Administrative Coordinator

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

61d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Presidential Initiative on Interfaith Engagement is building a campus where respect for all identities flourishes, relationships bridge divides, and cooperation for the common good is a lived reality. The Initiative serves students, faculty, and staff across all of Harvard's schools, offices, and departments and from all religious, spiritual, and ethical backgrounds. In a world that often feels fractured, the Initiative provides the spaces, tools, and support to help the Harvard community replace assumption with inquiry and isolation with genuine relationship. The Initiative maintains a vibrant programming calendar — hosting 80+ events in the 2025–26 school year alone — forms partnerships across the university, and shapes its offerings on the foundations of inclusive infrastructure, religious literacy & agility, deep encounters, and meaning making. Reporting to the Assistant Director of Student Programs & Chaplaincy, the Administrative Coordinator provides administrative and logistical support for the department. This role performs a wide range of complex administrative, financial, and event-support duties. The coordinator acts as the primary financial systems user for the department, supports the Executive Director’s schedule/courses, and manages the administrative lifecycle of Harvard Chaplaincy requirements and student grants.

Requirements

• A minimum of 3 years of relevant administrative experience in an office environment.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite and collaborative software.

Nice To Haves

• College degree preferred.
• Proficiency with Harvard financial systems (Concur, Buy2Pay) and scheduling software.
• Strong customer service orientation.
• Familiarity with diverse cultural and religious dietary requirements (e.g., Kosher, Halal) and holiday observances is highly desirable.

Responsibilities

• Serves as the department's primary power-user for Harvard financial systems. Processes all Concur reimbursements, manages B2P vendor invoices, and holds/reconciles the departmental Corporate Card.
• Provides comprehensive logistical support for the Executive Director's academic courses and the RSEL Fellowship. Maintains all fellowship-related administrative data (attendance, grading logs, material distribution, and session recording) to optimize the Executive Director's capacity for high-level student mentorship.
• Ensures the physical environment for all RSEL events reflects departmental values of hospitality and pluralism. Coordinates catering (with specific attention to religious dietary requirements), room bookings, and aesthetic setup to foster an inclusive and sacred space for dialogue.
• Monitors central interfaith inboxes. Schedules logistics for the monthly chaplains' plenary meetings and processes onboarding paperwork and internal rosters for new chaplains.
• Provides comprehensive logistical support for all programming, including venue booking, catering, and A/V coordination. Acts as the primary staff presence for regularly occurring evening student programs (including Fellowship sessions) and occasional weekend community gatherings.
• Maintains and tracks donations and donor information (in coordination with Development), prepares routine donation acknowledgments, and compiles data for quarterly and annual donor reports.
• Provides for the smooth day-to-day flow of communications, including greeting visitors and ordering office supplies. Maintains the department website, digital records, and CRM data entry to support outcome harvesting.

Benefits

• Generous paid time off including parental leave
• Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
• Retirement plans with university contributions
• Wellbeing and mental health resources
• Support for families and caregivers
• Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
• Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level
• Education Level: Associate degree