Project Manager - Community Impact

At Gensler, we design for people. We leverage our global perspective and local presence to innovate at every scale. We’re not just designers. We’re tinkerers, craftspeople, visionaries, innovators, and thought leaders. Fueled by passion and entrepreneurial spirit, our people bring new ideas to solve the world’s most challenging problems, like designing a more resilient, inclusive, and equitable future for our communities and cities.

Our people-centered, “People First” culture and “One Firm-Firm” philosophy promotes integrated teams that unite to shape the future of cities.  Gensler’s vision is to “Create a Better World through the Power of Design,” and we do that by our deep commitment to our clients and by fostering a collaborative, diverse, and inclusive environment that enables our people to create impactful solutions together.

Your Role

Gensler’s mission is to create a better world through the power of design. Through its local-first approach to Community Impact, the firm leverages its skills, services, products, and profits to address critical issues facing cities, including education, the environment, health and wellness, and housing and homelessness.

As a Project Manager reporting to the Director of Community Impact and based full time (5 days a week) in Gensler’s Chicago office, you are an experienced professional who provides strategic and tactical support for the firmwide Community Impact team. Your work enhances and sustains Gensler’s model for Community Impact, bolsters innovative and entrepreneurial culture for local Community Impact teams, and drives positive outcomes for the firm, its people, and the communities in which it operates.

You are responsible for the administration of day-to-day operations within Gensler’s Community Impact Studio while being an ambassador and champion of the firm’s values. You have experience leading by influence while successfully managing complex projects, budgets, and deadlines. Experience with corporate social responsibility, social impact, or employee engagement, ability to work independently, and willingness to be flexible and iterative are required to be successful in the role.

What You Will Do

• Project Management: Provide strong project management for Community Impact initiatives, including the annual Impact & Inclusion Awards, Global Give Back Month, skills-based volunteering and pro bono projects, the annual budgeting process, and more. This includes aligning key stakeholders on project scope and managing timelines, budgets, and success metrics.

• Employee Engagement: Cultivate and support relationships with Gensler’s Community Impact Leadership Network, a group of volunteer Community Impact leaders in each of the firm’s offices around the world. Develop and implement strategies to effectively engage employees in community impact activities, such as volunteer opportunities, fundraising campaigns, and skills-based volunteering. Promote employee awareness of outreach initiatives and their impact.

• Stakeholder Engagement: Collaborate with internal stakeholders across different departments to ensure alignment with company objectives and maximize employee participation. Build and maintain strong, mutually beneficial relationships with external partners, including clients, non-profit organizations, and community groups as necessary to facilitate projects and initiatives.

• Budget Management: Serve as a liaison between firmwide Finance and local Community Impact leaders to help record and track project budgets effectively, ensuring resources are allocated efficiently and responsibly.

• Impact Measurement & Reporting: Assist the Director of Community Impact in implementing systems to track and measure the impact and growth of Community Impact to inform strategy and demonstrate value. Prepare regular reports on progress, outcomes, and key performance indicators. Analyze data to identify areas for improvement and ensure Studio effectiveness.

• Communication & Advocacy: Collaborate closely with project and Marketing & Communications teams to communicate the company’s outreach and partnership efforts effectively to internal and external audiences. Identify and develop compelling narratives for various communication channels, including websites, social media, and internal newsletters. Track trends and best practices in corporate social responsibility and help position the firm to engage in them.

Your Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree 

• 7+ years professional experience, 3 years of relevant project management experience.

• Demonstrated success in project leadership roles. Project management certification is a plus but not required.

• Strong knowledge of corporate social responsibility, social impact, or employee engagement strategies, policies, and procedures, including understanding of best practices and emerging trends.

• Capable of consistently maintaining a high level of composure, confidentiality, and job focus.

• High level of emotional intelligence and the ability to support nuanced conversations around community outreach and partnership dynamics.

• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, Power Point)

• Basic proficiency in Adobe creative suite (specifically InDesign)

• Ability to travel on an as needed basis (5-10%)

**The compensation range for this role in Chicago is estimated to be between $110k-$125k plus bonuses and benefits and contingent on relevant experience.

Life at Gensler

We encourage our employees to lead a healthy and balanced life. Our comprehensive benefits include medical, dental, vision, disability and wellness programs. We also offer profit sharing and twice annual bonus opportunities.

As part of the firm’s commitment to licensure and professional development, Gensler offers reimbursement for certain professional licenses and associated renewals and exam fees. In addition, we reimburse tuition for certain eligible programs or classes. We view our professional development programs as strategic investments in our future.

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