Graduate Program Manager

Graduate Program Manager

The Department of Chemistry seeks a graduate program manager to oversee the academic, events, and financial and inclusion aspects of the department's graduate program. The person in this role will advise graduate students directly and will be the main point of contact for students as they move through important program milestones. This position acts as the departmental content matter expert on all graduate-student related policies and processes. The Graduate Program Administrator manages the planning and logistics for several department-wide and graduate-program specific events each year. The incumbent will also be responsible for the conception and coordination of the department's growing roster of diversity and inclusion initiatives. This position regularly interfaces with department faculty leadership and central offices on campus, including the Graduate School, Finance and Treasury, the Davis International Center, the Office of Environmental Health and Safety, and the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity within the Office of the Provost.

This position includes budgeting and student record responsibilities, so discretion and the ability to analyze policy are important. Required to work some evenings and weekends for events management.

Responsibilities

Graduate Program Academic Administration: Advise the Director of Graduate Studies on academic policy matters. Work closely with faculty on guidance and direction for sensitive student matters. Oversee the creation, implementation, and compliance for academic policies for over 200 graduate students in the Department of Chemistry. Track student progress in meeting all program requirements throughout enrollment. Manage the on-boarding and lab joining process of the first-year cohort each year, which includes tracking arrival dates, setting up research meetings, and processing adviser and committee requests. Handle scheduling and ushering of important graduate student milestone events, including general exams, third-year seminars, and graduation milestones. Track, monitor, and manage departmental Visiting Scholar Research Collaborator appointments and work with Graduate School on applications process. Appointments occur year-round and typically involve Visa coordination in collaboration with the Davis International Center.

Financial Administration: Understand and apply university-wide student support policies for the purposes of the department. Handle the planning, collection, and input of student payments into the Labor Accounting system throughout the year for ~200 graduate students. Prepare and manage the budget for four major graduate student events (Orientation, Frickmas, Visiting Weekends, and weekly Friday Socials). Track expenses and spendable balances in PRIME and prepare periodic and relevant financial reports for faculty leadership. Develop fluency in Finance and Treasury policies about allowable expenses for events. Manage the budget for access and inclusion programming in the department, including grants to student organizations and a multi-institutional visiting faculty research partnership summer program.

Access and Inclusion Planning: Act as lead staff support for a robust roster of access and inclusion programming, including a multi-institutional visiting faculty research partnership summer program, student affinity groups, and community building and outreach. Along with the Director of Diversity Initiatives, manage the budget planning, posting, application review, and appointment processes for the Visiting Faculty Research Program. Work with the Office of Institutional Equity and Diversity within the Office of the Provost to understand changes to access and inclusion policies and advise faculty on ensuring department compliance. Attend off-site recruiting events.

Graduate-Program Event Planning: Manage all aspects of program planning, purchasing and payment with vendors and related services for all major graduate and departmental events each year; administer space requests and building services orders; provide support for other Graduate Student Organization event-planning, and advise on other events, as needed. Manage teams of +/- 35 students in planning one major student-led event annually. Ensure compliance with university event-planning policies, communicate with guests on logistics; prepare event communication materials and website registrations. Seek out information and remain up-to-date on all university policies related to safety for events and gatherings. Some on-site event management is required.

Training Process Administration: Maintain an internal system that tracks training (laboratory safety, fire safety, ethics) and ensures compliance for all graduate students and postdoctoral researchers. Interface with EHS, the Office of the Fire Marshall, and Career Services to establish periodic Chemistry-specific trainings and coordinate times, dates, and locations. Provide quarterly reports to the Educational Programs Manager, the Administrative Services Manager, and the Facilities Manager on training compliance for active students and postdocs.

Qualifications

Essential Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree required, master's degree a plus.
• This individual must demonstrate a high degree of professionalism, use sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and remain flexible as demands and priorities change.
• Strong communication skills, both written and oral, are critical - Patience, interpersonal skills, and the ability to negotiate are essential. Attention to detail, the ability to work independently, and a sense of initiative are essential.
• Must be able to work some evenings and several weekends per year.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office and an ability to meet deadlines are necessary.

Preferred Qualification:

• Familiarity with Princeton University financial and student-record systems a plus.
• Familiarity with web-based and social media platforms is preferred.

Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law.