Project Administrator, Research Initiatives

University of Chicago • Chicago, IL

41d • $70,000 - $95,000 • Onsite

About The Position

We are seeking a Project Administrator, Research Initiatives to provide essential staff support in advancing and sustaining research programs of academic excellence within the BSD. Key responsibilities include coordinating endowed awards and lectures (such as the Ricketts, Seskind, and Andros lectures), supporting the Community for Advancement of Physician Scientists (CAPS) program, and assisting with major events including the Dean’s Research Forum and semi-annual Junior Faculty Writing Retreats. The role also supports faculty nominations for prestigious honorific societies and prizes, along with other research-related initiatives as needed. The ideal candidate is a proactive, detail-oriented self-starter who takes initiative and thrives in a collaborative academic environment. This position is responsible for full-cycle planning and execution of events, meetings, symposia, workshops, and strategic program initiatives that engage university leadership, faculty, staff, donors, and other key stakeholders.

Requirements

• Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
• Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Nice To Haves

• Experience working with faculty in an academic setting and familiarity with academic values and culture .
• Ability to work on multiple projects simultaneously, set priorities, and meet tight deadlines.
• Excellent communication (oral, written) and editing skills.
• Attention to detail and a commitment to providing a high level of service.
• High degree of professionalism, diplomacy skills, and ability to handle confidential information.
• Ability to interact with and win the trust and confidence of faculty and administration.

Responsibilities

• Develops work plans to execute programs, manages related calendar, and serves as primary contact with invited lecture speakers and award recipients.
• Works with and supports faculty nominating and selection committees for endowed lectures; conducts research on potential speakers/award recipients.
• Writes programmatic and promotional materials which may include letters, emails, briefings, invitations, website content, event handouts, publicity, reports, social media promotions, and other communications collateral.
• Coordinates involvement of university leadership, faculty, staff, donors, and external stakeholders, as well as endowment and administrative personnel.
• Manage logistics for in-person and virtual special events, meetings, symposium, workshops, dinners, and other programs, including hotel accommodations, transportation, and other incidentals.
• Identify staffing needs, create and communicate staffing plans and timelines for events.
• Plans and manages annual budget, monitors expenditures/reimbursements and honoraria processing, and prepares financial reports.
• Keeps the Medicine and Biological Sciences Development (MBSD) Office contact apprised of activities related to donor stewardship. Provides materials for donor stewardship to MBSD office.
• Support and administer CAPS programming along the entire spectrum (e.g., seminar series, annual retreat, trainee recruitment, mock study sections, social events, etc.).
• Manage CAPS alumni and physician-scientist listservs and databases, including active tracking of physician-scientist outcomes in terms of grant funding, publications, etc.
• Develop program-specific brochures, surveys, and maintain CAPS website by updating news, events, and other content.
• Support nomination process for top scientific and honorific societies.
• Supports candidate visits and other lectures and symposia as needed and as organized by the Dean’s Office.
• Works somewhat independently to develop detailed work plans, schedules, project estimates, resource plans, and status reports.
• Assembles and leads a project team, assigns individual responsibilities, identifies appropriate resources needed, and develops schedules to ensure timely completion of projects.
• Is responsible for tracking progress, conducting analysis, as well as preparing for and facilitating project meetings.
• Acts as a resource for a project team and provides analytical guidance.
• Interprets complex project issues and provides analytical guidance to a project team.
• Coordinates the successful integration of vendor tasks and tracks and reviews vendor deliverables.
• Performs other related work as needed.

Benefits

• The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook .

What This Job Offers

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