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.