Academic and Program Administrator

University of Chicago•Hyde Park, IL

5d•Onsite

About The Position

The Program for Public Thinking (Public Thinking) is an initiative designed to foster a more thoughtful, humane, and pluralistic public sphere. Jointly operated by UChicago’s Parrhesia Program for Public Discourse and The Point Magazine, Public Thinking seeks to bridge the gap between humanistic education and public dialogue, promoting deeper understanding and critical discussion of contemporary issues with an awareness of the challenges and purpose of speaking about ideas to diverse audiences both inside and outside of the university. The Academic and Program Administrator will play a critical role in supporting Public Thinking, working under day-to-day direction of the Faculty Director and Implementation Coordinator to manage, coordinate, and oversee its programmatic, public-facing, administrative, operations, and financial activities. Through print, web-based, and social media platforms, the Program Administrator will help plan and manage logistics, publicity, and evaluation of events, programs, conferences, research efforts, and program dissemination. They will also help with corresponding with outside institutions and partners who can enrich, promote, and contribute to the program, including journalists and education reporters, public intellectuals who may be potential speakers or fellows, and professors and administrators at institutions that we hope will send students to our summer workshops. The Program Administrator assists in ensuring that program initiatives and activities deliver a unity of focus and purpose, attract interested students, support broader student initiatives and partnerships, and provide effective outreach and professional development. Successful candidates will be mission-driven with a passion for higher education and supporting the delivery of high-quality curriculum and programming.

Requirements

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Strong and broad computer skills (word processing, database, spreadsheet, e-mail, and web), including a strong knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite.
Project management experience.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree in a related field.
Exposure to and/or experience working in academic operations or program operations.
Background working with students and academic appointees, including faculty, instructors, and postdocs.
Background in art, journalism, or other fields of public communication.
Passion for higher education, free expression, and promoting discourse among students.
Interest in public debates related to culture, society, philosophy, literature, and higher education.
Excellent written and oral communication skills.
Write in the voice of another.
Attention to detail and maintain accuracy at all times.
Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills.
Handle public contacts with courtesy, clarity, and diplomacy.
Develop collegial relationships.
Handle sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion.
Work productively despite heavy workload, competing priorities, complex problems, and tight deadlines.
Strategize effectively.
Sound judgment and excellent analytic and problem-solving skills.
Follow an issue through to its resolution.
Use appropriate resources to resolve issues in a timely manner.
Considerable skill in working both independently and as a team member.
Take initiative and organize and complete projects with minimal supervision.
Adjust smoothly to administrative changes.
Follow-up on long-range tasks.
Manage stressful situations.
Handle multiple assignments at any given time, often under time constraints.

Responsibilities

Promotes the mission and activities of Public Thinking.
Supports the development of collaborative programs across partner units and institutions.
Identifies, maintains, and facilitates relationships and communication with internal and external partners.
Supports engagement initiatives with campus partners on shared programming.
Executes and coordinates on- and off-campus events and activities in collaboration with the Faculty Director, Implementation Coordinator, and program team, students, and program partners.
Manages the logistics for the planning, marketing, venue reservation, transportation, food, lodging, speaker invitations, RSVPs, and on-site staffing; and performs other duties as needed.
Devises and implements marketing plan and event timelines, and coordinates the promotion of events, projects, programs, working groups, etc. with internal and external partners.
Primarily responsible for workflow and content creation for all publicity and marketing materials, including but not limited to website, newsletters, social media, annual report templates, print materials, etc.
Supports the Implementation Coordinator and other The Point Magazine staff in organizing and executing the Public Thinking Summer Workshops, especially during their two weeks of operation in late July/early August.
Supports the teaching staff in Public Thinking in delivering innovative and transformative curricula.
Works with the Faculty Director and Implementation Coordinator to develop, administer, and analyze evaluations of curriculum, student programming, and outreach; produces summaries, reports, and research for external and internal audiences; and develops and manages processes and platforms for curricula and research dissemination.
Works with the Collegiate Division, Registrar, and other partners on course catalog listings, ensures accuracy, and facilitates and manages cross listings.
Tracks student enrollment and keeps and manages records for relevant minor or certificate program, as appropriate.
Tracks all program activities and regularly informs leadership of engagement and evaluations.
Recommends structural or programmatic adjustments, changes or additions based on full knowledge of missions, goals, and objectives.
Partners with College Finance and Administration teams to support the financial transaction, facilities, information technology, and human resources needs of Public Thinking.
Time permitting, supports other Parrhesia Program activities, including communications, events, curriculum, and program development.
Uses general understanding and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries.
Interacts with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.
Performs other related work as needed.