Academic Program Administrator

Princeton University•Princeton, NJ

2d•Onsite

About The Position

The Academic Program Administrator (APA) provides high-quality, responsive administrative support for undergraduate and graduate academic programs across multiple academic units at Princeton University. This role is designed to flexibly deploy expertise where needs are greatest—supporting units during short-term vacancies in graduate program administrator (GPA) and/or undergraduate program administrator (UPA) positions—while ensuring continuity of academic operations and an exceptional service experience for students, faculty, and campus partners. Working in close collaboration with academic unit leadership and central administrative offices, the APA manages core academic processes such as curriculum and course administration, student records and advising support, recruitment and admissions, and academic events. The position requires strong judgment, adaptability, and the ability to quickly learn and navigate differing academic cultures, systems, and workflows. This role is well suited to an experienced GPA or UPA who thrives in dynamic environments and brings a solutions-oriented, collaborative approach to complex administrative work. It is expected that the APA will support one to three academic units at any given time. The APA will work on campus, and their campus work location will change as short-term assignments change. This position reports to the Associate Registrar for Curriculum and Scheduling in the Office of the Registrar. This is a three-year term position with possibility for renewal. Applicants must submit a cover letter with their application.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience
A minimum of three years of experience working with students in a college or university setting (preferably to include advising and/or student services).
Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
Ability to juggle multiple tasks simultaneously.
Exceptional organization skills and attention to detail.
Must be able to exercise judgment, maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information in a discrete manner.
Proficiency with Excel and other Microsoft Office programs.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of FERPA and experience working with student records.
Experience with Peoplesoft and other Princeton University systems, including Canvas and Stellic; EMS room booking system; Student Activity Funding Engine (S.A.F.E.); Information Warehouse, and Concur.
Experience at Princeton as a graduate or undergraduate program administrator or equivalent position.

Responsibilities

Serve as primary point of contact for undergraduate and/or graduate students in assigned academic unit(s); respond to inquiries and provide clear guidance to current and prospective students.
Monitor and analyze student degree, minor, and/or certificate progress to ensure program requirements are met; update records and systems accordingly.
Oversee the full life cycle of course planning and logistics: gather and enter course information, manage course scheduling, and reserve and request instructional spaces.
Advise students on course offerings and enrollment options in partnership with faculty advisers; monitor enrollments and manage course change requests.
Process new course proposals and recommend solutions to curricular or scheduling challenges.
Maintain course sites in Canvas, manage textbook orders, prepare course materials, and review and submit course reports.
Oversee the evaluation of transfer course applications; collect and analyze related data.
Support faculty with academic policies, course processes, and exam scheduling.
For assignments involving graduate programs, support admission processes, the annual reenrollment assessment of all graduate students, and the filing and scheduling of dissertation defenses.
Plan, coordinate, and execute student academic program events.
Advise faculty and students on University academic policies, procedures, and requirements.
Compile, analyze, and maintain student data and records for reports and institutional needs.
Partner with residential college deans (for undergraduates) and the Graduate School (for graduate students) to support students in understanding central academic requirements and accessing academic resources.
Organize and participate in undergraduate and/or graduate student committee meetings; support committee initiatives; manage processes for graduation, honors, prizes, and awards.
Given the nature of this role, responsibilities will differ depending on the assigned academic unit(s). The successful candidate must be flexible and willing to take on additional responsibilities as needed.
When not assigned to support an academic unit, this position may also support functions in the Office of the Registrar, such as documenting processes, developing communications and training materials, and providing training to academic unit staff.