at the Flinn Foundation office. Frequent travel statewide during and outside of normal work hours, with occasional overnight stays.
SALARY AND BENEFITS
The Flinn Foundation provides competitive compensation, commensurate with skills and experience. This position pays a minimum of $90,000 per year.
The Foundation provides paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave; and comprehensive benefits that include:
- Health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance
- 403(b) matching retirement plan
- Employee assistance program
- Tuition reimbursement
Job Type: Full-time
Pay: From $90,000.00 per year
Benefits:
- Dental insurance
- Employee assistance program
- Flexible spending account
- Health insurance
- Health savings account
- Life insurance
- Paid time off
- Parental leave
- Professional development assistance
- Retirement plan
- Tuition reimbursement
- Vision insurance
People with a criminal record are encouraged to apply
Application Question(s):
- Have you read the application-submission instructions? (Applications must be submitted via email to [email protected]. Applicants should submit (1) a
resume and (2) a cover letter explaining their interest in and alignment with the position. The cover letter should include a current email address and phone number.)
Experience:
- Program management: 5 years (Required)
Ability to Commute:
- Phoenix, AZ 85004 (Required)
Work Location: In person
