Position Objective: Provide services as a Project Manager in support of the overall functions of the Office of Research Services (ORS), Medical Arts Branch (MAB) with the of the National Institutes of Health.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under supervision of the Federal Task Lead (FTL) and in collaboration with branch staff, the staff will serve as the project manager and lead artist for assigned visual communications and graphic design projects. Project lifecycle may consist of any or all the following components:

Intake and planning

• Initial consultation with customer regarding the nature of visual/digital communications and graphic design projects. Determine scope, target audience, messaging, purpose, budget, timing, objectives, and other key information. Results/data shared by customer should be fully understood to ensure successful translation to target audience.
• Develop overall concept, preliminary design, resource plan, estimate, production timeline, technical vision, and proposal for review and approval by branch staff and customer as appropriate. Plan should incorporate method for regular project communications (e.g., meetings, presentations, emails, calls) with branch staff and customer.
• Inform Creative Director and/or Branch Chief about "rush" requests and consult with them on the most cost-effective and efficient way to fulfill them.

Production

• Coordinate, assign, and monitor all aspects of project. Track progress and provide reports, summaries, descriptions, and other materials as agreed. Address delays/risks and associated impact and communicate to relevant stakeholders in a timely manner. Serve as liaison between program (Maximo/BSB), development, and support teams.
• Critically evaluate information received and reconcile conflicts. Collaborate with developers and subject matter experts to achieve technical vision; analyze tradeoffs between usability and performance needs.
• Maintain governing priorities and schedule during project's lifespan. Continually evaluate requirements and recommend improvements that maintain scope, purpose, and objectives.
• Coordinate, conduct, and participate in important off-site activities and discussions, relevant to project management activities and goals.
• Vendor management
  • Source vendors and services for project tasks via established mechanisms such as GSA, NIH BPAs, and sole proprietors registered on SAM.gov.
  • Obtain cost estimates and draft procurement documentation (e.g., statement of work, independent government cost estimate, sole-source justification) for approval and submission by designated branch staff.
  • Monitor vendor activities and alert branch and/or procurement staff of any issues.
• Budget
  • Assist project owners in managing financial aspects of project including budget monitoring, forecasting, billing, and responding to requests for information.
  • Analyze spending on an ongoing basis. Alert stakeholders immediately of potential overruns and obtain written approval for adjustments and/or increases.
  • Ensure accuracy and timeliness of team's hours/activities and overall project spending; meet branch productivity and billing requirements. Log project expenditures within designated tracking tool and provide updates to stakeholders as required.
  • Review budget reports for accuracy and completeness.

Project analysis

• Measure project performance - quantitatively or qualitatively - against other projects and established branch goals, measures, and objectives. Identify corrections and/or recommend improvements in the following project areas:
• Project-related activities and documentation;
• Tracking and progress reporting including dashboards, summaries, milestone updates, and work breakdown;
• Organizational web and marketing processes;
• Scheduling practices; and
• Budget/Expenditures and risk management.

Best practices and sharing

• Coordinate with other branch staff on the identification, sharing, and implementation of project best practices and common approaches. Review branch project plans, documentation, and processes and recommend improvements.
• Stay abreast of new trends in design and project management practices and related software/applications with an eye toward relevancy, improving processes, and identifying efficiencies (e.g., AI, PDF remediation).
• Consult with Creative Director and Branch Chief on MAB overarching program and design standards to ensure consistency, impact, and quality.
• Ensure all project files and documentation are uploaded to branch library and maintained for business continuity purposes.

General guidelines

• Graphics and design work should conform to branch standards.
• Designated project management and design software shall be utilized. Files are stored and backed up according to established protocols with appropriate access granted to branch staff as needed.
• "Rush" requests are processed in a timely manner with impacted staff fully apprised in advance.

Basic Qualifications:

• Master's in graphic design or related discipline; Bachelor's and (8) years of experience equates to a master's degree.
• At least (8) years of experience in a graphic design field.
• Software
  • Required - Expert abilities in:
    • Microsoft Office 365 Suite including SharePoint and Teams
    • Adobe Creative Suite, Photoshop, Illustrator, InDesign, Acrobat

Minimum Qualifications:

• Excellent, effective communication skills (oral and written) at all levels of the organization.
• Excellent organizational and time-management skills and ability to work independently.
• Proven design and web content management skills with particular emphasis on accurately conveying complex medical and scientific terminology/concepts visually to lay audiences.
• Proven project development and management skills including multi-faceted, long-term projects with competing deadlines.
• Excellent budget development/reconciliation and cost analysis skills.
• Software
  • Preferred
    • Proficiency with 3D software (e.g., Cinema4D and MAX3D).

*This job description is not designed to cover or contain a comprehensive listing of activities, duties or responsibilities that are required by this position.

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

GAP Solutions provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities. If you need an accommodation to apply for a job, email us at recruiting@gapsi.com . You will need to reference the requisition number of the position in which you are interested. Your message will be routed to the appropriate recruiter who will assist you. Please note, this email address is only to be used for those individuals who need an accommodation to apply for a job. Emails for any other reason or those that do not include a requisition number will not be returned.

GAP Solutions is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to their race, ethnicity, ancestry, color, sex, religion, creed, age, national origin, citizenship status, disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, sexual orientation or perceived sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, and gender expression, familial status, political affiliation, genetic information, or any other legally protected status or characteristics.