Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies in the Interdisciplinary Humanities

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

13h • Onsite

About The Position

The Associate Director of Undergraduate Studies manages and plans academic affairs operations across Harvard’s interdisciplinary humanities undergraduate programs: History & Literature; Ethnicity, Migration, Rights; and Folklore & Mythology. Reporting to the Assistant Dean for Arts & Humanities Education, the role manages academic advisers and oversees undergraduate programming. It also supports faculty committees and chairs with curricular initiatives, requirements, teaching assignments, course development, and long-term planning.

The position leads administrative staff management and development, supports teaching and advising, coordinates student tutorials and senior oral examinations, and provides mentoring and guidance to concentrators. It also develops administrative systems and reports, coordinates summer research opportunities, represents the concentrations in institutional settings, and ensures compliance with university policies and applicable regulations. The role is in person at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, with limited remote-work capability during academic terms and occasional additional office time for weekly evening events. The Associate Director is expected to hold a dependent Lecturer appointment in one or more of the associated degree committees, contributing service and support to their teaching mission.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience.
• At least 7 years of relevant work experience.
• PhD in a related field by the date of hire.
• Experience in teaching and research.
• A combination of education and experience will be considered.

Responsibilities

• Manage and plan academic affairs operations across the History & Literature, Ethnicity, Migration, Rights, and Folklore & Mythology undergraduate programs.
• Manage academic staff, including hiring, onboarding, training, development, workflow, and performance management, while fostering an inclusive and innovative work environment.
• Serve as the lead contact for interdisciplinary undergraduate programs and work with faculty committees and chairs on curricular initiatives, requirements, and long-term planning.
• Provide guidance and input on teaching assignments, course support, and non-instructional educational activities.
• Contribute to course development, including course sequencing, scheduling, and grading processes.
• Advise faculty and other academics on educational strategies and formats, and train new instructors in the programs.
• Contribute to curriculum development, including developing new courses and assessing curricular offerings.
• Coordinate sophomore, junior, and senior tutorials with academic staff, assign advisers and readers for student work, and organize senior oral examinations.
• Hold regular office hours and meet with concentrators for mentoring, advising, and general support.
• Review, approve, and manage concentrator requirements and requests.
• Organize undergraduate summer research opportunities with faculty and College funding offices, and communicate IRB requirements and training.
• Establish and monitor administrative systems, lead process redesigns, and update documents, guides, and websites as needed.
• Develop specialized reports analyzing course development, teaching efforts, and student progress.
• Represent the concentrations at school-wide or University-wide meetings, serve on committees as appropriate, and liaise with other departments and related units.
• Ensure compliance with University policies and procedures and applicable legal rules and regulations.
• Hold a dependent Lecturer appointment in one or more of the three associated degree committees and provide service and support to their teaching mission.

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: Senior
• Education Level: Ph.D. or professional degree