Manager, Programs & Business Operations

The Manager, Programs & Business Operations serves as the operational lead for NEMA's Make It American certification program and the program lead for NEMA Academy, NEMA's learning management system and workforce development platform. This role is responsible for managing key business operations, customer engagement, and program administration across several of NEMA's revenue-generating products and services, including certification programs, NEMA Academy, and NEMA's eCommerce platform. The Manager works across departments to support program growth, customer satisfaction, marketing initiatives, and operational excellence while helping advance NEMA's strategic priorities. As the lead for NEMA Academy, this position is responsible for overseeing platform administration, coordinating course development, supporting instructors and learners, tracking program performance, and identifying opportunities to expand educational offerings and increase industry engagement. The position reports to the Director, Program Operations, and is based in Arlington, Virginia, with provisions for a hybrid work schedule. Key Responsibilities Certification Program Make It American Review, qualify, and manage incoming certification leads and inquiries. Coordinate the certification sales pipeline, including discovery meetings, follow-up communications, and prospect management. Manage invoicing and renewal activities in collaboration with the Finance team. Coordinate facility audits and certification review processes. Maintain certification records, applicant documentation, website content, and program communications. Partner with Marketing on lead generation, digital campaigns, webinars, and promotional activities. Support presentations, events, speaking engagements, and stakeholder outreach related to the program. Represent NEMA and the Make It American program at industry events, conferences, and customer meetings. Maintain accurate prospect and customer records in HubSpot and support pipeline reporting. Learning Management System (NEMA Academy) Serve as the program lead and primary administrator for NEMA Academy. Manage the day-to-day operation, maintenance, and continuous improvement of the platform. Partner with NEMA staff, subject matter experts, volunteer leaders, and external stakeholders to develop, launch, and maintain educational content. Create, update, and retire courses within the platform. Identify opportunities to expand course offerings, improve learner engagement, and support revenue growth. Monitor enrollment, learner participation, and program performance metrics and prepare regular reports for leadership. Manage CEU tracking, certifications, and renewal processes. Respond to student inquiries and provide customer support. Coordinate and support bulk enrollments and enterprise learning initiatives. Support preparation of royalty reports and related financial tracking. Work with Marketing to promote NEMA Academy programs and increase awareness across the industry. eCommerce Platform Manage NEMA's online catalog of standards, publications, courses, certifications, and other digital products. Oversee product setup, version control, pricing, discounts, promotions, bundles, and customer-facing content. Monitor platform performance and identify opportunities to improve sales, customer experience, and operational efficiency. Manage order fulfillment processes and partner with internal teams to resolve customer issues. Investigate and troubleshoot technical and transactional issues. Track product performance and purchasing trends and recommend improvements. Collaborate with Marketing to develop campaigns that increase awareness and sales of NEMA standards, certification programs, and NEMA Academy offerings. Program Operations & Business Development Support the development, launch, and continuous improvement of new NEMA programs, products, and revenue-generating initiatives. Manage program documentation, workflows, and operational processes. Develop reports, dashboards, and performance metrics to support business decisions and strategic planning. Identify opportunities for process improvements, automation, and operational efficiencies. Contribute to annual budgeting, forecasting, and program planning activities. Work within NEMA's matrix operating structure to coordinate projects and initiatives across departments.