Manager, XPRIZE Wildfire

XPRIZE Overview

XPRIZE is a global future-positive movement of 1M people and rising. As a 501(c)3, XPRIZE delivers truly radical breakthroughs for the benefit of humanity and solves some of the world’s greatest challenges. Active competitions include the $100M XPRIZE Carbon Removal, the $15M XPRIZE Feed the Next Billion, the $10M ANA Avatar XPRIZE, the $10M XPRIZE Rainforest and the $5M XPRIZE Rapid Reskilling. Join XPRIZE to help create a better future for everyone, everywhere.

Position Description 

XPRIZE is seeking an experienced Project Manager with demonstrated proficiency in the operations of long-term interdisciplinary programs for XPRIZE Wildfire, within the Biodiversity & Conservation Domain. XPRIZE Wildfire is a five-year competition that will recruit interdisciplinary teams of innovators from around the world to develop and scale integrated systems that can autonomously detect, assess and suppress potentially catastrophic wildfires quickly on both the local and global scales. Familiar with key issues and challenges related to wildfire and natural resource management, the Manager will lead and perform tasks for recruiting and supporting competing teams, and managing partners and the wider global ecosystem involved in the XPRIZE Wildfire competition. The Manager is highly organized, collaborative, professional, and motivated. The candidate is responsible for building and maintaining relationships internally and externally, and expertly manages project budgets, external events, independent consultants, and supports internal and external prize communication. The Manager will also play a key role supporting and leading initiatives and activities involving field testing and scaling impact.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary point of contact with competition teams throughout the duration of the prize, ensuring smooth navigation through various prize milestones and submissions, as well as compliance with the rules and regulations of the competition
• Develop activities and initiatives to provide teams with additional skills and resources both human and technical
• Ensure internal systems and infrastructure are in place ahead of key competition milestones
• Seek opportunities to highlight competing teams at external events and conferences
• Manage the production and execution of Team and Judging Summits
• Facilitate XPRIZE participation at relevant conferences and develop and lead workshops and panel presentations as needed
• Attend and represent XPRIZE Wildfire at external events and conferences as needed
• Play a central role with partners facilitating key events and initiatives surrounding prize milestones and testing
• Provide on the ground support during Testing
• Gain strong familiarity with the teams competing in XPRIZE Wildfire and their technical solutions
• Support global impact initiatives by liaising and collaborating with internal and external stakeholders
• Develop, manage, monitor and update project plans and budgets
• Manage XPRIZE Wildfire digital resource library
• Perform day-to-day operations, which includes but is not limited to creating POs, processing invoices, expense reports, and internal and external meetings
• Ensure Advisory Board and Judging Panel participation at key events

Qualifications and Competencies

• Minimum 5-7 years of project management experience designing, managing, monitoring, and executing large multi-year projects, particularly in forest environments.
• Advanced degree preferred
• Strong customer service skills and attention to detail as it pertains to supporting competing teams and external partners
• Record of delivering high-quality, and innovative technology-based projects
• Ability to problem solve in dynamic settings
• Ability to think calmly and creatively in highly fluid situations and under intense schedules and deadlines
• Experience with preparing and speaking in front of groups and facilitating conversations around particular topics
• Subject matter experience related to any of the following areas preferred: 
  • Wildland Urban Interface
  • Natural Resource Management
  • Firefighting
  • Fire Ecology
  • Forestry
  • Conservation Tech
• Willingness to work independently in remote forest locations with few amenities for occasional long stretches of time
• Ability to communicate clearly and effectively with diverse audiences from high-level government officials and business executives to local park rangers and community leaders
• Demonstrates professionalism in all aspects of work
• Action and solution oriented
• Possess strong global perspective
• Additional language capabilities are a bonus
• Passionate to solve grand challenges in the world with a strong desire to advance XPRIZE’s work in Biodiversity and Conservation 

The XPRIZE FOUNDATION is an equal opportunity employer and does not unlawfully discriminate in employment. Equal access to employment, services, and programs is available to all persons. Those applicants requiring reasonable accommodation to the application and/or interview process should notify a representative of the organization.

Please note: Though submitting a resume to the XPRIZE FOUNDATION implies that you are interested in a position(s), it does not imply that you are an applicant. You are not considered an applicant until you have been contacted directly by a Talent Acquisitions representative requesting that you begin the designated application process, which may involve phone and/or in-person interview(s), job-related testing, and background checks.