Program Manager, Community Design - Urban Design Forum
Urban Design Forum seeks a Program Manager to support our community design projects. We’re searching for an early- to mid-career design professional excited to join a small, growing team. Applications are due August 21, and will be reviewed on a rolling basis. $67,000 – 75,000. We offer a competitive benefits package at no additional cost to the employee, including health, dental, vision, vacation, professional development and retirement benefits.
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About the Urban Design Forum
The Urban Design Forum mobilizes civic leaders to confront the defining issues facing New York City. We work with our 1,000 members to investigate complex challenges in the built environment, study alternative approaches from cities around the world, and advance progressive strategies to build a more dynamic and democratic city. Our programs are guided by the following values:
We believe the design and development communities must address enduring injustices in New York City, such as housing segregation, economic inequality, and environmental racism.
We believe New York should learn from international cities for pioneering and inspiring solutions to urban challenges.
We believe creating interdisciplinary cohorts of emerging leaders can empower more diverse civic leadership.
We believe government agencies should develop a long-term vision for the built environment, rather than achieve short-term wins.
We believe decision-makers must build with, and not for, traditionally disenfranchised communities–such as women, BIPOC, LGBTQ people, and people with disabilities.
We believe the public should be mobilized around the value of design in achieving equity, inclusion, and sustainability in the built environment.
About Our Community Design Work
Urban Design Forum’s Local Center connects neighborhood leaders, designers, and government agencies to transform public space across New York City. We partner closely with local organizations serving low-income communities of color, including community development corporations, cultural groups, merchant associations, and small BIDs, who define and direct each project. We connect local organizations with the resources they need to realize catalytic pilot projects and develop long-term visions for public spaces. Our team supports partners to scope projects, recruits technical assistance providers from our network, and provides flexible funds to support project execution. We serve as engaged partners throughout the project to facilitate team collaboration, connect teams to change agents in city government, and navigate permitting. We also convene a learning community for partners to develop capacity to lead future projects in the public realms and technical assistance providers to build skills in supporting community-led design.
Responsibilities
The Program Manager will work closely with the program team to steward our inaugural cohort of public space projects while playing a strong role in defining the long-term strategy of this initiative. Key responsibilities will include:
Program Management – Manage complex program timelines, coordinate multi-stakeholder engagement, and ensure initiative stays on track to meet goals.
Recruitment – Develop and execute recruitment plans to engage prospective neighborhood partners and technical assistance providers.
Project Scoping – Work with neighborhood partners to define feasible project scopes, timelines, and budgets in accordance with program goals.
Facilitation – Participate in regular team meetings to support coordination between partners and technical assistance teams and navigate conflicts.
Project Oversight — Support partners and teams to set project milestones, manage timeline, and allocate financial resources.
Implementation & Permitting – Collaborate with neighborhood and government partners to manage permitting, programming, installation, and deinstallation.
Documentation & Evaluation – Work with our Communications Manager to capture teams’ progress and lessons learned to share with our broader community of practitioners, partners and funders.
Who You Are
This is a wonderful role for an early- to mid-career professional (2-5 years of work experience) who is interested to support a community design initiative that challenges who gets to shape public space. We strongly urge candidates with design experience on public space projects to apply, but we welcome applications from any professional with project management experience. We are looking for a colleague who is:
Passionate about addressing inequity in the public realm.
Committed to supporting community leaders in implementing their visions for public space and shared gathering places.
Experienced working on urban design projects in the public realm, including parks, plazas, streets, and sidewalks.
A savvy navigator of diverse stakeholders, including City government, design firms, philanthropy, community-based organizations and more.
An excellent communicator with natural instincts for team-building, cheerleading, and conflict resolution.
Highly organized and experienced with managing several overlapping projects.
This position is grant-funded for two years with an opportunity to extend.
We are an equal opportunity employer and are committed to attracting and retaining a talented and diverse team of professionals that resembles the city we serve. People of color, women, people who identify as LGBTQIA2S+, and individuals with disabilities are strongly encouraged to apply. Employment data show that women and people from underrepresented groups apply to jobs only if they think they meet 100% of the criteria. If you meet many but not all the criteria and feel you may be a good fit for the role, we encourage you to apply.
Location & Schedule
Our team works together in our New York City-based office three days per week, and remotely two days per week. We also offer several weeks per year when everyone is welcome to work remotely. We host events on nights and weekends and offer flexible scheduling when staff are expected to work at those times.
Compensation & Benefits
$67,000 – 75,000. We offer a competitive benefits package at no additional cost to the employee, including health, dental, vision, vacation, professional development and retirement benefits.