Technical program manager Jobs in Ann Arbor, MI

Manager of Operations for the UROP Center

The UROP Center for Research, Scholarly, and Creative Inquiry is seeking a Manager of Operations for the Center. The ideal candidate will be comfortable working in an environment where priorities and deadlines often overlap and shift. A creative-minded individual who can contribute ideas through critical thinking and problem-solving is highly valued. Orientation to detail, superb planning capacity, and a strong ability to work both independently and without guidance as well as collaboratively with multiple teammates are necessary skills for this role.

The position reports directly to the Director of Student Experience. This role serves as the essential "connective tissue" between the high-level vision of the Director of Student Experience and the ground-level execution of the Peer Facilitators. The Student Program Manager supports the Director of Student Experience by:

• Curricular Integration & Innovation: Reviewing seminar materials to ensure they include "Creative Inquiry" (arts/humanities) perspectives, not just traditional STEM methods.
• Data-Driven Iteration: Collecting and synthesizing feedback from students to tell the Director exactly which modules are landing and which need a redesign.

Support for Peer Facilitators (PFs)

The Student Program Manager acts as a mentor and operational lead for the PF cohort, who are the "face" of the Center:

• Standardized Training: Developing a "Success Toolkit" for PFs to ensure a consistent experience across different research tracks.
• Conflict Resolution: Serving as the first point of contact for PFs facing classroom management issues or student engagement hurdles.
• Professional Development: Organizing "Train the Trainer" sessions that help PFs translate their teaching experience into resume-ready skills.

Responsibilities*

• Curricular Integration & Innovation: (15%) Collaborates with the Director of Student Experience to architect and implement multidisciplinary scholarship frameworks, specifically adapting traditional research methodologies to encompass the 'Creative Inquiry' requirements of the Arts and Humanities cohorts.
• UROP Enrollment Support: (20%) Acts as the primary point of contact for student withdrawals and enrollment concerns.
• Instructional Leadership & PF Oversight: (20%) Work with the Director to spearhead the recruitment, onboarding, and pedagogical training of Peer Facilitators; serves as the primary instructional coach to ensure grading consistency and classroom engagement standards across UROP sponsored seminars.
• Programmatic Operations & Scaling: (15%) Evaluates and optimizes departmental workflows to support the Center's expansion, utilizing data analytics to monitor student retention and research placement success rates across the University.
• Stakeholder Liaison & Advocacy: (5%) Acts as the primary liaison between the Center and diverse academic units to facilitate high-impact research partnerships, exercising independent judgment to align student skills with faculty scholarship needs.
• Assists with UROP Student Employment (15%) Maintains and manages student employment/student research assistants. Serves as a liaison and collaborator with the U-M Office of Financial Aid, U-M Human Resources, and the U-M Shared Services Center on student employment. Leads UROP HR activities, including creating and disseminating the process payments for temporary employees. Ensures UROP Center is following all processes and protocols of University student employment.
• Coordinates UROP STEM Summer Fellowship Programs (10%) Oversees and coordinates the Engineering and Biomedical Summer Research Fellowships, including recruitment/admission of students and planning professional seminars.

Required Qualifications*

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Three or more years of progressively responsible experience administering academic, research, student-success, or co-curricular programs.
• Experience developing and delivering curricula, seminars, workshops, or other structured learning experiences for college students.
• Experience training, supervising, mentoring, or coaching student employees, peer educators, instructors, or comparable staff.
• Demonstrated project-management skills, including the ability to manage competing priorities and coordinate work across multiple stakeholders.
• Experience collecting and interpreting qualitative and quantitative data to evaluate programs and recommend improvements.
• Excellent written, verbal, organizational, and interpersonal communication skills.
• Demonstrated commitment to inclusive educational practices and to supporting students from diverse backgrounds and academic disciplines.
• Ability to exercise discretion and independent judgment when handling sensitive student, personnel, and employment matters.

Desired Qualifications*

• Master's degree in higher education, student affairs, education, curriculum and instruction, organizational leadership, or a related field.
• Experience with undergraduate research, experiential learning, fellowship, or academic enrichment programs.
• College-level teaching and course-development experience.
• Experience supervising or coaching peer educators and promoting consistency across multiple course sections.
• Experience integrating creative inquiry, arts, or humanities perspectives into research-oriented curricula.
• Experience administering student employment, financial aid, stipends, or fellowship payments.
• Familiarity with University of Michigan students, HR, financial aid, or shared-services systems.
• Experience coordinating summer research programs and using assessment data to improve student outcomes.

Why Work at Michigan?

In addition to a career filled with purpose and opportunity, the University of Michigan offers a comprehensive benefits package to help you stay well, protect yourself and your family and plan for a secure future. Benefits include:

• Generous time off, including vacation time, sick time, holiday and season days
• A retirement plan that provides two-for-one matching contributions with immediate vesting
• Many choices for comprehensive health insurance
• Life insurance
• Long-term disability coverage
• Flexible spending accounts for healthcare and dependent care expenses

In addition, the college of Literature, Science, and the Arts (LSA) offers:

• Enhanced tuition support programs for LSA courses
• Strong commitment to work/life balance
• Flexible work arrangements with respect to campus stakeholder needs

Being part of something greater, of serving a larger mission of discovery and care - that's the heart of what drives people to work at Michigan. In some way, great or small, every person here helps to advance this world-class institution. It's adding a purpose to your profession. Work at Michigan and become a victor for the greater good.

Modes of Work

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile/remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time, and for any reason, throughout the course of employment. Learn more about the work modes.

Additional Information

As one of the world's great liberal arts colleges, LSA pushes the boundaries of what is understood about the human experience and the natural world, and we foster the next generation of rigorous and empathetic thinkers, creators, and contributors to the state of Michigan, the nation, and the world. To learn more about LSA's Mission, Vision and Values, please visit

Union Affiliation

This position is included in the bargaining unit represented by the University Staff United (USU), which represents bargaining unit members in all matters with respect to wages, benefits, hours and other terms and conditions of employment.

Background Screening

The University of Michigan conducts background checks on all job candidates upon acceptance of a contingent offer and may use a third party administrator to conduct background checks. Background checks are performed in compliance with the Fair Credit Reporting Act.

Application Deadline

Job openings are posted for a minimum of seven calendar days. The review and selection process may begin as early as the eighth day after posting. This opening may be removed from posting boards and filled any time after the minimum posting period has ended.

U-M EEO Statement

The University of Michigan is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect where equal employment opportunities are available to all applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.