Project Manager, Multistate Data Collaborative
Job Description
Background on NASWA
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The National Association of State Workforce Agencies (NASWA) is the national organization representing all 50 state workforce agencies, D.C. and U.S. territories. These agencies deliver training, employment, career, and business services, in addition to administering the unemployment insurance (UI), veteran reemployment, and labor market information programs. NASWA provides policy expertise, shares promising state practices, and promotes state innovation and leadership in workforce development.
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Position Overview
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The Project Manager will be responsible for the day-to-day management and execution of a new, philanthropically funded initiative that combines qualitative research, stakeholder convening, technical research, and applied feasibility analysis focused on state workforce data. The selected candidate will develop and maintain an integrated project plan across both workstreams; manage schedules and deliverables; track budgets and risks; facilitate communication among NASWA staff, members, partner organizations, and funders; and ensure that project objectives are met in line with scope, schedule, budget, and funder requirements.
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The ideal candidate is an organized, proactive, and relationship-oriented manager who is comfortable moving between research-driven work and stakeholder engagement, and who can identify where the two connect.
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Background on the Multistate Data Collaborative
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The Multistate Data Collaborative (MSDC) is a dynamic and innovative enterprise dedicated to bringing state agency leaders together across sectors and state boundaries to harness the power of data for enhancing public policies and practices. The MSDC works in critical areas such as workforce development, education, human services, and corrections. By facilitating cross-sector, data-informed decision-making, MSDC supports states in improving outcomes for their communities. Its mission is to create a collaborative environment where state agency data leaders and program administrators use administrative data to shape more effective, equitable, and efficient public services.
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The Project Manager will report to the Senior Manager, MSDC, and will be administratively housed within the MSDC team. However, the majority of the role’s responsibilities will be dedicated to supporting projects funded through a new initiative that spans multiple NASWA teams and engages several audiences, including state agencies and partner organizations within the MSDC network.
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Roles and Responsibilities
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Project Planning and Execution
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- Develop and maintain the integrated project plan, milestone schedule, work breakdown structure, dependency map, reporting calendar, and deliverable tracker across both workstreams.
- Monitor progress toward milestones, deliverables, risks, issues, decisions, dependencies, and action items, and proactively flag slippage.
- Maintain version-controlled project documentation and organize files for auditability, reporting, and continuity.
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Project Coordination
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- Coordinate activities across workstreams, internal staff, consultants, and subcontractors.
- Schedule and facilitate project meetings; prepare agendas, notes, and follow-up.
- Maintain action item, issue, decision, and risk logs.
- Plan and manage logistics for stakeholder meetings, virtual convenings, and in-person events, including participant lists, agendas, venues, travel, and materials.
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Deliverable and Milestone Management
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- Monitor completion of project deliverables and grant milestones.
- Coordinate internal review cycles for reports, briefs, and other work products, including review by subject matter experts, NASWA leadership, and funders.
- Coordinate with research, technical, and analytics staff to ensure reporting inputs are timely, accurate, and consistent with approved definitions.
- Prepare status reports, executive briefings, milestone reports, and funder-facing updates.
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Budget and Performance Tracking
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- Track project expenditures against approved budgets.
- Support financial forecasting and resource planning.
- Prepare dashboards and management reports.
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Risk and Issue Management
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- Identify project risks and potential barriers, such as state participation, leadership turnover, and shifting policy conditions.
- Develop mitigation plans and escalation recommendations.
- Monitor issue resolution and corrective actions through to closure.
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Stakeholder Engagement
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- Serve as a primary operational liaison for project stakeholders.
- Support stakeholder meetings, briefings, and project governance activities.
- Build and maintain strong working relationships with NASWA committees, working groups, and member agency contacts.
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Required Competencies and Experience
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- 5-7 years of project management, PMO, or project coordination experience supporting complex, multi-stakeholder initiatives.
- Demonstrated experience managing multiple concurrent workstreams or projects with interdependent timelines, deliverables, and teams.
- Experience maintaining project plans, schedules, WBS documents, milestone trackers, decision logs, action item trackers, and status reports.
- Experience coordinating deliverable reviews, approvals, testing cycles, documentation, and reporting across internal teams, vendors, subcontractors, or external partners.
- Strong written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to prepare clear status reports, meeting notes, executive summaries, and project documentation for senior and external audiences.
- Strong interpersonal and facilitation skills, with the ability to build trust and collaborate with government officials, researchers, and partner organizations.
- Proficiency with Microsoft 365, Teams, Excel, and SharePoint, and with project or work management tools such as Notion, Asana, Jira, Smartsheet, or comparable platforms.
- Ability to manage competing deadlines and drive follow-through with a high degree of independence.
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Relevant Experience Preferred
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- Experience managing grant-funded or philanthropically funded projects.
- Experience supporting research, evaluation, policy analysis, technical architecture, or data-focused projects, including coordinating qualitative or mixed-methods work and publication of reports for both technical and non-technical audiences.
- Familiarity with workforce development, unemployment insurance, labor market information, education, or other state-administered programs.
- Experience working with or on behalf of state or federal government agencies, associations, or nonprofits.
- Familiarity with administrative data, data governance, privacy, or executing data-sharing agreements.
- PMP, CAPM, PMI-ACP, ScrumMaster, Agile, or similar certification, or progress toward certification.
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Job Details
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Location: Remote/U.S. Based
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Reports to: Senior Manager, Multistate Data Collaborative
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Position Type: Full Time
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Salary Range: $110,000 - $125,000 commensurate with experience.
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Please Note: NASWA is funded, in part, by multi-year grants. This position is currently funded through October 31, 2027. After this date, the continuation of the position will depend on future funding.
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Benefits: NASWA offers a comprehensive benefits package, including medical, dental, and vision coverage; employer retirement contributions through our 401(k) plan; educational assistance; paid annual and sick leave; and additional benefits designed to support your health, financial well-being, and work-life balance.
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Travel: Estimated 1-3 trips per year
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How to Apply: Please send resume and cover letter to recruiting@naswa.org. Position posting will close on November 6, 2026.
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Employment Opportunity Statement
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This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required of the employee. Duties, responsibilities and activities may change, or new ones may be assigned at any time with or without notice.
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NASWA is an equal opportunity employer. NASWA does not unlawfully discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, national origin, sex, age, marital status, military status, personal appearance, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, family responsibilities, genetic information, disability, matriculation, political affiliation or any other characteristic protected by federal or District of Columbia law. Our non-discrimination policy applies to all facets of employment, including recruiting, hiring, employment, promotion, demotion, dismissal, compensation, and training opportunities.