Program Coordinator

Provides management for an education, research &/or operations program/project, recommending goals, assessing feasibility and ongoing performance & providing day-to-day oversight of administrative & operational functions.

The program/project is summarized below.

The Graduate Program Coordinator manages, at the Department level, all administrative aspects of the PhD student progress in the History Department. The coordinator handles admission inquiry to the completion of the degree for the History PhD program. The coordinator guides students in fulfilling the program requirements; assists department committees with data and analysis; coordinates student admission, student space, reviews, competitions, financial aid, and external grant management; maintains student records and promotes the PhD Program on social media. The coordinator works closely with the Department’s Associate Chair, Director of Graduate Studies, Business Administrator, faculty leadership, as well as with our partners in The Graduate School, Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences, Pritzker School of Law, in routine and complex decision making, as well as policy implementation and recommendation.

Highlight areas of responsibility:

• Administration
• Financial
• Communications
• Evaluation
• Events
• Facilities & Safety
• Faculty Support
• Grants/Contracts
• Human Resources
• Outreach
• Program Development
• Recruitment
• Strategic Planning
• Student Support

Please note: Working environment/workspace is open and shared with 2 other staff members.

Specific Responsibilities:

Administration

• Manages day to day operations for the History graduate level programs and graduate student space in Harris Hall
• Ensures that program/project mission, values, guidelines, policies & procedures are implemented & maintained.
• Manages design and development of program databases; compiles & analyzes data; prepares reports.
• Reviews processes and recommends changes to incorporate state-of-the-art technology as appropriate into administrative, recruitment, marketing, and educational components.
• Identifies service improvement opportunities that will better enable program/project to achieve its goals and objectives.
• Acts as liaison to IT to ensure technology systems are properly installed & maintained.

Budgets & Financial

• Troubleshoots problems; performs vendor/account research as needed; obtains additional information or provides instruction & guidance by phone, US- or e- mail from customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.

Communication, Outreach & Recruitment

• Creates and maintains state-of-the-art website.
• Incorporates social media and networking into program/project aspects as appropriate.
• Strengthens partnerships with external resources by defining, promoting and marketing benefits of participation and involvement to the organization.

Evaluation

• Coordinates the review of academic progress for all PhD student and prepares presentation to faculty on status.
• Analyzes evaluation data from instructors, students, participants, etc. to assist in program/project development and updates.
• Implements corrective actions required as a result of surveys or other indicators.

Events

• Develops plans and arranges meetings, workshops, events, etc. designed to exchange information, promote research objectives, and to build internal and external relationships within NU.
• Ensures that event details including communication, venues, presenters, travel arrangements, materials, refreshments and technology are arranged and completed in an appropriate and timely manner.

Faculty Support

• Supports faculty leadership with administration of the graduate students and issues ranging from external fellowships to students’ services to leave policies.

Human Resources

• Ensures human resources programs, policies, & procedures are implemented & consistently applied.
• In consultation with management & Central HR, administers HR solutions.
• Maintains excellent working relationship with Office of Human Resources.

Program Development

• Reviews programs/projects to increase efficiencies to support growth.
• Leads program/project updates and improvements.

Strategic Planning

• Administers & maintains existing strategic plans.
• Participates with area/unit senior staff in the conceptualization, development and presentation of materials used in functional operations.

Student Support

• Advises students regarding admissions and academic progress.
• Manages admission review process, working closely with the Graduate School, Weinberg College and the DGS, creates reports for admission committee, coordinates admitted student visit and orientation for newly matriculating students.
• Works closely with Associate Chair in coordinating TA assignments and assignment of graders.
• Resolves administrative issues (RAS forms, stipends, monitors fellowships, etc.)
• Organizes new student activities.
• Tracks data entry of grades into CAESAR, assuring faculty completes process by deadline.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s in business, accounting or a related field + 1 year program administration or similar experience; or appropriate combination of education and experience; 3 years program administration or similar experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Advanced knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs is required.
• Excellent communication skills, both oral and written.
• Excellent organizational skills and time management skills.
• Strong interpersonal skills and customer service orientation
• Ability to function in diverse workplace environment
• Ability to multi-task and work with interruptions
• Commitment to collegial and cooperative relations with others (team player)

Preferred Qualifications:

• 5 years of experience or its equivalent in PhD program administration

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Advanced knowledge of MS Excel, MS Access, Smartsheets and database software.
• Familiarity with Northwestern systems and/or willingness to learn.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.