Project Manager

Belong to something. Believe in something. Strive for something. UHP creates professionals, builds leaders, and reveals purpose. We’re looking for people to join our team who believe this mission is worth showing up for every day.

UHP is a veteran-focused education and leadership development organization based on a scenic 800-acre campus in Northwest Arkansas.

The UHP School of Health & Performance offers program tracks in personal training, health coaching, and culinary nutrition. At the UHP Skilled Trades Institute, students earn the certifications necessary to launch careers in high-demand trades. Leadership development is baked into every program.

We also work with a network of employer and industry partners to open career pathways for our graduates. While we can't guarantee employment, everything we do is designed to give service members and veterans a real path toward meaningful careers.

Why UHP

At UHP, you are joining more than a company — you are helping build something designed to create lasting impact.

You will have the opportunity to:

• Contribute to a mission larger than yourself

Role Overview

As the Project Manager, CDL Program and Regulatory Compliance you will be hnds in a builder's role. You will launch the CDL program at the Ignite Skilled Trades Institute, starting with a veteran pilot cohort in partnership with Walmart Transportation, targeted for February 2027. After launch, you keep the program compliant and audit-ready, cohort after cohort.

At the center of the role is the program's regulatory data. CDL training is one of the most closely regulated programs a school can offer, and you will own the systems of record that prove compliance to the Arkansas Division of Higher Education, the Federal Motor Carrier Safety Administration, the Arkansas State Police and employer partners. CDL or transportation experience is a plus, but not required. This is not a traditional project management role.

Key Responsibilities

LAUNCH & DELIVERY

• Own the integrated launch plan and tracker for the CDL pilot: every workstream, owner, dependency, gate and deadline.

• Run the cadence: weekly standups, weekly sessions with Walmart Transportation, and formal go/no-go gate reviews.

• Track the critical path, raise early warnings, and bring options to leadership before a deadline is missed.

• Coordinate readiness across facilities, the training range, equipment, insurance, staffing, curriculum and admissions, including the pre-launch dry run and mock audit.

REGULATORY FILINGS & APPROVALS

• Prepare and submit Arkansas Division of Higher Education (ADHE) filings, including program and site applications, instructor registrations, and surety bond and Student Protection Fund documentation.

• Manage the program's FMCSA Training Provider Registry account and the third-party skills-testing authority application.

• Coordinate with the Arkansas State Police and the Department of Finance and Administration on CLP, knowledge-test and skills-test workflows and testing capacity for each cohort.

• Keep a master regulatory calendar of every filing, renewal and expiration date, and never let one lapse.

REGULATORY DATA & RECORDS

• Build the systems of record that prove compliance, so any student, instructor or vehicle file can be produced within one business day.

• Submit every ELDT completion to the FMCSA Training Provider Registry by the federal deadline (midnight of the second business day after completion) and keep proof of each submission.

• Maintain student, instructor, vehicle and range files, and set and enforce retention, privacy and data-security standards.

• Prepare for scheduled and unannounced audits, including covert audits and route checks for third-party testers.

PARTNERS & STAKEHOLDERS

• Serve as the day-to-day project contact for Walmart Transportation and other employer partners, coordinating plans, credentials and handoff assessments.

• Work with insurers, brokers, equipment providers, permit services and vendors to meet launch dates.

• Work with the Program Coordinator, who owns scheduling, purchasing and inventory across the trades, so launch and compliance deadlines stay with this role.

• Write clear briefings, status updates and decision memos for the Head of School, executive leadership and partners.

RISK, BUDGET & REPORTING

• Publish a weekly status report covering gates, risks, decisions needed and progress against plan.

• Keep the decision log, risk register and action items current, with a named owner and due date on every item.

• Track spending against the approved budget, and manage vendor deliverables and invoices against scope.

• Report program metrics: enrollment, completion, CDL pass rates, placement, Registry timeliness and compliance findings.

SUSTAIN & SCALE

• Keep every cohort compliant from enrollment through Registry submission, skills testing and employer handoff.

• Lead an after-action review after each cohort and turn lessons into updated procedures and checklists.

• Write and maintain standard operating procedures for every regulatory process this role owns, and stay current on FMCSA, ADHE and DOT changes.

• Build repeatable launch playbooks for future cohorts, Class B, additional states, the Diesel Mechanic program and new employer partners.

Qualifications

REQUIRED

• Bachelor's degree in business, education, public administration, supply chain, logistics or a related field, or equivalent professional or military experience.

• Three or more years managing projects or programs with multiple workstreams, outside dependencies and hard deadlines.

• Two or more years in a regulated environment, such as education licensing, transportation or DOT compliance, healthcare, government contracting, or military operations and logistics.

• Experience preparing and submitting applications, filings or audit documentation to a government agency or accrediting body.

• Records management that holds up under audit: accurate, organized and complete.

• Advanced skill with Excel or Google Sheets, plus experience with project management and document management tools.

• Valid driver's license and the ability to pass a background check.

• Ability to work full-time onsite in Gentry, Arkansas. Candidates must live within a reasonable commute of Gentry or be willing to relocate to Northwest Arkansas.

PREFERRED

• PMP, CAPM or equivalent project management certification.

• Experience with FMCSA Entry-Level Driver Training (ELDT) rules and the Training Provider Registry.

• Experience in a CDL school, motor carrier safety department or fleet compliance role (driver qualification files, Drug and Alcohol Clearinghouse, DOT inspections).

• Experience with state postsecondary licensing (ADHE or similar), VA State Approving Agency approvals or WIOA training-provider listings.

• Commercial Driver's License (Class A or B).

• Military service, especially in logistics, transportation or operations planning, or experience working with veterans and transitioning service members.

LEADERSHIP & ANALYTICAL COMPETENCIES

• Clear, concise writing for agency filings, status reports and leadership briefings.

• Ability to manage vendors, consultants and partners you don't supervise, and hold them to dates.

• Discretion with confidential student and personnel information.

• Turns a long list of agency requirements into a calendar, a checklist and a clean file.

• Spots risk early and brings options to leadership, not just problems.

Cultural Fit

• Genuine passion for veteran transition and human development.

• Comfort operating outside traditional corporate, academic, or military structures.

• Willingness to build something new rather than maintain something established.

• Ability to thrive in a fast-moving, mission-driven, high-accountability environment.

• Respect for the coaching profession and elite performance culture; service-oriented leadership mindset.

• Commitment to a healthy lifestyle and to modeling the human-performance principles our trade students learn as part of the curriculum.

Schedule & Environment

Flexibility is required based on campus operational needs, including varying shifts, occasional weekends, and instructional coverage across the 800+ acre campus. This role is based primarily on the Gentry campus and requires interaction with students, coaches, and leadership teams in a fast-paced, immersive human-performance and coaching environment. Attendance at executive strategy sessions and leadership meetings in our Bentonville office is required on a periodic basis.

UHP campuses are alcohol-, drug-, and tobacco-free.

TOTAL REWARDS

Compensation & Benefits

• Compensation: $70,000 – $80,000 annually, based on experience

• 401(k)

• Health, dental, and vision insurance

• Paid time off

• Professional development support

• Access to UHP performance and recovery facilities

Equal Employment Opportunity

UHP is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, veteran or military status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.