Office & Program Manager - Fire Safety Research Institute

Job Description

We have an exciting opportunity for an Office & Program Manager at UL Research Institutes, based in our Columbia, MD office.

The Office & Program Manager serves as a key operational project manager for the Research Institute, leading and coordinating strategic initiatives across research, amplification, and education portfolios. This role drives planning, execution, communication, and cross-functional alignment for priority projects that advance institute goals. The Office & Program Manager will have full decision-making authority on FSRI operational projects. Research projects will be managed in cooperation with the research and/or amp subject matter experts and will work primarily with the ELT and project/people leaders. In addition to project leadership, the Office & Program Manager oversees core office operations, including facilities coordination, administrative workflows, and operational support to ensure a well-managed and productive work environment.

UL Research Institutes:

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

Build a safer, more secure, and sustainable future with us. Join us and work with our Fire Safety teams who conduct the research required to produce that knowledge and put into practice.

Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI)

UL's Fire Safety Research Institute (FSRI) advances fire safety knowledge to address the world's unresolved fire safety risks and emerging dangers. As part of UL Research Institutes, we are committed to sharing our fire safety insights with everyone to advance UL's public safety mission of providing safe living and working environments for people everywhere. Through advanced fire science, rigorous research, extensive outreach, and education in collaboration with our international network of partners, we share with stakeholders the information, tools, and resources that enable them to make better, more fire-safe decisions that ultimately save lives and property. To learn more, visit FSRI.org.

What you'll learn and achieve:

As the Office & Program Manager, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Lead end-to-end project management for strategic initiatives across Research, Amplification, and Education.

• Develop project plans, timelines, milestones, metrics, and communication structures for institute priorities.

• Coordinate cross-functional project teams, ensuring clarity of responsibilities and timely execution.

• Track progress, identify risks, resolve barriers, and escalate issues appropriately.

• Prepare project updates, summaries, presentations, and reporting for institute leadership.

• Support leaders in translating strategic goals into actionable workstreams and deliverables.

• Maintain project documentation, decision logs, and communications to ensure consistency and transparency.

• Oversee day-to-day office operations to maintain a professional, safe, and efficient environment.

• Manage facilities-related activities including maintenance, repairs, space planning, and vendor coordination.

• Support office policies, administrative workflows, communications, and process improvements.

• Assist with budget tracking, purchasing, contracts, and invoice processing for office and operational needs.

• Coordinate logistics for meetings, events, training, and staff engagement activities.

• Serve as an operational resource for staff, providing guidance on processes, systems, and facilities.

• Supervise administrative staff, contractors, and interns as assigned.

• May lead and/or contribute to department or unit initiatives.

What you'll experience working at UL Research Institutes: We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

• People: Our people make us special. You'll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today's global challenges require.

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what's on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Demonstrated experience leading complex projects, preferably within a research, technical, or operational environment.

• Strong skills in project planning, stakeholder coordination, tracking, and reporting.

• Ability to translate strategic priorities into actionable and achievable workstreams.

• Excellent organizational, analytical, and problem-solving abilities.

• Strong communication and influence skills to partner effectively with leaders and cross-functional collaborators.

• Ability to balance high-level project leadership with execution of operational responsibilities.

• Proficient in MS Office and project management tools.

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Minimum 7 years office management experience with at least 5 years at a mid-size office or facility, preferably within a research or technical environment.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.

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