Who we are
Catapult Design is an award-winning, independent, global, non-profit design agency. We strive to improve the quality of life of underserved populations through innovative and accessible design. With a network of passionate, resourceful, and inquisitive Design Strategists, Designers, and Client Managers, we work hard to ensure that people and the environment are central to our design process.
Overall Remit
The Program Manager will contribute to Catapult Design’s reputation for innovative ideas and award-winning design and will help facilitate teamwork in order to continue Catapult Design’s vision and caliber of design. The ideal candidate will also be a positive addition to the culture of Catapult Design which has been built with people who are passionate, inquisitive, and resourceful.
Only candidates with 5+ years of social impact and/or creative project management experience will be considered.
Location
US: San Francisco (preferred), Brooklyn NY, Savannah GA, or remote.Reporting
The Program Manager will report to the Program Director.Description
Catapult Design’s Program Team ensures projects achieve deadlines, budgets, and scope while meeting or exceeding Catapult’s core indicators of Creative Excellence, Business Performance, and Team Well-being. They manage client projects and contribute to internal initiatives.
The Program Manager collaborates with the Program Director, overseeing project lifecycles and providing high-touch support for a select number of concurrent projects while maintaining a strategic portfolio view. They work closely with the Design Team to set priorities, coordinate partners (clients, local design, and technical), and clarify roles. In addition, the Program Manager is expected to contribute to working sessions with the Design Team, as well as clients, local design partners, and technical partners, by setting agendas, facilitating meetings, developing content, and directing follow-through.
Are you an excellent communicator who thrives in a fast-paced environment? Can you juggle priorities with ease? This role is for you!
Specific Responsibilities
Your day-to-day responsibilities will include, but are not limited to, the following:
Project Planning, Execution, and Delivery:
- Finalize project approach, budget, and resource allocation.
- Select and manage local design partners globally.
- Lead communication, manage team onboarding, and support design activities.
- Track project performance and well-being, escalating issues to the Program Director.
- Monitor project budgets and flag potential risks.
- Ensure high-quality client deliverables with clear messaging and creative output.
- Oversee project closeout processes internally and with clients.
Portfolio Management:
- Maintain a portfolio view across all projects using project management tools.
- Develop new process templates to improve project efficiency.
Business Development:
- Build relationships with strategic local design partners and external stakeholders.
- Support and contribute to proposal development.
Communication & Knowledge Sharing:
- Advocate for human-centered design and design thinking.
- Review and contribute to internal and external communication materials.
Language skills such as Spanish and/or French would be advantageous in this role. Expect occasional domestic and international travel (approximately 10% of the time).
Compensation and Benefits
The salary range for this position is $90,000 to $100,000 USD per year. In addition to a base salary, this role includes the following benefits:
- Discretionary annual bonus
- Medical, dental, and vision group plans
- 401K with employer match
- Paid parental leave
- Paid time off for holidays, vacations, sick days, floating wellness days, and training days
- Monthly health & wellness stipend
- Annual learning stipend
- Company-issued laptop
Please contact careers@catapultdesign.org with your CV and cover letter.
The following values express the importance we place on our employees and our work, and they are integral to our hiring practices, performance reviews, and promotions.
- Humility: We prioritize community needs and put in the work to identify and understand them.
- Collaboration: We collaborate with experts, end-users, funders, and implementers to develop solutions capable of change.
- Integrity: We are not afraid to provide constructive feedback and to be transparent and informative with the process in order to arrive at a better solution while ensuring a great customer experience.
- Initiative: We seek out entrepreneurial team members who have demonstrated an ability to pursue their passion. The challenges we are tasked with typically have not been solved in decades – our team members go the extra mile to initiate and own activities because they’re motivated to solve them.
- Discipline: We don’t apply band-aids to wounds that require stitches. We make the conscious effort to impose a meaningful order to our activity in order to produce our intended result.
We are an equal opportunity employer and value diversity at Catapult Design. Pursuant to applicable law, we do not discriminate on the basis of race, religion, color, national origin, gender, sexual orientation, age, marital status, veteran status, or disability status.
