Associate, Procurement Innovation
Remote
Full Time
Mid Level
Location: Flexible within the U.S. but requires access to a major U.S. airport for travel.
Position Type: Full-time
Our journey began in 2011 at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, where we set out to transform public procurement. Since then, we’ve worked with hundreds of governments across the country to make their procurement systems more efficient, fair, results-driven, and strategic. For example, in 2022, we launched the Procurement Excellence Network, putting our tools and strategies in the hands of over two thousand public servants.
Today, our team of doers, coaches, and advisors partner with governments to create lasting, impactful change. Our vision is simple: every resident has a government they can count on, every day.
Stakeholder Engagement & Thought Leadership
Compensation: The salary for this role is $100,000 plus benefits. We offer a comprehensive, people-first benefits package to support the well-being of our team and their families. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, with multiple plan options to fit individual needs as well as access to health and flexible savings accounts. Paid time off includes: 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, 2 floating holidays, 12 paid holidays, and a winter recess. We also provide an employer match for retirement savings, paid parental leave, and access to backup care for caregiving needs. To support remote work, we offer work-from-home stipends or shared office space options.
Start date: The desired start date for this role is March or April 2026.
This position is grant-funded. Employment is contingent on continuation of funds and organizational needs, at PPG’s sole discretion.
Physical Demands: This position requires sitting, talking, listening, reading, and writing for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties.
Partners for Public Good is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact info(at)partnersforpublicgood.org.
Position Type: Full-time
About Us
At Partners for Public Good (PPG), we believe that when government works, communities thrive. Launched in March 2025, we are a fast-growing nonprofit dedicated to helping state and local governments harness core operational functions – procurement, staffing, digital infrastructure, and budgeting – to drive public impact.Our journey began in 2011 at the Harvard Kennedy School’s Government Performance Lab, where we set out to transform public procurement. Since then, we’ve worked with hundreds of governments across the country to make their procurement systems more efficient, fair, results-driven, and strategic. For example, in 2022, we launched the Procurement Excellence Network, putting our tools and strategies in the hands of over two thousand public servants.
Today, our team of doers, coaches, and advisors partner with governments to create lasting, impactful change. Our vision is simple: every resident has a government they can count on, every day.
Role & Organizational Impact
We’re seeking multiple Associates to support a new initiative to help city governments pilot and surface cutting-edge solutions to unlock new possibilities in how governments spend and procure goods and services. The Associate will report to an Assistant Director and the work may include:- Engaging city governments in testing and advancing innovative procurement practices aligned to increasing vendor competition, strategically using AI in back-office operations, unlocking new sourcing methods, improving interdepartmental coordination, creatively engaging residents, and attracting/retaining talent.
- Providing one-to-one and group coaching to several city governments piloting innovative procurement projects, while supporting implementation of the overall procurement innovation cohort.
Responsibilities
Project Design & Implementation- Support project scoping and problem diagnosis through activities such as quantitative analysis, interviews, surveys, focus groups, process mapping, and policy reviews.
- In collaboration with government leaders, develop ambitious and high-impact projects, informed by data and a clear theory of change.
- Design and implement day-to-day project deliverables, such as problem diagnosis memos, prototype/pilot project roadmaps and workplans, ongoing steering committee reports, and engaging training materials.
- Lead day-to-day change management and implementation, such as:
- Meetings and workshops with government and nonprofit stakeholders to align priorities, implement project work, and address challenges.
- Coaching and advisory support to government partners to diagnose the root causes of challenges and offer feedback from outside perspectives.
- Internal and external project check-ins and strategy pull-ups.
- Direct support on converting a government idea into a tangible yet ambitious intervention/solution to address core problem(s).
- Support funder reporting and contribute to fundraising efforts.
Stakeholder Engagement & Thought Leadership
- Build strong relationships with government leaders and nonprofit partners.
- Contribute to the development of public-facing tools, templates, and publications that share best practices and innovations in public sector operational excellence.
- Represent PPG at conferences and events, presenting insights from project work.
- Provide input to internal operational improvement initiatives.
- Support efforts to expand and refine PPG’s offerings and impact.
Who You Are
We’re looking for candidates who are:- Analytic solution builder. You can break down complex problems. You develop actionable, clear, creative, and high-impact solutions.
- Project manager at heart. You are a self-starter who can juggle multiple priorities, stay organized, and keep projects on track in a remote environment. You have a bias towards action and take pride in being an implementer.
- Strong communicator. You excel in verbal, written, and visual communication. You make technical or complex concepts accessible and engaging.
- Change catalyst. You recognize that true change requires culture shifts, capacity-building, and empowerment—in addition to better processes. You build trust and momentum, push initial ideas to be bolder, and bring stakeholders along with you while moving with urgency, including via effective meeting facilitation and direct coaching.
- Adaptable. You thrive in a fast-paced, team-oriented environment where every project is unique and we dive in and learn new topics/environments quickly.
- Collaborative. You have a proven ability to guide group processes toward tangible results. You care for your colleagues and are quick to pitch in when someone needs help. You are comfortable giving and receiving direct feedback.
- Mission aligned. You are motivated by the opportunity to help state and local governments harness core operational functions so that every resident has a government they can count on, every day.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s degree required. Equivalent years of professional experience and/or certifications will be considered in lieu of formal education.
- Three or more years of related work experience in areas such as government operations, policy implementation, consulting, or innovation-focused initiatives.
- Experience in problem diagnosis, project design/implementation, stakeholder engagement including effective coaching and meeting facilitation, or change management within complex organizations.
- Demonstrated understanding of public procurement processes, government operations, or regulatory environments at the state or local level preferred.
- Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) and comfort with other technology tools.
- Willingness and ability to travel as needed. May be up to 8 times per year.
Additional Information
Deadline to Apply: PPG will review applications on a rolling basis. All applications received by the deadline of February 13, 2026 will be considered.Compensation: The salary for this role is $100,000 plus benefits. We offer a comprehensive, people-first benefits package to support the well-being of our team and their families. We offer medical, dental, and vision insurance, with multiple plan options to fit individual needs as well as access to health and flexible savings accounts. Paid time off includes: 15 vacation days, 12 sick days, 3 personal days, 2 floating holidays, 12 paid holidays, and a winter recess. We also provide an employer match for retirement savings, paid parental leave, and access to backup care for caregiving needs. To support remote work, we offer work-from-home stipends or shared office space options.
Start date: The desired start date for this role is March or April 2026.
This position is grant-funded. Employment is contingent on continuation of funds and organizational needs, at PPG’s sole discretion.
Physical Demands: This position requires sitting, talking, listening, reading, and writing for up to 8 hours per day. Certain situations may require lifting items up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodation may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential job duties.
Commitment to Equal Employment Opportunity
Partners for Public Good is an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.Partners for Public Good is committed to the inclusion of all qualified individuals in the hiring process, including but not limited to those with disabilities. If you require reasonable accommodation(s) to participate in the application or interview process, please contact info(at)partnersforpublicgood.org.
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