Program Operations Manager

About Convergent Research Convergent Research is a nonprofit science studio best known for pioneering the Focused Research Organization, or FRO. We architect pivotal infrastructure that removes bottlenecks to breakthrough scientific research. FROs are a new operating model for science that enables rapid iteration cycles and high-throughput learning. Convergent secures funding and provides an operational backbone for counterfactual R&D, creating space for scientists to do what they do best. FRO teams are agile, creative, and risk-tolerant. They make fast progress because they start—and stay—focused. As Convergent’s portfolio grows, so does the complexity behind it. We manage multiple applicant pipelines, selection processes, reviewer workflows, founder-facing programs, internal initiatives, and cross-functional projects—often all at once and across a distributed organization. Better systems and better information can now meaningfully increase our impact. We’re looking for someone to help build the operating infrastructure behind Convergent’s next stage of growth. About the Role We are looking for a Program Operations Manager who can turn complexity into clear, scalable systems. You’ll combine excellent project-management instincts with a builder’s mindset, creating the workflows, tools, documentation, metrics, and accountability structures that allow Convergent’s programs to operate effectively as we grow. Many of the systems you’ll own do not exist yet. You won’t be inheriting a mature reporting environment or a perfectly documented operating playbook. You’ll help determine what we should track, how information should be captured, and how data can help us make better decisions. This is not a traditional PMO role, and a PMP certification is not required. We are looking for someone who has built strong project-management skills in a startup or similarly entrepreneurial environment—someone comfortable working from a blank page, navigating ambiguity, and introducing enough structure to help teams move quickly without creating unnecessary bureaucracy. You Are (Skills): Experience in a startup or entrepreneurial organization. This role is a great fit for someone who has experienced the pace and ambiguity of a startup and is looking to apply those lessons in a more structured operational environment. You’ll work closely with founders building organizations from scratch while helping develop the systems, processes, and operational excellence that enable them to succeed. A builder of systems. You instinctively look beyond the immediate task to the process underneath it. You build workflows, tools, documentation, and operating rhythms that make work more consistent, visible, and scalable. An excellent project manager. You can translate ambiguous goals into actionable plans, identify dependencies, establish owners and deadlines, mobilize internal teams, and keep several complex initiatives moving at once. Data-driven and intellectually curious. You ask what information would help the organization make better decisions. You are excited to define meaningful metrics, build dashboards, identify bottlenecks, and create feedback loops, even when the starting point is a blank page. An experienced remote collaborator. You have worked successfully in a remote or highly distributed organization. You communicate proactively, document decisions, create visibility, and maintain momentum without relying on hallway conversations. Technically curious. You enjoy learning new operational tools and understanding how systems fit together. You are comfortable with platforms such as Notion, Asana, Coda, Smartsheet, Monday.com, Zapier, or comparable tools, and you can assess when automation will actually improve a process. In addition, you look for opportunities to use our AI tools as a catalyst for the work we do. Detail-oriented without losing the big picture. You can maintain accurate records and manage hundreds of moving pieces while still understanding the purpose of the work and identifying where the broader system needs to improve. A clear and thoughtful communicator. You keep stakeholders aligned, surface risks early, follow up effectively, and communicate comfortably with executives, scientists, applicants, reviewers, and external partners. You Will (Duties): Build Convergent’s programmatic operating infrastructure. Design and continuously improve the workflows, systems, documentation, and operating rhythms that support Convergent’s programs. Many of these systems will be built for the first time, giving you meaningful ownership over how the organization operates as it scales. Own applicant and selection operations. Build reliable, end-to-end systems for managing applicants across multiple residency and founder programs. You’ll ensure that we can: Receive and store applications consistently and securely. Move applicants through clearly defined review and selection stages. Coordinate reviewers, decisions, and applicant communications. Capture feedback in a structured way. Preserve a complete and useful historical record. Report on applicant volume, pipeline health, timing, and outcomes across programs. Define metrics and build operational dashboards. Partner with leadership and program owners to determine which information will be most useful as Convergent grows. Establish practical metrics and reporting for applicant pipelines, review processes, program delivery, project status, organizational capacity, and other areas where better visibility can improve decisions. Manage complex, cross-functional projects. Translate organizational priorities into clear plans, owners, dependencies, and deadlines. Mobilize colleagues across functions, create accountability, follow up consistently, and surface risks early—with proposed solutions rather than surprises. Improve workflows and reduce operational friction. Map current processes, identify bottlenecks and failure points, and redesign workflows to improve quality, speed, and consistency. Look for opportunities to reduce duplicate data entry, automate repetitive work, and create a better experience for applicants, reviewers, partners, and internal teams. Build institutional knowledge. Create playbooks, standard operating procedures, templates, decision records, and other documentation that make Convergent’s ways of working visible and repeatable. Help ensure critical information lives in durable systems rather than individual inboxes or memories. Pitch in elsewhere. We are a growing organization, and our needs will continue to evolve. You may be asked to project-manage internal initiatives, troubleshoot an emerging operational challenge, or step into a new area where stronger systems would help the team move faster. What You Bring: We are less interested in formal project-management credentials than in demonstrated evidence that you can build and run effective operations in a dynamic environment. Strong candidates will likely bring: Approximately 4–8 years of experience in startup operations, project management, business operations, sales enablement, program operations, or a related role. Experience managing multiple concurrent, cross-functional projects with competing priorities. Experience building or significantly improving operational processes rather than only following established procedures. Experience working in a fully remote or highly distributed organization, with strong habits around documentation and asynchronous communication. Experience administering or designing systems in tools such as Notion, Asana, Coda, Smartsheet, Monday.com, or similar platforms. Strong judgment about when to add structure, when to automate, and when a simple process is better than a complicated system. An interest in science and technology and enthusiasm for helping ambitious research organizations succeed. Experience with workflow automation, integrations, CRM or applicant-tracking systems, or database design is helpful but not required. In 6 Months, You Will Have: Developed a strong understanding of Convergent’s core programs, stakeholders, goals, and current operational landscape. Taken ownership of several concurrent projects and established clear plans, reporting, accountability, and follow-through. Assessed existing applicant and program workflows and defined priorities for improvement. Built reliable systems for managing applicants and selection workflows across multiple programs. Launched initial dashboards or reporting that create useful visibility for leadership and program owners. Established a strong foundation of documentation, templates, and operating practices that teams can use consistently. In 12 Months, You Will Have: Established meaningful operational metrics that leadership and program owners use to guide decisions. Implemented process improvements that reduce manual effort, eliminate avoidable bottlenecks, and increase consistency. Created durable, scalable systems for applicant pipelines, review processes, program delivery, and cross-functional project management. Built institutional knowledge that makes Convergent’s operating practices visible, repeatable, and easier to improve. Helped Convergent scale its programs without proportionally increasing operational complexity. Become a trusted operating partner to colleagues across the organization—someone teams rely on to turn ambiguous priorities into systems that work. We Offer (Amazing Benefits): A rare chance to build institutional architecture for frontier science and work with some of the smartest and most talented experts from different fields Competitive Salary: The salary range for this role is $111,000 - 159,000 Convergent uses a consistent compensation philosophy across all roles. We benchmark salaries to San Francisco market data and aim for the grade midpoint, which for this role is approximately $159,000. We then apply a geographic adjustment if an employee is located outside of SF, NYC, or Boston, For example, in Denver,