Program Coordinator

University of New Mexico • Albuquerque, NM

1d • $20 - $27 • Onsite

About The Position

The Program Coordinator is a central, high-level administrative position responsible for ensuring the seamless continuity and strategic institutionalization of the Indigenous Design and Planning Institute (iD+Pi) during its critical three-year leadership transition, as supported by the Mellon Foundation. The incumbent serves as the backbone for operational logistics, grant compliance, and collaborative engagement required to move from founding director leadership to a permanent, sustainable structure. This role requires familiarity with academic governance, strategic planning processes, and a commitment to Indigenous methodologies and community-engaged scholarship.
Term Position: Three (3) Years, .5FTE, tied directly to the Mellon Grant funding period. Position after year one may become full-time depending on availability of Mellon funding.

Requirements

• High school diploma or GED; at least 5 years of experience directly related to the duties and responsibilities specified.
• Completed degree(s) from an accredited institution that are above the minimum education requirement may be substituted for experience on a year for year basis.

Nice To Haves

• Master's degree in a humanities discipline (e.g., Planning, Public Administration, Indigenous Studies, or related field) is strongly preferred.
• Three (3) years of demonstrated, high-level administrative or project management experience within a university setting or non-profit organization, specifically managing complex, multi-year grant-funded projects.
• Grant Management: Deep working knowledge of complex grant compliance, fiscal administration, and reporting procedures required by major private foundations (e.g., Mellon, NEH, NSF).
• Organizational Leadership: Proven ability to manage large-scale strategic initiatives (e.g., leadership searches, strategic planning) and coordinate diverse high-level stakeholders (faculty, community leaders, external consultants).
• Scholarly Communication: Advanced writing, editing, and professional correspondence skills necessary to produce formal governing documents, official reports, and high-quality program communications that reflect the Institute’s mission.
• Community Engagement: Demonstrated commitment to and/or experience with Indigenous-led initiatives, community organizing, and culturally grounded methodologies such as the P.L.A.C.E.S. Framework.
• Problem Resolution: Ability to independently make procedural decisions and judgments to resolve day-to-day operational issues across a complex transitional project.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and report generation for both internal and external progress assessments.

Responsibilities

• Coordination of Strategic Planning: Independently initiate, organize, and manage all logistics for the strategic planning sessions, faculty retreats, and community engagement meetings required to synthesize findings and set the Institute's future vision.
• Governance Development: Provide dedicated administrative support to the Director and Institute affiliates in developing and formalizing key institutional documents, including iD+Pi bylaws and the comprehensive plan for the Board of Advisors
• Director Search Assistance: Serve as administrative support for the SA+P faculty/staff search committee composed to hire the director, working with the Dean of the School and the School’s AOO in coordinating all phases of the Director hiring process, including assisting in the drafting the formal job description, scheduling public presentations for finalists, and securing necessary institutional approvals.
• Board Management: Organize, manage, and facilitate all administrative requirements for the newly appointed Board of Advisors retreats and meetings, including agenda preparation, material distribution, and minute-taking.
• Mellon Compliance & Reporting: Maintain meticulous records of all grant activities and expenditures; collect and compute necessary data (quantitative and qualitative) to assist the Program Manager and Director in compiling yearly annual and final programmatic reports for submission to the Mellon Foundation.
• Budgetary Monitoring: Track and administer dedicated grant expenditures, ensuring alignment with the approved budget for transitional staff, meeting logistics, travel, and stipends.
• Resource Coordination: Coordinate the work and activities of the Emeritus Project Director (Dr. Jojola), the Program Manager, the external Facilitator, and the Program Process Report Writer to ensure all transitional activities are completed on schedule.
• Programmatic Implementation: Serve as the administrative hub for existing iD+Pi community-engaged studios and projects, applying specialized knowledge to support the accomplishment of program objectives and the P.L.A.C.E.S. Framework methodology.
• Curriculum Development Support: Assist in gathering input from university partners and tribal communities to support the continued development and eventual launch of the online Indigenous Planning (IP) Certificate
• Documentation: Oversee and coordinate the Program Process Report Writer's deliverables, ensuring that all outcomes of the strategic planning sessions are captured in a clear, organized, and professional foundational document for the new Director and Board of Advisors.

Benefits

• This is a benefits eligible position. The University of New Mexico provides a comprehensive package of benefits including medical, dental, vision, and life insurance. In addition, UNM offers educational benefits through the tuition remission and dependent education programs.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED