Fast Facts

The Senior Manager of the Expert Network at Understood will support the operations of their Expertise & Strategic Design team, ensuring that expert relationships are fostered and maintained effectively.

Responsibilities: Key responsibilities include managing day-to-day operations of expert relations, facilitating onboarding, developing expert community events, and maintaining communication with stakeholders.

Skills: Candidates must possess strong organizational and interpersonal skills, experience in community building, and a foundational knowledge of psychology or education.

Qualifications: Preferred qualifications include a Bachelor's degree in psychology, behavioral science, or a related field, and ideally being a licensed clinician or educator.

Location: The role is based in New York, NY, requiring in-office attendance for a minimum of three days a week.

Compensation: $105000 - $120000 / Annually

About Understood

Understood is a nonprofit focused on shaping the world for difference. We raise awareness of the challenges and strengths of people who learn and think differently. Our resources help people navigate challenges, gain confidence, and find support and community so they can thrive. 

Having a shared commitment to our values is a key factor in any hire we make. We have five core values: 

1. Continuously learn.
2. Act with intention.
3. Champion difference. 
4. Inspire change.
5. Grow together. 

Come be part of an organization with an entrepreneurial spirit that’s helping to shape the world for difference. Together, we can build a world where everyone can reach their full potential. 

To learn more about Understood, please visit: www.understood.org.

Who you are 

We are hiring a Senior Expert Relations Manager, reporting directly to the VP of Expertise & Strategic Design, to support the administration and operations of our Expertise & Strategic Design team (ESD) and expert network. This team includes 80+ contract advisors who are researchers, educators, psychologists, clinicians, thought leaders, all world-class experts in their fields, and all committed to individuals with learning and thinking differences.

Everything we do at Understood is expert-driven and evidence-based. Expertise is infused across all our projects in a high-impact digital company (for example, we reach 2,000,000 individuals each month). This critical role ensures the time, value, and experience of experts is optimized and that they continue to feel a sense of connection and belonging. A dynamic role, this includes day-to-day support; developing, elevating and maintaining internal operational excellence, and building strong, positive relationships. 

This is a hybrid role that requires a minimum of three (3) days a week in our NYC office, with a focus on Monday, Tuesday, and Thursday.

What you’ll do

Day-to-day operations & administration

• Consistently and meticulously own seamless execution of expert matching across the organization
• In partnership with the VP of ESD, serve as the main point of contact for experts and primary coordinator for their day-to-day needs from recruitment, onboarding, project support, and beyond
• Use strong judgment to escalate issues and opportunities as needed
• Offering experts non-judgmental support as they do their work; for example, this may include walking them through an issue with their technology, clearing up a scheduling issue, or help with their travel logistics
• Own expert daily communications (i.e., touch points, feedback, logistics, invoices)

Operational excellence

• Proactively identify gaps, propose, and execute system solutions
• Own screening calls for potential experts and vetting of online presence 
• Own the facilitation and administration of key expert network needs from annual contract cycles, onboarding, to expert communications
• Own consistent work with cross-functional teams
• Own project management of expert operations and expert project work
• Maintain and improve systems using our favored company tools such as Airtable and Jira to:
• Track requests 
• Track progress and completion
• Track budget and invoices
• Track grant funding applications
• Build simple processes to automate regularly occurring tasks
• Own facilitation of certain key operational needs for ESD team such as weekly agendas, and bi-weekly updates, in-person team events/meetings 
• Own development of handbook; as well as, as needed presentations and events
• Own consistent feedback circles from experts and internal team members to continually improve the expert network experience 

Relationship, communication, & community

• Listen actively to understand and summarize the needs and requests of stakeholders, making strategic, thoughtful recommendations on next steps
• Own key elements of onboarding and engaging new experts that have been identified as a fit
• Develop, plan and execute the success of right-fit expert community events
• Own regular internal meetings, creating advance agendas or pre-reads, taking notes, and disseminating learnings and updates 
• Develop materials, agenda, timeline, and logistics for annual presentations of organization in partnership with VP 
• Provide clear, regular updates to manager
• Ensuring projects align with team budgets and assisting experts with invoicing 

Impact improvement & agility

• In partnership with manager, identify strategic ways to grow ROI of network, leading and facilitating execution
• Own the development of all operations for Understood’s expert conference award, working cross-functionally 
• Own and development of experts communications (i.e. newsletters, highlighting bios, Linkedin and blog posts)
• Owning internal communications of newly vetted experts and how to work with them
• Leverage data to know and grow the impact of expertise at Understood
• We are an agile organization - at times the needs of the role shift with organizational priorities
• Beyond the core responsibilities, this is a role that can grow and change alongside newly identified needs and ideas that you bring to the table

Must-haves 

• 5+ years of demonstrated experience in a role that combines meticulous organizational skills alongside strong interpersonal skills. Such roles might include operations manager, executive assistant, or management consulting in a fast-paced environment
• Foundational knowledge of psychology, education, and learning and thinking differences – enough to be able to communicate with experts about what they do and use good judgment about when to escalate a question or request
• Demonstrated experience in community building and maintaining the health, belonging, and connection of a diverse, distributed network
• Comfort, skill and professionalism in communicating with well-known leaders and luminaries in their fields
• Strong bias towards action and capacity for creative problem solving – you find a way to get it done!
• Thought partnership – while you are expected to take initiative and work independently, you aren’t alone in this work. Strong collaboration and desire for collaboration are key. 
• Committed to embodying and being a steward of our commitment to diversity, equity, inclusion, and belonging

Nice-to-haves

• Bachelor’s degree in psychology, behavioral science, education, or a related field.
• Ideally, a licensed clinician or educator

The base salary range for this role is minimum $105,000–$120,000 maximum, depending on years of experience and qualifications. We offer a comprehensive benefits package that supports wellness for our team members and their families. You can learn more about our benefits and offerings.

Understood.org does not sponsor applicants for work visas or legal permanent residence, including providing assistance with STEM OPT extensions.

Commitment to diversity, equity, and inclusion

Understood encourages individuals of all learning styles and ethnic, racial, and socioeconomic backgrounds, including those whose life experiences may include the challenge of access due to a disability, to apply for this position. We are committed to maximizing the diversity of our organization, as we want to engage all those who can contribute to supporting this work.

Understood is an equal opportunity employer and considers all applications without regard to race, color, religion, creed, sex, national origin, ancestry, age, alienage or citizenship status, marital or familial status, domestic partnership status, caregiver status, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity or expression, change of sex or transgender status, genetic information, medical condition, pregnancy, childbirth or related medical conditions, physical or mental disability (where the applicant or employee is qualified to perform the essential functions of the job with or without reasonable accommodation), any protected military or veteran status, or status as a victim of domestic or dating violence, sexual assault or offense, stalking, or any other characteristics protected by federal, state, or local law or that of persons with whom that individual associates, or any other legally protected characteristics.

For additional information on learning and thinking differences, including ADD/ADHD, dyslexia, dyscalculia, dysgraphia, dyspraxia, executive function challenges, nonverbal learning disabilities, processing issues, and more, please visit www.understood.org.

#LI-DNI