Assistant Director, Doctoral Programs

Harvard University • Boston, MA

7d • Hybrid

About The Position

Harvard Business School’s Doctoral Programs include more than 120 students across seven programs. The Assistant Director joins a small, dedicated team supporting a range of higher education administration, with a primary focus on student advising and important responsibilities in admissions and professional development. The Doctoral Programs Office manages admissions, course planning, registration and enrollment, student services, progress tracking, career planning, and commencement. The position reports to the Director, Doctoral Programs.

The role advises current and prospective students, works with faculty advisors and program chairs, supports annual student planning and progress reviews, and plans student events and professional development opportunities. It also supports the admissions cycle, including recruitment, application evaluation, interviews, faculty coordination, data tracking, reporting, and the admitted-student yield event.

This is a hybrid position based at Harvard Business School’s Boston campus. Staff are expected to be onsite at least three days per week, with onsite coverage provided Monday through Friday. Specific onsite hours and days are determined by business needs and may change with appropriate advance notice. The position is scheduled for 40 hours per week.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree.
• At least 5 years of experience in higher education administration.
• Ability to interpret and evaluate policies and procedures.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills and good judgment.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work as part of a team.
• Comfort working with data, reporting, and student information systems.

Nice To Haves

• Experience with admissions, student advising, or program management.

Responsibilities

• Serve as the primary contact for current students on departmental policies and requirements, academic resources, research, and job market planning, and refer students to staff, faculty, and University resources as appropriate.
• Partner with faculty advisors and chairs to support student success and maintain program policies and requirements; recommend and implement program changes.
• Conduct annual meetings with students and support the annual planning and progress review process with faculty chairs.
• Advise students in assigned programs in partnership with colleagues in the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
• Plan and oversee complex student events, including the month-long orientation program and professional development opportunities.
• Work with the Doctoral Programs leadership team to build a broad, diverse admissions pipeline and advise prospective students.
• Represent the programs at recruiting events and lead regular information sessions.
• Evaluate applications, provide detailed notes to faculty chairs, and participate in first-round interviews.
• Serve as a liaison to faculty throughout admissions, supporting application evaluation, interviews, and decisions; manage interview scheduling, logistics, and communications with applicants and recommenders.
• Maintain admissions data and track decisions; coordinate with GSAS Admissions and HBS IT to transfer admissions data to HBS systems; update annual admissions analyses and reports.
• Manage the annual Admitted Students Program yield event and support its logistics with the team.
• Build trust and collaboration by working onsite and engaging directly with colleagues and other constituents.
• Perform other duties as assigned.

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.
• Competitive salary and benefits.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Senior