Project Manager

The project area covers Pihtipudas and Kinnula. Do you have a passion for developing the vitality of rural town centres, inspiring people, and trying new operating methods? Can you bring together entrepreneurs, associations, property owners, residents, and municipal actors at one table and move ideas into practical experiments? We are seeking an innovative, networked, and action-oriented project manager for the Tulevaisuuden kyläkeskus Tule project who wants to build new kinds of solutions to strengthen the vitality of small municipal centers. In this role you will do more than planning: the aim is to repurpose vacant and underutilised spaces, start pop-up activities and other practical experiments, build collaboration between actors, and develop new operating models that endure beyond the project. Project: Tulevaisuuden kyläkeskus Tule. Funding: European Agricultural Fund for Rural Development / Leader Viisari, Smart villages cooperation project. Project duration: 1.10.2026–30.9.2028. Project administrator/employer: Pihtiputaan kunta. Description of the project: The goal is to create a functional and durable model for modernization of rural centers through collaboration between municipality, entrepreneurs, associations, communities, property owners and residents. The vitality of town centers will be strengthened with practical experiments, the use of spaces that are vacant or underused, development of cooperation and contracting models, and purposeful digitalisation. The outcome will be a tested smart village center operating model that can be used in Pihtipudas, Kinnula and other rural centers. Role description: As project manager you are responsible for the overall project and act as the operational leader. Tasks include coordinating work packages and practical implementation, activating local entrepreneurs, associations, property owners, residents and other actors, planning and launching workshops, surveys, experiments and pilots, mapping vacant spaces and promoting new uses, coordinating pop-up activities and other vitality-promoting experiments, communication, monitoring, reporting and financial coordination, compiling results and embedding operating models into municipal vitality work. You will work closely with stakeholders in Pihtipudas and Kinnula and build collaboration across municipal and actor boundaries. The work combines practical development, people engagement and network-building with administrative project leadership. We expect you to have a suitable university degree or equivalent training and experience in project management or development tasks, the ability to inspire diverse people to participate, a practical, proactive and goal-oriented approach, interest in rural development and municipal centers, strong collaboration, facilitation, organisational and communication skills, and a willingness to turn ideas into practical pilots. An understanding of how digitalisation can support services, visibility and cooperation is valued, as is the ability to manage both practical development work and administrative tasks. Experience working with municipalities, companies, associations, property owners or other local actors and with experimental development is appreciated. We offer a full-time fixed-term position in the Tule Tule project (1.10.2026–30.9.2028) with a diverse and independent role that allows you to impact the future of Pihtipudas and Kinnula centers. The role provides an opportunity to build and test new operating models in practice, a wide network of entrepreneurs, associations, property owners, municipalities and experts, a chance to do visible and meaningful vitality work in two rural municipalities, a pleasant working environment in a scenic rural setting, and terms and pay according to KVTES. How to apply: Submit your application by 30 August 2026 via Kuntarekry.fi. Start date as soon as possible. The position is fixed-term and linked to the Tulevaisuuden kyläkeskus Tule project. Further information: Florist: Elinvoimapäällikkö Nina Välimäki. Phone 040 680 4465. nina.valimaki@pihtipudas.fi.