Project Manager, Partnerships & Projects

Role Overview

Title: Project Manager, Partnerships & Projects
Hours: Full Time; Salaried
Location: Salt Lake City, UT (Hybrid)
Benefits Eligible: Yes
Manager: Director, Partnerships & Projects

Mission – Why we exist and why we need you

Geothermal energy is the most abundant renewable energy source in the world, yet it remains underdeveloped due to exploration risk, development complexity, and capital intensity. At Zanskar, we are accelerating geothermal development by combining technical excellence, disciplined execution, and strong strategic partnerships. As we advance multiple geothermal exploration and development partnerships, we need a highly capable Project Coordinator who can help translate strategy into
execution. This role sits at the center of cross-functional workstreams and external relationships, ensuring that partnership projects move forward efficiently, professionally, and with strong internal alignment.

This is not a passive administrative role. It is an execution-oriented, high-ownership position for someone who can operate confidently with leadership, engage effectively with vendors and partners, and proactively solve problems in a fast-moving startup environment.

Outcomes - Problems You’ll Solve

In this role, you will help ensure that partnership projects:

Stay organized, on schedule, and aligned across multiple internal teams
Have clear next steps, owners, timelines, and documented decisions
Are prepared for leadership reviews and external partner discussions
Maintain strong communication between Zanskar, consultants, and vendors
Anticipate risks early and proactively address bottlenecks
Operate with startup agility while maintaining professional rigor

About the Role

Zanskar is seeking a highly organized and proactive Project Manager to support strategic partnership projects and government funded programs, with a particular focus on Department of Energy (DOE) and Department of Defense (DOD) projects. Working closely with the Director of Partnerships & Projects, this role will coordinate cross-functional teams, manage schedules and deliverables, support grant and project administration, and help ensure complex projects move forward efficiently. Experience with federal grants or government funded projects is strongly preferred but not required. We are also interested in candidates with strong project management experience who can quickly learn federal program requirements and bring structure to
complex, multi-stakeholder projects.

What You’ll Do

Manage project plans, schedules, milestones, action items, risks, and deliverables across partnership and government-funded projects.
Support execution and administration of DOE, DOD, and other federally funded projects and grants.
Track grant and project requirements, reporting deadlines, budgets, cost share, invoices/reimbursements, and key commitments.
Coordinate cross-functional workstreams across Exploration, Drilling, Development, Engineering, Permitting, Land, Finance, Legal, and external partners.
Coordinate preparation of technical and financial reports, project updates, presentations, and other required deliverables.
Facilitate project meetings, document decisions and action items, and drive follow-through.
Support communication with government stakeholders, commercial partners, consultants, vendors, and subcontractors.
Prepare concise, executive-ready project updates and briefing materials.
Identify schedule, budget, administrative, and execution risks early and help drive solutions.
Build and improve project management systems, trackers, documentation, and workflows.
Step into undefined gaps, create structure, and help keep multiple projects moving forward.

Competencies – What we’re looking for

Strong project management, organizational, and execution skills.
Ability to coordinate multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders simultaneously.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Strong attention to detail and follow-through.
Ability to bring structure and clarity to ambiguous or rapidly evolving projects.
High ownership mindset and willingness to proactively solve problems.
Comfortable working with technical teams, leadership, external partners, and vendors.
Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced startup environment.

Preferred Experience

Experience with DOE, DOD, or other federal grants, cooperative agreements, contracts, or government-funded projects is strongly preferred, but not required.
Experience in energy, infrastructure, engineering, natural resources, construction, or other technical/capital-intensive environments preferred but not required.
Familiarity with project budgeting, financial tracking, reporting, or project controls.
Experience coordinating consultants, vendors, subcontractors, or external partners.

What Makes This Role Unique

You will work at the intersection of geothermal development, strategic partnerships, and government-funded programs, helping move complex projects from commitments and funding through successful execution.

This role is well suited for someone who enjoys creating structure, coordinating across technical and business teams, solving problems, and taking ownership in an environment where processes are still being built.

You will help create structure where ambiguity exists, bring clarity to complex multi-stakeholder efforts, and elevate the overall quality and polish of project execution.

Benefits

Paid holidays
18 days PTO, with accrual increases based on tenure
Medical and dental coverage
401(k) with company match
Stock options
Growth opportunities at a company directly advancing domestic geothermal energy and a carbon-free grid

Equal Opportunity Employer

Zanskar is an equal-opportunity employer and complies with all applicable federal, state, and local fair employment practice laws.

Project Manager, Partnerships & Projects