CPAESS Program Specialist II

About the Role UCAR is excited to announce a Program Specialist II position with the Cooperative Programs for the Advancement of Earth System Science (CPAESS). This role serves as Event and Travel Team Lead for CPAESS, drawing on strong project management, organizational, and time‑management skills to manage events and travel at the programmatic level. CPAESS’s core themes are Community Building and Scientific Programs. Community Building assembles the scientific community for conferences, workshops, and events. CPAESS provides a comprehensive suite of services to sponsor organizations, including in‑person, virtual, and hybrid meetings, planning and management, financial management, broadcasting capabilities, web development, registration services, digital communications, and a broad range of logistical capacities. In the Scientific Programs theme, CPAESS hosts educational events such as summer schools, institutes, and symposia. CPAESS serves the Earth System Science community in three distinct areas: hiring critical scientific staff through federal and business partnerships; advancing research via postdoctoral, visiting scientist, and internship programs; and building the community by convening and managing summer schools, institutes, conferences, and advisory committees. Job Description Application Deadline: 12:00 am MST, July 24, 2026. Applications are not accepted after this date. Required application materials: Resume Questionnaire – answer the following prompts. Provide 1–3 paragraphs per prompt. Program & Event Management – Describe a time you managed a complex, high‑stakes event or program with a tight timeline and multiple stakeholders. What was your approach to keeping the project on track, and what specific decisions or trade‑offs did you make when things didn’t go as planned? What was the outcome? Team Leadership & Development – Tell us about your experience supervising or leading a team, including performance management. How did you set goals, give feedback, and balance team workload with your own responsibilities? Stakeholder/Partnership Management – Describe a situation where you had to assess a stakeholder’s needs and translate them into a proposal, budget, or plan, especially when expectations or resources shifted. How did you maintain trust and a positive outcome? Background checks are conducted for selected candidates. Work Location Expectations This position is available to candidates seeking in‑person or hybrid (3 days in office, 2 days remote) work. UCAR requires all work to be performed within the United States. What You Will Do Responsibilities include: Program & Event Management Provide high‑level project management of CPAESS events and sub‑awards, including budgets, vendor negotiations, deliverables, and reporting. Manage a portfolio of meetings and sub‑award projects on a day‑to‑day basis, including complex, time‑sensitive deliverables. Drive standardization of project‑management best practices; identify improvement opportunities and recommend actions. Act as Meeting Planner or Travel Coordinator as needed; serve as staff specialist for event and travel support. Team Leadership & Supervision Manage a team of event coordinators and travel arrangers, conducting annual performance evaluations and developing SMART goals. Forecast staffing needs and oversee training, development, and professional growth of team members. Partner with the CPAESS Assistant Director on staffing actions and recommend salaries for promotions and merit increases. Maintain processes that build a diverse and inclusive workforce and workplace environment. Sponsor & Stakeholder Engagement Primary point of contact for assessing sponsor needs, budgets, and new event opportunities. Develop proposals and budgets in collaboration with the CPAESS Assistant Director and leadership team. Represent CPAESS to sponsors and external stakeholders. Who We’d Love to Join Our Team Successful candidates will demonstrate: Education & Experience Bachelor’s degree in science, education, public administration, or a related field. At least 2 years of relevant event and program planning experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience. Desired but not required Certificate in project management (CMP or PMP). Experience with content management software, such as Drupal. Knowledge of travel planning and program management processes, including UCAR’s travel policies. Experience with Cvent Event Management Software. Knowledge of relevant UCAR policies. At least 2 years of supervisory experience. Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities Project Management Demonstrated project‑management skills, including prioritization, risk assessment and mitigation, budgeting, and project accounting; ability to develop a risk‑management strategy and report status to CPAESS stakeholders. Advanced skill in organizing, coordinating, and prioritizing tasks across multiple deadlines while maintaining quality and quantitative standards. Core competencies: initiative, communication, critical thinking, creativity, analytical reasoning, and process management. Understanding of government contracts management processes; ability to work with UCAR Contracts personnel to meet contractual needs. Supervision Demonstrated ability to supervise work, apply policies, and handle confidential information with discretion. Skill in identifying program opportunities and problems and recommending actions. Event Planning & Technical Knowledge of event planning and logistics, including AV equipment, onsite support for in‑person events, and online meeting/registration platforms; experience with Zoom, WebEx, and Slido. Proficiency with business software: Google Apps, Concur travel and expense management, and standard word processing, database, presentation, and spreadsheet tools. Experience developing events, proposals, and budgets in partnership with steering committees. Other Professional and collegial attitude when managing stressful timelines and complex programmatic situations. Adaptability to a changing work environment. Excellent interpersonal skills and teamwork in diverse groups. Proven ability to develop and foster positive stakeholder relationships. Advanced oral communication skills; proficient written English communication, including drafting, editing, and proofreading complex materials for clarity. Ability to travel when required (4‑6 domestic trips per year, up to a week per trip). Benefits Overview Medical, Dental, Vision, and short‑ and long‑term disability insurance. Generous retirement plan – UCAR contributes 10% of base salary. Time‑off plans: Minimum 20 days of annual PTO. 10 paid holidays. 12 weeks of paid parental leave. FAMLI leave. Tuition assistance program. Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) eligible employer. Equal Opportunity Employer – UCAR welcomes applications from all individuals. We do not discriminate on the basis of race, age, sex, gender identity, disability, veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. Applicants are not required to provide age‑related information in initial submissions. Sponsored Positions – UCAR can sponsor individuals for H‑1B status only if they are already in the United States in H‑1B status or another visa that allows change to H‑1B within the U.S. UCAR cannot sponsor new H‑1B visas for individuals outside the U.S. who need consular processing. While UCAR does not prohibit the use of AI tools in job applications, we strongly recommend that applicants submit primarily original work. All roles require compliance with U.S. export control regulations. All hybrid staff are expected to work on‑site approximately 3 days per week. #J-18808-Ljbffr