Operations Coordinator - HIV Research Center

University of Pennsylvania

12d

About The Position

The Operations Coordinator provides comprehensive administrative, financial, and compliance support for the virtual HIV Research Center within the Department of Medicine. Reporting to the Associate Director of Administration and Finance, the position ensures smooth and efficient operation of the Center’s activities by coordinating business processes, facilitating communication across faculty and administrative offices spanning multiple Divisions, and maintaining effective systems and procedures. The role oversees day-to-day operations, financial transactions, and documentation compliance, supports proposal and reporting activities, and contributes to process improvements and special projects that strengthen the Center’s infrastructure and impact. Reporting to the Associate Director of Administration and Finance, this position plays a central role in coordinating the operations of the HIV Research Center within the Department of Medicine. The Center serves as a virtual collaborative hub for the research activities of Drs.George Shaw, Beatrice Hahn, Katie Bar, and Raiees Andrabi, whose work spans the Divisions of Hematology Oncology and Infectious Diseases. The position provides comprehensive operational support for the Center, coordinating financial, administrative, and compliance functions and serving as a key point of connection among faculty, staff, and administrative offices, ensuring efficient workflows, timely deliverables, and effective stakeholder communication across multiple Divisions. The position coordinates the Center’s financial activities, overseeing purchasing, reimbursements, purchasing card transactions, journal entries, and Service Center billing. It serves as the primary liaison with the Division business offices and other internal stakeholders, coordinating transactions and resolving issues in alignment with institutional policies and established processes. In this capacity, the position ensures smooth collaboration across multiple administrative structures to support faculty and research activities efficiently. In addition to financial coordination, the position supports the day-to-day administrative needs of Center-affiliated faculty, including scheduling and organizing meetings, managing hybrid meeting logistics, recording and tracking decisions and action items, and facilitating communication across internal and external teams. The role also includes procurement and vendor management responsibilities such as processing purchasing requests, coordinating equipment repairs, tracking shipments, obtaining bids, and negotiating pricing. The position acts as a resource for faculty and lab staff on procurement and operational procedures, coordinates onboarding for new lab personnel as needed, and may oversee the work of temporary or student staff assisting with administrative or project-related tasks. A key aspect of this position involves coordinating compliance and research documentation requirements. The coordinator tracks and proactively communicates deadlines for progress reports, reappointments, and required trainings, and ensures the timely renewal and submission of research documents such as IACUC protocols and collaborative research agreements, identifying and facilitating resolution of administrative obstacles. They also maintain accurate and current faculty CVs, bibliographies and other support documents. The position supports proposal development by interpreting sponsor guidelines, verifying compliance, and coordinating across internal and external stakeholders to ensure accurate and timely submissions. The position contributes to process improvements and strategic initiatives by helping assess and streamline workflows, supporting the annual budgeting process and preparation of quarterly reports for Center stakeholders, and assisting in the development of a Center website. They also coordinate special projects and support Center-related initiatives in collaboration with the Associate Director and faculty leadership.

Requirements

Bachelor's degree and 3 to 5 years of experience or equivalent combination of education and experience is required; program coordination experience, preferably in a research, academic, or nonprofit setting.
Demonstrated experience with procurement and financial monitoring and reporting.
Proven ability to manage timelines, deliverables, and stakeholder communications across multiple projects and/or teams.
Excellent interpersonal skills and the ability to work with tact, discretion, and professionalism when engaging with faculty, staff, and external collaborators.
Proven ability to interpret and apply institutional and sponsor policies and procedures.
Strong sense of initiative and ability to anticipate needs, identify solutions, and make steady progress with limited supervision.
Strong organizational skills, with exceptional attention to detail and follow-through.
Composure under pressure and ability to navigate competing priorities, handle tension diplomatically, and maintain focus on results.
Exceptional customer service orientation: responsive, reliable, and dedicated to supporting the success of the Center’s faculty and research teams.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Proficiency with standard office and financial systems (e.g., Microsoft Office, Excel).

Nice To Haves

Experience in research administration, grant management, or compliance coordination (e.g., IACUC, IRB, or sponsored programs).
Familiarity with University of Pennsylvania financial systems and procurement platforms.
Experience supporting multi-investigator or center-based programs.
Website or communications management experience (e.g., WordPress, SharePoint).
Supervisory or onboarding experience for staff, students, or lab personnel.

Responsibilities

Coordinate financial operations — Oversee purchasing, reimbursements, purchasing card transactions, journal entries, and Service Center billing. Serve as liaison with Division business offices and resolve issues in alignment with policies.
Administrative operations and meeting coordination — Manage Center administrative activities including scheduling, meeting logistics, communications, documentation of decisions, and maintenance of shared resources and records.
Procurement and vendor management — Process purchasing requests, obtain bids, negotiate pricing, coordinate repairs, manage and track shipments, maintain supplier relationships.
Compliance coordination — Oversee compliance and research collaboration administrative activities by tracking requirements, monitoring progress, and removing obstacles to efficient resolution. Maintain CVs, bibliographies and support docs.
Proposal and research support — Assist with preparation and submission of grant and contract proposals, interpret sponsor guidelines, ensure compliance, and coordinate activities of internal and external collaborators.
Budgeting and reporting — Support annual budget preparation, assist in quarterly financial and activity reports for Center leadership and stakeholders, and help monitor spending trends.
Process improvement and systems development — Streamline workflows, create and maintain administrative infrastructure (checklists, templates, SOPs), and improve communication tools and operational efficiency.
Website and communications support — Contribute to the design, maintenance, and updating of the Center’s website and communication materials in collaboration with leadership.
Supervision and onboarding — Coordinate onboarding for new lab personnel; oversee temporary or student workers supporting administrative tasks.

Benefits

Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.
Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.
Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.
Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.
In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.
Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.
Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.
As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.
From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.
Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.
Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.
Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.