Project Coordinator

California State University, Bakersfield•Bakersfield, CA

1d•Onsite

About The Position

The Project Coordinator supports CATALYST (Cultivating Adaptive Teaching And Learning with AI-Supported Technologies), a five-year U.S. Department of Education Strengthening Institutions Program grant housed in the College of Natural Sciences, Mathematics, and Engineering at California State University, Bakersfield. The project integrates AI into STEM curriculum and teaching and learning to improve gateway STEM course success and first-year retention, develop employer-valued AI competencies and AWS credential pathways, train STEM faculty in AI pedagogy, and establish regional employer partnerships. Under the general supervision of the Project Director/Principal Investigator, the Coordinator holds delegated operational authority for day-to-day project management and serves as an operational hub for faculty, students, employers, and the external evaluator. The role manages schedules, timelines, and documentation; supports project and federal reporting; coordinates evaluation data collection logistics and events; processes financial transactions and maintains budget records; and supports communication with internal and external stakeholders. This is a temporary, full-time, on-site position available only to current on-campus employees. It ends on or before September 30, 2027. Continuation beyond that date depends on satisfactory performance and available funding. The anticipated hiring range is $4,300–$4,700 per month; the classification salary range is $3,864–$6,652 per month. A satisfactory background check is required.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
Four years of recent administrative support experience.
Regular and reliable attendance.
Proficiency with project management tools and Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, and Outlook.
Ability to quickly learn campus software, including CMS/CFS for budget and reconciliation and 25Live for event scheduling.
Knowledge or skill in budget management, financial record-keeping, and processing financial transactions.
Ability to set priorities, exercise delegated authority, and complete work in a timely manner.
Working knowledge of budget policies and procedures.
Ability to draft and compose correspondence and standard reports.
Demonstrated customer-service experience requiring a high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
Ability to use tact and diplomacy when handling sensitive interpersonal situations involving diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
Ability to foster communication and teamwork, maintain a positive and productive work atmosphere, and establish effective working relationships with a diverse population and people from various cultural backgrounds.
Excellent communication skills and ability to convey information clearly and understandably.
Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
Ability to interpret, communicate, and apply policies and procedures.
Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
Excellent organizational and time-management skills, including the ability to prioritize multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
Excellent computer skills and competence with word processing, spreadsheets, databases, online systems, the Internet, online calendaring, and email.
Working knowledge of, or ability to quickly learn, University infrastructure.
Satisfactory completion of a background check, including a criminal records check.
Must be a current on-campus employee to apply.
Must be a U.S. citizen or an alien lawfully authorized to work in the United States.

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting grant-funded projects, including federal grant reporting requirements.
Experience with budget management and financial record-keeping.
Familiarity with STEM instruction or educational technology.
Demonstrated skills in an institutional or educational environment and a customer-oriented, service-centered attitude.

Responsibilities

Coordinate day-to-day project operations and serve as a primary point of contact for established project information.
Maintain project schedules and tracking tools for activities, deadlines, milestones, and deliverables; update them as information is received.
Coordinate scheduling and communication among project participants and departments.
Monitor assigned activities and provide monthly status updates to the Project Director, noting overdue items and logistical issues.
Coordinate project and standing meetings, including scheduling, agendas, materials, meeting notes, and action-item follow-up.
Maintain project records and documentation in accordance with CSU records-retention schedules and funding-agency requirements.
Coordinate logistics for professional development activities, faculty workshops, visiting expert events, and dissemination events, including scheduling, venues, materials, and registration.
Coordinate quarterly Industry Advisory Board meetings, including scheduling, meeting materials, attendance records, and logistical follow-up.
Coordinate administrative logistics for employer partnerships and applied-learning activities such as internships and capstones; maintain contact and activity records and refer substantive questions or decisions to the Project Director.
Communicate with faculty, students, employer partners, vendors, and the external evaluator; provide established information, coordinate routine follow-up, and refer questions requiring program, policy, or grant interpretation to the Project Director.
Coordinate evaluation data-collection logistics and provide agreed data to the external evaluator each term.
Accurately and confidentially track participation and outcomes, such as students served, faculty trained, credentials awarded, and employer partnerships.
Support preparation of the Annual Performance Report and other federal reporting.
Process purchase requisitions, vendor payments, travel claims, reimbursements, and stipend paperwork; check budget-related forms for accuracy before obtaining approval signatures.
Coordinate procurement and vendor arrangements, gather required information, track requests, and provide routine status updates.
Maintain budget records and expense worksheets, reconcile expenditures and encumbrances, and prepare expenditure information for the Project Director’s budget reviews with Grants, Research, and Sponsored Programs (GRaSP).