Programs and Administrative Coordinator

Harvard University • Cambridge, MA

1d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Programs and Administrative Coordinator reports to the Executive Director and works closely with the Assistant Director of Administration and OI’s Leadership Team. The position coordinates the administrative logistics of core programs and special initiatives, including key convenings and advisory board activities, to advance OI’s mission. It serves as a principal administrative contact and liaison for internal and external stakeholders, managing complex calendars, travel, communications, and event logistics, and providing research compliance support. This position reports to the Executive Director.

Requirements

• Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience.
• Five or more years of related experience in a research, academic, or nonprofit setting, with demonstrated responsibility for executive-level administrative support and program and/or project coordination.
• Excellent organizational skills with a demonstrated ability to prioritize and manage multiple projects and deadlines in a fast-paced environment with competing demands.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills and excellent interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with a wide range of internal and external stakeholders.
• Proven ability to work independently with minimal supervision, exercise sound judgment, and anticipate and resolve problems.
• Demonstrated ability to handle complex and confidential information with discretion.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook) and calendaring/collaboration tools; competency using a variety of administrative and financial systems.

Nice To Haves

• Experience in project coordination/management, event planning, or compliance administration highly preferred.
• Experience with financial and administrative systems (e.g., Concur, Buy2Pay) is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Coordinates activities (stakeholder coordination, logistics support, project tracking, information management) and timelines for a defined portfolio of special projects and program activities led by the Executive Director and OI’s Leadership Team.
• Serves as a primary administrative contact and liaison for the Education Opportunity Network Initiative and the Education Fellows Program and other key initiatives.
• Maintains the OI Working Papers listserv, including subscriber management, content distribution, and regular list updates.
• Provides coordination, logistics, and documentation for advisory board meetings, including scheduling, materials preparation, note-taking, and follow-up on action items.
• Maintains shared calendars of key program milestones and proactively communicates relevant updates and deadlines to program teams and collaborators.
• Gathers, maintains, and analyzes data on program participation and activities; prepares periodic statistics, updates, summaries, and reports on select program activities and outcomes for internal leadership.
• Provides high-level executive support to the Executive Director, including complex calendar management, meeting coordination, preparation of agendas and briefing materials, travel arrangements, and routine and confidential correspondence.
• Supports Executive Director with financial processes related to travel reimbursements, collecting receipts, and maintaining accurate expense records in alignment with University policies and systems.
• Coordinates end-to-end logistics for selected seminars and convenings (e.g., OI Interdisciplinary Lunch Seminar, Education Fellows Convening, and Global Opportunity Network Convening), including venue and room reservations, vendor coordination, participant communication, materials preparation, and on-site or virtual event support.
• Manages travel and lodging arrangements for invited convening speakers and participants.
• Serves as backup for other administrative responsibilities as needed to ensure smooth program operations.
• Provides project management support for special initiatives led by the Executive Director and OI’s leadership team, including establishing and maintaining project files, tracking deadlines and follow-up items, and facilitating communication among internal and external contributors.
• Coordinates the preparation, routing, and tracking of Data Use Agreements (DUAs) and IRB protocols for research activities; ensures required documentation is complete, accurate, and submitted in a timely manner, and maintains organized records.
• Monitors research-related training and compliance requirements for team members; keeps current on relevant research compliance policies and guidelines; advises team members on routine compliance questions and follows up on outstanding items.
• Contributes to OI’s goals by performing related duties as required.

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: Part-time
• Career Level: Mid Level