Operations and Project Coordinator

Davidson College • Davidson, NC

5d • Onsite

About The Position

Davidson College seeks applications for the role of Operations & Project Coordinator in the D.G. and Harriet Wall Martin Institute for Public Good. The Martin Institute integrates academic research, civic engagement, public policy, creative expression, and ethical leadership to foster collaboration that equips students to address society’s challenges and emerge as ethical public leaders. The Operations & Project Coordinator provides direct administrative, project, and event support to advance the Institute's mission. Operating under the supervision of the Managing Director, the Coordinator manages complex event logistics, supports faculty and fellow programs, organizes central records, tracks project deadlines, provides occasional scheduling and logistical support for leadership. Because this role interacts with faculty, civic leaders, and external dignitaries, exceptional professional discretion, polish, and diplomatic communication skills are essential.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree required.
• 2–4 years of administrative, project coordination, or operational experience preferably in higher education, public sector, or a complex non-profit environment.
• Proficiency with standard office productivity suites (Google Workspace / Microsoft Office), online survey tools, and standard university administrative systems.

Nice To Haves

• Resource & Logistics Planning: Ability to analyze room availability, event calendars, campus resources, and vendor timelines to plan seamless event logistics.
• Clear & Professional Communication: Exceptional verbal and written communication skills; ability to represent the Institute with high polish, warmth, and professionalism when interacting with community leaders, politicians, local officials, and external dignitaries.
• Patience & Diplomacy: Demonstrates high emotional intelligence, patience, and discretion when coordinating with faculty, fellows, busy executives, and external community partners.
• Multitasking & Operational Execution: Strong organizational agility with a proven track record of managing competing priorities, shifting deadlines, and multiple concurrent logistical tasks smoothly.
• Project & Operational Tracking: Strong skill in organizing project data, updating status tracking tools, and following up on action items across multiple concurrent initiatives.
• Event & Logistics Coordination: Proven ability to manage physical setups, catering orders, room bookings, and administrative details smoothly.
• Practical Tool Capability: Comfortable setting up and using basic administrative tools (e.g., Google Drive for folder organization, spreadsheets for project dashboards, Qualtrics/Google Forms for surveys, university scheduling software).

Responsibilities

• Supports the Managing Director in maintaining internal operational momentum, tracking administrative workflows, and driving central Institute and program area initiatives by: submitting facility requests, coordinating vendor setups, and confirming logistics based on established master calendar dates and parameters set by the Managing Director; handling room bookings, catering arrangements, materials preparation, and basic setup for Institute working groups and administrative sessions; gathering curriculum development grant updates, project metrics, and administrative data across all five program areas for central leadership review and operational tracking; collecting faculty and staff submissions, program updates to draft blurb entries for the VPAA Newsletter, Operations Reports, and internal campus announcements; proactively collecting, organizing, and archiving essential program materials, project summaries, and event documentation in central Google Drive folders; coordinating with faculty program directors and fellows to ensure routine administrative artifacts are stored properly; keeping central operational spreadsheets and status dashboards updated across Institute-wide administrative priorities; handling administrative documentation, routing general inquiries, and managing operational follow-through to keep assigned tasks moving on schedule; providing comprehensive operational and event logistics support to Faculty program area directors —handling room reservations through campus software, catering, AV/tech coordination, vendor arrangements, and setup execution for program-specific lectures, workshops, panels, and working groups.
• Executes administrative systems, survey tools, and logistical coordination for multi-stakeholder projects across campus. Delivers dedicated logistical, event, and resource coordination across program areas and for faculty fellow cohorts by: building, distributing, and collecting basic administrative tools (such as setting up online surveys for faculty research needs or event feedback) as assigned by leadership; tracking project milestones, gathering data, and providing logistical support for faculty-led grant projects across all five program areas as triaged and assigned by the Managing Director; scheduling, convening, and managing meeting logistics involving faculty, staff, and institutional partners across campus for Institute initiatives; coordinating administrative logistics specifically for Sabbatical Fellows and CE Faculty Fellows—including ordering and arranging regular fellow lunches, setting up orientation sessions, booking meeting spaces, and executing logistics for signature fellow gatherings; evaluating campus venue availability, resource constraints, and scheduling calendars to propose practical event options and prevent operational bottlenecks for program area and fellow initiatives before submitting setup requests; serving as the primary on-site operational contact during Institute events to oversee room configurations, catering deliveries, and facility readiness.

What This Job Offers

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