Senior Associate Director, Programs- Winship Cancer Institute

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About Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University

Dedicated to discovering cures for cancer and inspiring hope, Winship Cancer Institute of Emory University is Georgia's only National Cancer Institute-designated Comprehensive Cancer Center, a prestigious distinction given to the top tier of cancer centers nationwide for making breakthroughs against cancer. Winship is researching, developing, teaching, and providing novel and highly effective ways to prevent, detect, diagnose, treat, and survive cancer. Cancer care at Winship includes leading cancer specialists collaborating across disciplines to tailor treatment plans to each patient's needs and type of cancer; innovative therapies and clinical trials; comprehensive patient and family support services; and a personalized care experience aimed at easing the burden of cancer. Winship is Where Science Becomes Hope. For more information, visit winshipcancer.emory.edu.

The Winship Cellular Therapy Initiative

The Winship Cellular Therapy Initiative was recently launched to bring together investigators developing cellular therapies for patients with cancer. It operates within the Cancer Immunology Program at Winship, the only NCI-Designated Comprehensive Cancer Center in the State of Georgia and supports innovative investigator-initiated research spanning tumor-infiltrating lymphocyte therapies, engineered CAR T and TCR platforms, and translational immunology. The Initiative is growing and sustaining a cellular therapy focused research community through an annual symposium, a pilot award program, and trainee development activities.

Position Summary

The Program Manager is the primary operational and administrative partner to the Initiative's two Scientific Co-Directors. This person plans and runs the Initiative's meetings and events, organizes activities with the External Advisory Board, Consultants, and multi-institutional collaborators, works collaboratively within Winship to administer the pilot award program, manages the budget and purchasing, and prepares financial and scientific reports or other materials that facilitate regular updates to institutional leadership, advisors, and prospective philanthropic donors. The Program Manager also anticipates what the Co-Directors need and connects investigators and administrators who should be working together. Because the Initiative is new, the Program Manager will not inherit an established calendar, tracking system, or set of procedures, and will work with the Scientific Co-Directors and Winship Administrative leaders to create them. In the inaugural year, this person will be tasked with a key leadership role in working as a team to plan the first retreat, initiate and execute External Advisory Board meetings, organize the first pilot award cycle with Winship administration, and set up regular financial and scientific reporting to institutional leadership. The systems and relationships established in year one will shape how the Initiative operates going forward.

Key Responsibilities

• Directs the strategic planning, development, and implementation of a program.
• Serves as a liaison and key spokesperson to various committees and organizations.
• Responds to inquiries and assists in promoting the program.
• Assists with policy formulation, strategy development, and the management of daily operations.
• May collaborate with representatives from private, government, and international agencies.
• Conducts research, designs new initiatives, and writes publishable articles and papers.
• May supervise staff.

Additional Job Description

Events and meetings

• Take initiative in a leadership role to plan and run the annual retreat, including venue, agenda, speaker invitations and travel, registration, catering, and oversight on financial and scientific materials
• Create and manage the calendar of recurring Initiative meetings, agendas, and record decisions and follow-up items
• Coordinate meetings among investigators, institutional leaders, and external partners with the goal of facilitating scientific advances in cellular therapy translational research

Website and online presence

• Build and maintain the Initiative's website, working collaboratively with Winship marketing and web staff
• Keep content current, including leadership and membership, research areas, funding opportunities, events, seminars, external presentation updates and news
• Post announcements for the retreat, seminar series, pilot award cycles, and trainee opportunities
• Gather and write content from investigators, including project descriptions, publications, and updates
• Serve as the point of contact for website updates and requests from Initiative members

External Advisory Board

• Schedule and organize advisory board meetings across members at multiple institutions
• Prepare agendas and background materials in advance of each meeting
• Arrange travel, lodging, and honoraria
• Record recommendations and track follow-up items to completion
• Maintain correspondence with board members between meetings

Pilot and innovation awards

• Work with Winship administrators to run the annual award cycles, from announcement and application intake through review, notification, and award setup
• Track award spending and progress after the award is made

Budget and purchasing of TIL and CAR programs

• Manage the Initiative's operating budget with the Winship financial team and the Co-Directors
• Track spending against plan and against the correct funding source
• Handle purchasing, including quotes, purchase orders, vendor setup, supplies, equipment, and service agreements
• Process honoraria, travel reimbursements, and vendor invoices
• Prepare budget projections, reconciliations, and financial summaries

Reporting and writing

• Prepare progress reports, metrics, slides, and briefing materials for institutional leadership, the advisory board, and philanthropic partners
• Draft and edit scientific summaries for reports, funding proposals, and donor communications, translating research findings for both scientific and general audiences
• Track Initiative activities and project milestones so that current information is available for reporting
• Maintain Initiative web content and communications with Winship marketing

Support to the Scientific Co-Directors and Technical Director

• Manage the Initiative's priorities, deadlines, and follow-up on behalf of the Directors
• Prepare materials and background in advance of their meetings
• Draft correspondence, agendas, and summaries
• Track commitments made by and to the Scientific and Technical Directors through to completion

Community, training, and partnerships

• Serve as the point of contact for questions about the Initiative and direct people to the right resources
• Administer the trainee travel award review process
• Support training activities with Winship's cancer research training programs
• Coordinate scheduling, correspondence, and site visits with academic, industry, and philanthropic partners

Responsibilities will change as the Initiative grows, and the Program Manager should expect to take on activities beyond those listed here.

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a field related to the program and seven years of professional experience related to the program and previous supervisory and program/project management experience, OR equivalent combination of experience, education, and training.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in a life science, public health, business, communications, or related field
• Three or more years of experience in program administration, research administration, event management, or project coordination, preferably at an academic medical center, university, or research organization
• Experience planning and running professional events such as retreats, seminar series, or advisory meetings
• Experience managing a budget, tracking expenses, and preparing financial summaries
• Experience with institutional purchasing, including purchase orders, vendor setup, invoices, and reimbursements
• Excellent writing and speaking skills, with the ability to prepare polished materials for senior leadership and external audiences
• Strong organizational skills and the ability to manage many activities at once without losing track of details
• Experience creating or improving a process, not only following an established one
• Ability to work effectively with faculty, clinicians, trainees, external advisors, and administrators who do not report to this position
• Willingness to handle both planning work and routine administrative tasks, since the position has no support staff

Additional Details

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