About Convergent Research
Convergent Research is a nonprofit science studio best known for pioneering the Focused Research Organization, or FRO. We architect pivotal infrastructure that removes bottlenecks to breakthrough scientific research.
FROs are a new operating model for science that enables rapid iteration cycles and high-throughput learning. Convergent secures funding and provides an operational backbone for counterfactual R&D, creating space for scientists to do what they do best. FRO teams are agile, creative, and risk-tolerant. They make fast progress because they start—and stay—focused.
As Convergent’s portfolio grows, so does the complexity behind it. We manage multiple applicant pipelines, selection processes, reviewer workflows, founder-facing programs, internal initiatives, and cross-functional projects—often all at once and across a distributed organization.
Better systems and better information can now meaningfully increase our impact. We’re looking for someone to help build the operating infrastructure behind Convergent’s next stage of growth.
About the Role
We are looking for a Program Operations Manager who can turn complexity into clear, scalable systems.
You’ll combine excellent project-management instincts with a builder’s mindset, creating the workflows, tools, documentation, metrics, and accountability structures that allow Convergent’s programs to operate effectively as we grow.
Many of the systems you’ll own do not exist yet. You won’t be inheriting a mature reporting environment or a perfectly documented operating playbook. You’ll help determine what we should track, how information should be captured, and how data can help us make better decisions.
This is not a traditional PMO role, and a PMP certification is not required. We are looking for someone who has built strong project-management skills in a startup or similarly entrepreneurial environment—someone comfortable working from a blank page, navigating ambiguity, and introducing enough structure to help teams move quickly without creating unnecessary bureaucracy.
You Are (Skills):
- Experience in a startup or entrepreneurial organization. This role is a great fit for someone who has experienced the pace and ambiguity of a startup and is looking to apply those lessons in a more structured operational environment. You’ll work closely with founders building organizations from scratch while helping develop the systems, processes, and operational excellence that enable them to succeed.
- A builder of systems. You instinctively look beyond the immediate task to the process underneath it. You build workflows, tools, documentation, and operating rhythms that make work more consistent, visible, and scalable.
- An excellent project manager. You can translate ambiguous goals into actionable plans, identify dependencies, establish owners and deadlines, mobilize internal teams, and keep several complex initiatives moving at once.
- Data-driven and intellectually curious. You ask what information would help the organization make better decisions. You are excited to define meaningful metrics, build dashboards, identify bottlenecks, and create feedback loops, even when the starting point is a blank page.
- An experienced remote collaborator. You have worked successfully in a remote or highly distributed organization. You communicate proactively, document decisions, create visibility, and maintain momentum without relying on hallway conversations.
- Technically curious. You enjoy learning new operational tools and understanding how systems fit together. You are comfortable with platforms such as Notion, Asana, Coda, Smartsheet, Monday.com, Zapier, or comparable tools, and you can assess wh…
