MAKE - Project Manager

About This Role

About MAKE

MAKE is a part workshop, lab, studio, and garage, offering a diverse range of programs focused on building creative skills and process learning in making, design, engineering, and art. It is supported by a wide range of professional-grade machinery, tools, and facilities.

MAKE is home to a community of entrepreneurs, experimenters, designers, artists, DIY enthusiasts, hobbyists, learners, and creators. Our mission is to support and grow a culture of making in Abu Dhabi, providing makers with the resources and knowledge needed to turn ideas into reality.

Our mission is built on two key pillars:

• Enabling the makers' community through our makerspace and services
• Building community capabilities through educational programs

We welcome makers of all ages and experience levels - from beginners to professional designers. MAKE is a place where people with different creative abilities come together to explore, learn, and create.

Job Summary

The Project Manager will play a crucial role in ensuring the successful delivery of initiatives across the capability building and enabling department.

This role is responsible for the end-to-end planning, delivery, and evaluation of educational programs - from initial scoping through execution and close-out. The role requires strong ownership, structured thinking, and the ability to manage multiple projects, stakeholders, timelines, and risks while maintaining program quality, learner experience, and alignment with organizational objectives.

Key Responsibilities

Program Planning & Structuring

• Define programme scope, objectives, deliverables, timelines, and success metrics in collaboration with internal stakeholders
• Translate educational goals into structured project plans, schedules, and workstreams
• Develop and maintain programme roadmaps across short-term activations and long-term initiatives
• Align resources (staff, instructors, spaces, equipment) with programme requirements

Delivery & Execution

• Lead the day-to-day execution of assigned educational programmes
• Ensure programmes are delivered on time, within scope, and within approved budgets
• Coordinate across education, operations, marketing, finance, and external partners
• Oversee programme logistics including scheduling, onboarding, facilities readiness, and material procurement
• Maintain high standards of learner experience and programme quality throughout delivery

Stakeholder & Partner Management

• Act as the primary point of contact for internal teams, instructors, consultants, and external partners
• Manage day-to-day expectations, communication flows, and approvals across stakeholders
• Facilitate alignment between educational intent, operational feasibility, and partner requirements
• Proactively flag conflicts, changes, or misalignment for management decision

Budgeting & Financial Oversight

• Develop and manage programme budgets in coordination with finance and leadership
• Track expenditures, forecast costs, and flag variances early
• Ensure contractual scopes, payment schedules, and deliverables are adhered to

Risk & Quality Management

• Identify potential risks related to timelines, resources, quality, safety, or stakeholder dependencies
• Develop and implement mitigation strategies
• Ensure compliance with organisational policies and contractual obligations
• Monitor programme quality through feedback, evaluation tools, and internal reviews

Monitoring, Reporting & Evaluation

• Track programme performance against defined KPIs and objectives
• Prepare status updates, reports, and post-programme evaluations
• Collect and analyse participant, instructor, and stakeholder feedback
• Translate insights into recommendations for programme improvement

Process Improvement & Knowledge Management

• Contribute to the development and refinement of programme management frameworks, templates, and tools
• Document learnings, best practices, and operational insights
• Support continuous improvement of educational delivery systems and workflows

Qualifications & Experience

• Bachelor’s degree in Business, Education, Design, Architecture, or a related field
• Project management certification (PMP, PRINCE2, Agile, or equivalent) is a plus
• 3–5 years of experience in project or programme management, preferably within education, cultural, creative, or public-facing environments
• Experience working within educational programs, workshops, residencies, or training initiatives is preferred
• Familiarity with design, making, or creative learning environments is an advantage
• Experience coordinating instructors, facilitators, or subject-matter experts is preferred

Skills & Competencies

• Strong organisational, planning, and problem-solving skills
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills
• Proven ability to manage multiple stakeholders, timelines, budgets, and risks