Board Relations and Special Projects Manager

Job Description

At UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement, we know why we come to work.

We have an exciting opportunity for a Board Relations and Special Projects Manager at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement, based in our Evanston, Illinois, office. The Board Relations and Special Projects Manager supports effective governance and executive alignment for ULRI and ULSE. Reporting to the Director of Board Relations and Special Projects, this role manages the Board Relations work stream-including strategic meeting management, content development, and process oversight-while also contributing to special projects. The Manager ensures timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder alignment are achieved across multiple work streams in a fast-paced environment.

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

At UL Research Institutes (ULRI) and UL Standards & Engagement (ULSE), we expand the boundaries of safety science to create a more secure and sustainable world. For more than a century, we have studied the unintended consequences of innovation, designed solutions to mitigate risk, created new safety standards and shared our findings with academia, scientists, manufacturers, and policymakers across industries. We identify critical safety and sustainability issues, asking the tough questions because we believe a safer world begins with knowledge.

What you'll learn and achieve:

As the Board Relations and Special Projects Manager, you will play a key role in the rapid growth of UL as you:

• Serve as the internal owner of the ULRI-ULSE quarterly Board process, managing timelines, deliverables, and executive awareness.

• Plan structure and content of Board meetings by developing a roadmap of topics, attendees, and content ownership.

• Draft, review, and coordinate distribution of Board decks, facilitating reviews with executives and conducting final quality control, with support from designated executive assistant support.

• Ensure alignment among executive stakeholders for Board and committee meetings, including facilitation of regular board planning meetings

• Partner with Finance and other departments to prepare budget presentations and additional key Board-facing deliverables.

• Prepare agendas, materials, and talking points to support meeting facilitation and run-of-show.

• Track and follow up on Board-related action items to ensure accountability and timely execution.

• Identify risks and critical path issues in Board processes and implement mitigation strategies.

• Support special projects outside of the Board process by providing project management, content development, and cross-functional coordination.

• Manage multiple work streams simultaneously, balancing priorities while delivering high-quality results.

• As required, effectively manage other team member(s) by providing coaching, guidance, and development, while holding team member(s) accountable for performance and results.

• Perform other duties as directed.

What you'll experience working at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement:

For the organizations across the UL enterprise, corporate and social responsibility isn't new. We have pursued our mission of working for a safer, more secure, and sustainable world for nearly 130 years, embedding conscientious stewardship into everything we do.

• People: Our people make us special. You'll work with a diverse team of experts respected for their independence and transparency and build a network, because our approach is collaborative. We collaborate across disciplines, organizations, and geographies to build the global scientific response that today's global challenges require.

• Interesting work: Every day is different for us here. We see what's on the horizon and use our expertise to build the foundations of a safer future. You'll have the opportunity to push the boundaries of human understanding as part of a team working to advance the public good.

• Grow and achieve: We learn, work, and grow together through targeted development, reward, and recognition programs.

• Values. Four core values guide our work: collaboration, respect, integrity, and beneficence. By living our values, we inspire the trust essential to fulfilling our mission and foster the partnerships that enable us to pursue a beneficent future in which we all can thrive.

• Total Rewards: All employees at UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are eligible for bonus compensation. We offer comprehensive medical, dental, vision, and life insurance plans and a generous 401k matching structure of up to 5% of eligible pay. Moreover, we invest an additional 4% into your retirement saving fund after your first year of continuous employment. Depending on your role, you may be able to discuss flexible working arrangements with your manager. We also provide employees with paid time off, including vacation, holiday, sick, and volunteer days.

What makes you a great fit:

While no one candidate will embody every quality, the successful candidate will bring many of the following professional competencies and personal attributes:

• Positive and collaborative leadership style and interpersonal skills to work effectively with leaders and colleagues across the organization, while setting high standards and accountability for process and results.

• High degree of curiosity to learn about the mission and impact of the organization and the areas of specialization of its professionals.

• Responsiveness and a sense of urgency, highly organized, detail-oriented, and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.

• Problem solving skills with the ability to identify root causes, develop practical solutions, and work in collaboration with colleagues across the organization to address strategic, operational, and any other roadblocks to success.

• Analytical skills with the ability to summarize and communicate in concise and compelling ways complex data and develop models and scenarios for short- and long-term planning.

• Written and oral communication and presentation skills, with enthusiasm to engage colleagues and stakeholders with the mission and strategy of the organization.

• Ability to operate at a strategic and operational level, including attention to detail and willingness to both lead the work and execute.

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, especially PowerPoint and Excel, with experience designing executive-level presentations.

Professional education and experience requirements for the role include:

• Bachelor's degree required, preferably in business, economics, engineering, or a related field.

• 5 plus years of experience in project management, executive communications, strategy, or governance-related roles.

• Experience supporting executive leadership, board processes, or cross-functional initiatives preferred.

• Background in nonprofit, mission-driven, research, or academic organizations is a plus.

About UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement

UL Research Institutes and UL Standards & Engagement are nonprofit organizations dedicated to advancing safety science research through the discovery and application of scientific knowledge. We conduct rigorous independent research and analyze safety data, convene experts worldwide to address risks, share knowledge through safety education and public outreach initiatives, and develop standards to guide safe commercialization of evolving technologies. We foster communities of safety, from grassroots initiatives for neighborhoods to summits of world leaders. Our organization employs collaborative and scientific approaches with partners and stakeholders to drive innovation and progress toward improving safety, security, and sustainability, ultimately enhancing societal well-being.

Our wholly owned subsidiary, UL Solutions, advances our shared public safety mission. We fund our work through grants, the licensing of standards documents and the business activities of UL Solutions, which conducts testing, verification and certification, and provides training and advisory services, along with data-driven reporting and decision-making tools for customers around the world.

To learn more, visit our websites UL.org and ULSE.org.

Salary Range:

Pay type: