Program Manager

Position Title: Program Manager

Reports To: Director of Policy & Advocacy and Director of Science

Location: Chicago, IL (Hybrid)

Status: Full-time, Exempt

Salary: $60,800 - $64,200

Position Summary

The National Anti-Vivisection Society (NAVS) seeks a passionate and proactive Program Manager to advance our mission to end the use of animals in science through innovative education, advocacy, sanctuary and science initiatives. This position plays a critical role in supporting and implementing NAVS’ Sanctuary Program, Science Programs, including Biology Education Advancement Program (BioLEAP) and related humane education initiatives, as well as collaborative work with our partner organization, the International Foundation for Ethical Research (IFER). The ideal candidate will be a self-starter, have strong organization and communication skills, a passion for animal advocacy, and the ability to thrive in a flexible, collaborative nonprofit environment.

Key Responsibilities

Sanctuary Program (50%)

The Animal Sanctuary Assistance Program (ASAP) gives former research animals the compassion and care that they deserve by providing vital assistance to sanctuaries, shelters, and rescues that rehabilitate and rehome animals formerly used in research. The goal is to expand our Sanctuary program to be more proactive in building capacity to support animals rescued from labs. Specifically, the Program Manager will,

• Manage the on-going sanctuary grant application process, including proposal intake, review, evaluation, approval, and reporting in Tahua, our grant management platform
• Support the promotion and communication of the ASAP program and NAVS proactive support to sanctuary and animal care networks
• Engage with sanctuaries for longitudinal stories of impact and perform site visits of former, current, and proposed ASAP grant recipients

Humane Science (50%)

NAVS works to transform testing and research by replacing animal use with ethical, human-relevant solutions including with the BioLEAP program which seeks to eliminate animal dissection in the classroom. Specifically, the Program Manager will,

• Execute the BioLEAP and Humane Science programs to inspire students, educators, and the public to embrace humane science
• Support existing IFER and NAVS programs including the Humane Science Award, IFER Fellowship, and coordinating the Science Advisory Board (SAB) meetings
• Support the creation and delivery of compelling educational resources, presentations, materials, blogs, and webinars to promote humane education
• Represent NAVS at national, local, and potentially international science and education conferences, at schools, and partner events (estimated 4-6 times per year)
• Support landscape analysis to aid in identifying new areas of impact leading to the development and launch of new Science programs to advance human science
• Help support original research on animal use, dissection alternatives, humane science education, etc.

Overall

• Maintain a repository of stakeholders from all outreach; engage with stakeholders to gather stories of impact, perform external research and summarize findings
• Collect, analyze, and report on program data and impact metrics to support program evaluation and reporting
• Provide support for reports, presentations, and materials for NAVS leadership, funders, and external audiences
• Achieve annual performance metrics tied to program impact, awareness, and engagement and contribute to the NAVS Humane Science Index
• Collaborate regularly with NAVS’ Advancement, Advocacy, Science, and Digital teams to maximize program visibility and impact
• Support execution of key legacy programs and support the development of new programs to promote a world where science is humane and effective for all

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor’s degree in life sciences, education, public policy, communications, or a related field

• Experience: 3-5 years of experience in program management, advocacy, or nonprofit organizations; strong candidates with fewer years of experience but significant scientific, humane education, sanctuary, animal advocacy expertise are encouraged to apply

• Core Competencies:
  • Passion for animal protection and alignment with NAVS’ mission and values
  • Flexible and adaptable, eager to learn, innovate, and lead with compassion
  • Able to handle all phases of a project, from concept through final delivery
  • Strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills
  • Comfort working independently in a remote or hybrid environment
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills
  • Proven track record of building partnerships and collaborating with others
  • Confident public speaker and presenter
  • Solutions-oriented
  • Able to travel up to 10%