Project Leader

Position Summary 

The Project Leader directs the technical integration of project. This individual turns the approved policy and research agenda into coordinated analysis, pilot, TTA, and product work; guides task teams and approved experts; and ensures that findings become feasible recommendations and usable tools. The Project Leader is the senior bridge between program strategy and field execution. 

Core Responsibilities 

• Lead technical planning and execution for the Marriage Penalty Analysis, Pilot Strategy, TTA provision, and product-development portfolio.

• Develop analytic questions, evidence plans, readiness criteria, pilot design methods, tool concepts, and workstream-level schedules for Project Manager approval.

• Coordinate TANF, tax, benefits, early-childhood, child-care, Tribal, HMRF, research, evaluation, organizational-development, communications, and implementation expertise.

• Guide recruitment, readiness assessment, selection, onboarding, co-design, implementation, course correction, sustainability planning, and closeout for up to five pilot sites.

• Design Universal, Targeted, and Intensive TTA activities, including peer learning, webinars, workshops, office hours, site-based support, and implementation coaching.

• Oversee development of policy options, practitioner tools, templates, training resources, promising-practice products, and interactive or visual resources for nationwide use.

• Lead technical reviews to ensure recommendations are supported by authority, evidence, cost and operational analysis, implementation prerequisites, and appropriate limitations.

• Identify emerging policy, research, demographic, and field developments and translate relevant signals into updated priorities, tools, and technical assistance.

• Provide concise technical briefings to OFA and recommend decisions, tradeoffs, and corrective actions when workstream risks arise.

Required Qualifications 

• At least eight years of progressively responsible experience leading human-services, TANF, means-tested program, TTA, research-to-practice, organizational-development, or pilot-implementation work.

• Demonstrated ability to integrate policy, evidence, program design, facilitation, and product development across multidisciplinary teams.

• Experience managing technical experts, developing decision-ready deliverables, and supporting State, Tribal, local, grantee, or community partners.

• Strong facilitation, analytical writing, strategic planning, stakeholder engagement, and implementation problem-solving skills.

• Working knowledge of plain writing, Section 508, data stewardship, adult learning, and quality-review expectations for federal products.

Preferred Qualifications 

• Graduate degree in public policy, social sciences, organizational development, public administration, economics, social work, or a related field.

• Direct experience with TANF or HMRF programs, marriage-penalty analysis, benefit cliffs, pilot design, or rapid-cycle learning.

• Experience producing national tools, templates, technical assistance resources, or multi-site implementation guidance.

Education and Experience 

Bachelor's degree required; master's degree preferred. Eight or more years of directly relevant technical and project leadership experience is preferred.