The program manager supports the strategic and operational success of multiple programmatic areas across the Michigan Consortium for Addressing Rural Education Expansion and Retention (MiCAREER) Resource Hub. MiCAREER is a consortium of universities that includes CMU, EMU, MSU, SVSU and NMU. This role is responsible for coordinating projects, aligning cross\-functional workflows, supporting team members, and ensuring all initiatives move forward on schedule and within scope. The program manager strengthens communication across all grant areas, maintains systems for tracking progress, and ensures high\-quality implementation of organizational priorities.
Required Qualifications
Bachelor’s Degree.
Three years of experience in project or program management, operations, or a related field.
Strong organizational, communication, and time\-management skills.
Proficiency with project management tools.
Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a fast\-paced environment.
Strong problem\-solving skills.
Ability to plan, establish priorities, and manage multiple complex tasks and projects simultaneously.
Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and project a positive attitude.
Ability to perform the essential functions of the position with or without reasonable accommodations.
Preferred Qualifications
Master’s degree.
Three years working in PK\-12 schools, higher education, or a combination thereof.
Experience supporting grant\-funded programs.
Strong data management and documentation skills.
Duties \& Responsibilities
Ensures that project leads establish timelines and yearly scopes of work.
Serves as the communication liaison between project leaders.
Establishes cross project area workflows.
Ensures that team members meet key deadlines.
Tracks progress towards area milestones and objectives.
Plans and schedules key events for the MiCAREER hub.
Updates key materials and organizational documents.
Identifies and tracks organizational problems and set up protocols and procedures for problem\-solving.
Supervises the administrative office assistant III and lead mentor.
Assists the team in processing new applicants in the organizations database.
Performs other duties as assigned.
Supervision Exercised
Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. The Leadership Standards define how we lead and treat others in our teams. As leaders, it is our responsibility to seek input from our teams to continuously improve leadership abilities and demonstration of the standards. Additionally, it is our responsibility to encourage and support the growth and development of those whom we lead. At CMU, we encourage employees to grow both personally and professionally, and thus advance CMU’s culture of excellence.
Message to Applicants
Central Michigan University is dedicated to fostering an environment that is reflective of the communities we serve. We are especially interested in highly qualified candidates who will advance and promote CMU’s mission, vision, and leadership standards.
You must submit an on\-line application in order to be considered as an applicant for this position.
Cover letters may be addressed to the Hiring Committee.
Applicants must submit letters of recommendation. To include recommendation letters, please utilize the Recommendation Letters upload field.
Supervisors are expected to support the Leadership Standards of Central Michigan University and foster a culture that inspires excellence. Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.
Central Michigan University has a Flexible Worksite Policy. Some flexible worksite arrangements may be possible for this position in accordance with this policy.
Even though initial grant funding for this position is scheduled to end on September 30 ,2026, the department has funding set aside to continue this position through September 30, 2028\.
Employee Group Professional \& Administrative \-Salary
Staff Pay Level
Pay Range $60,000 \- $70,000 per year
Division Academic Affairs
Department Teacher \& Special Education
Position Status Provisional
Position End Date 09/30/2026
Employment Status Full\-Time
FTE 1\.0
Position Type 12 month
Weekly Work Schedule Mon\-Fri, 8:00 a.m. \- 5:00 p.m. / weekends and evenings as needed
Location Mount Pleasant, MI
About the Department
About CMU
Central Michigan University has a more than 125\-year legacy of preparing students to become leaders and changemakers in their communities and in their personal and professional lives.
We serve nearly 15,500 students on our Mount Pleasant campus, in satellite locations around the state and throughout the country, and through flexible online programs. Many of our approximately 300 undergraduate, master’s, specialist and doctoral programs in the arts, media, business, education, human services, health professions, liberal arts, social sciences, medicine, science and engineering are nationally ranked for excellence.
CMU leads the nation in leadership development programming through our Sarah R. Opperman Leadership Institute, and we are proud to be among only 5% of U.S. universities in the top two Carnegie research classifications. Our faculty work with graduate and undergraduate students in areas such as Great Lakes research, medical innovation, engineering technology and more.
Central is home to 17 men’s and women’s Division 1 sports including football, basketball, gymnastics, baseball, wrestling and more. Our student\-athletes achieve great success in competition and in the classroom, capturing Mid\-American Conference championships and maintaining an average cumulative GPA of 3\.17\.
CMU is located in Mount Pleasant, a community that blends the best of small\-town living with big\-city amenities. It’s part of the culturally varied and vibrant Great Lakes Bay Region that also includes Saginaw, Bay City, Midland and the state’s largest Native American community, centered on the Saginaw Chippewa Isabella Reservation in Mount Pleasant.
Area residents enjoy the mix of outdoor activities, cultural events, shopping and dining options, and family attractions. Other major Michigan destinations and attractions — Lansing, Grand Rapids, Detroit, Traverse City, wineries, beaches, golf and ski resorts, and many more — are within easy reach of the city’s central location in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula.
CMU employees enjoy access to a nationally recognized wellness program along with health care and benefits that exceed regional, state and national norms.
CMU Leadership Standards
Central Michigan University is a place where we value students and work for their success, where we act as family, and where employees are engaged, appreciated and have extraordinary opportunities to make a difference.
We intentionally maintain and strengthen the hallmark CMU culture that sets us apart from our peers by expecting CMU leaders and employees to model the following Leadership Standards and develop them within their teams.
Please review the Leadership Standards before applying for this position.