Program Manager

Major/Essential Functions

Serve as the center's primary liaison to federal agencies (HUD, FEMA, SBA) and state-level disaster recovery and housing programs, leveraging existing professional networks to advocate for and advance CECREH's mission. Initial appointment: 12 months, with potential extension based on performance and funding availability

• Translate CECREH research findings into policy-relevant products including white papers, policy briefs, dashboards, toolkits, and other deliverables tailored to the needs of federal and state stakeholders
• Represent CECREH in federal and state meetings, conferences, and working groups; develop and maintain relationships with key decision-makers on behalf of the center
• Manage, Coordinate and oversee the work of research associates, graduate assistants, and subcontractors supporting outreach and communications activities
• Track and manage center-wide monitoring, engagement, and outreach metrics; maintain strategic oversight of all external-facing activities across the six-institution consortium
• Develop and execute strategic outreach plans, including social media presence and digital communications, in collaboration with a graduate student communications assistant
• Support fundraising and partnership development, including identifying new funding opportunities and cultivating relationships with potential collaborators
• Understand and synthesize center research to inform product development and stakeholder engagement, including work related to hazard mapping, recovery simulations, and integrated resilience models.

The ideal candidate will be a former federal or state government subject matter expert with deep familiarity with programs administered by agencies such as HUD, FEMA, or SBA. This individual will serve as the center's primary strategist for translating research into actionable products for federal and state partners, representing CECREH in federal meetings, and building the relationships necessary to ensure the center's work reaches and informs policymakers at various scales.

• Bachelor's degree in public policy, public administration, emergency management, urban planning, housing, engineering, media and communication or a closely related field
• Master's degree in related area.
• Minimum of three years of professional experience in federal or state government, specifically within agencies such as HUD, FEMA, SBA, or equivalent housing/disaster recovery programs.
• Established professional network within federal or state housing, disaster recovery, or emergency management agencies.
• Demonstrated experience developing policy briefs, white papers, technical reports, or similar stakeholder-facing products.
• Strong understanding of federal grant programs, intergovernmental partnerships, and the needs of state and federal agency partners.
• Demonstrated ability to represent an organization at high-level meetings and build productive professional relationships.
• Experience coordinating teams and tracking program-level deliverables and metrics.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skill.

The HUD-funded Center of Excellence in Capacity-building for REsilient Housing (CECREH), housed within the Department of Civil, Environmental, and Construction Engineering at Texas Tech University, invites applications for a full-time, on-site Program Manager position. CECREH is a multidisciplinary consortium of six leading institutions including Texas Tech University (lead), University of Kansas, Stony Brook University, Texas A&M University at Galveston, Texas Southern University, and the University of Waterloo, developing innovative housing solutions in the context of disaster recovery and affordable housing.

• Familiarity with disaster recovery programs and community resilience research, including insurance and housing recovery mechanisms.
• Knowledge of HUD Community Development Block Grant–Disaster Recovery (CDBG-DR), FEMA Individual Assistance, or SBA disaster loan programs.
• Graphic design skills for developing outreach materials and infographics.