Executive Coordinator, Architecture, Academic Administration – Harvard Graduate School of Design
Position Description:
Job Summary:
The Harvard Graduate School of Design (GSD) educates design, research, and scholarship leaders to make a resilient, just, and beautiful world. The GSD offers degree programs across a range of design disciplines—architecture, landscape architecture, urban planning, urban design, design engineering, and real estate—as well as advanced research programs that cut across these disciplines and a robust public program of lectures, exhibitions, and publications. The immense variety of people, programs, and ideas at the School sustains a vibrant and rich environment for learning, inquiry, and collaboration, unlike any other design school.
Reporting to the Program Manager, the Executive Coordinator provides executive assistance to the Department Chair and performs a wide range of high-level administrative support, with accuracy, discretion and good judgment. The Executive Coordinator serves as the first point of contact in the department office for faculty, students, staff, and the public, and is responsible for greeting walk-ins, guests, and answering the department phone and email.
Note: This is mainly an in-person role with the first 3-months exclusively in person, Monday-Friday, 9-5, and overtime during peak periods. Following the orientation and review period, 4 days in person will be required and up to 5 days during peak academic periods. Additional flexibility will be discussed during the interview process. A writing exercise will be given to the final candidates prior to the hiring decision.
Position Description: TYPICAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES: Other duties may be assigned.
Provides Assistance to the Chair of the Department in the following ways:
• Manage the Chair’s calendar, demonstrating sound judgment in prioritizing requests for the Chair’s time and communicating scheduling decisions in a diplomatic way.
• Independently and collaboratively draft and edit correspondence, and other original content such as recommendations and meeting talking points, as needed. Independently communicate on behalf of the Chair.
• Monitors Chair’s email as requested; reviewing, prioritizing, and appropriately distributing all correspondence; monitors replies and informs Chair of items requiring attention.
• Design, organize and implement administrative systems to manage the operations of the Chair’s office.
• In collaboration with the department’s finance team, manage reimbursements and financial record-keeping for the Chair.
• Coordinates domestic and international travel as necessary for the Chair.
• Offers administrative and logistical support as needed.
Provides departmental support:
• Serves as first point of contact and information source for the Department with faculty, staff, students and the public via phone, email, and in person. Monitors department email address and voicemail.
• Coordinates Final Review logistics for the Architecture department, including invitations/confirmations, travel, schedules, catering, and tracking studio budgets in conjunction with studio instructors and the Academic Administration Business Office.
• Manages room bookings and catering needs for the Department as needed, including faculty meetings, final reviews, thesis reviews, departmental lectures, and other events/special circumstances.
• Coordinates departmental and course trips; collects travel waivers and information for all studio and course travel. Manages bus trips for local studio and course travel.
• Coordinates monthly department faculty meetings: drafts agenda at the direction of the Chair, books rooms, orders catering, prepares materials as requested, and assists with meeting execution and logistics as needed (ex. Presentation set-up), and generates and disseminates department meeting agendas and logistics.
• Works frequently with academic affairs department staff and other departments in the GSD to coordinate and execute department and School-wide tasks, including studio lottery, search committee meetings, core prep workshops, orientation, open houses, welcome receptions, end of year celebrations, and commencement, as well as other ad hoc or special events and initiatives.
• Monitors and maintains office equipment and supplies and manages departmental resource room, including mailbox organization, mail distribution, faculty label updates, coffee station and managing office printers and copiers. Responsible for overall office neatness and organization.
• Disseminates department information to students and faculty; updates departmental resource pages on the GSD website and serves as a Content Editor for the GSD’s main website. Responsibilities include creating, editing, and maintaining the Department of Architecture’s content, attending required training sessions and annual meetings, and liaising with Web Team staff as needed.
• Supports the Program Manager in the coordination of many departmental awards, which recur on an annual basis: collecting application materials, coordinating selection committee meetings, and communicating with awarded students/faculty regarding timeline of deliverables and disbursement of funds. Detailed recordkeeping is required for each individual award cycle, which includes editing award webpages on the GSD website with any changes and updates.
• Coordinates and staffs all departmental events. This includes coordinating with Chair, Loeb library staff, and faculty to schedule 3-5 semesterly faculty lectures.
• Supports accreditation efforts by collecting and maintaining catalog of faculty CVs, course syllabi, course TAs, office hours, and other program related materials.
• Coordinates with Harvard Record Management Services to archive materials in accordance with the archiving schedule.
• Provides additional support to Associate Director and Program Manager as needed, including data entry, proofreading, copyediting, tracking visiting faculty information and providing onboarding support, and other administrative support on individual and team projects.
• Oversees student worker schedules and workloads with other departmental staff.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES:
• There are no supervisory responsibilities associated with this position.
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Applicants must be able to perform typical office tasks, including sitting for extended periods, using standard office equipment, and occasionally lifting up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
WORK ENVIRONMENT:
• Work is mainly performed in an office setting.
• Candidates must have employment authorization to work in the US, and we regret that we cannot sponsor a VISA.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
• Harvard University views equity, diversity, inclusion, and belonging as the pathway to achieving inclusive excellence and fostering a campus culture where everyone can thrive. We strive to create a community that draws upon the widest possible pool of talent to unify excellence and diversity while fully embracing individuals from varied backgrounds, cultures, races, identities, life experiences, perspectives, beliefs, and values.
• The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.
• For more information about Harvard GSD see: https://www.gsd.harvard.edu/
• Candidates selected to interview will be asked to complete a skills assessment that includes a writing test.
BASIC QUALIFICATIONS:
•HS Diploma or equivalent, required.
•Minimum of 3-5 years administrative experience directly supporting a high-level manager required.
•Strong computer skills required including proficiency with Microsoft Office, email and calendar applications.
•Exceptional oral and written communication skills, critical thinking, and problem-solving abilities.
•Excellent editing and proofreading skills required.
•Outstanding customer service skills.
•Ability to work as part of a close team of staff sharing responsibilities when necessary to meet the needs of the department.
ADDITIONAL REQUIREMENTS:
•BA/BS degree preferred.
•Experience in an academic environment preferred.
•Experience working independently, thinking strategically, and providing recommendations on the next steps.
•Professional manner and excellent organizational skills.
•Must work with confidentiality and have good judgment.
•Demonstrated ability to prioritize and execute multiple tasks simultaneously.
•Must be a self-starter and have excellent follow-through skills.
•Must be able to interact professionally with all levels of staff, faculty, potential donors and the public.
•Proven interpersonal skills with experience providing complex administrative support in a high-profile environment with tact and diplomacy.
•The ability to create effective administrative processes and systems is important.
[Full-Time (Salaried)] Salary Range: 60000-70000
Schedule Requirements:
Minimum Requirements:
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• Applicants must be able to perform typical office tasks, including sitting for extended periods, using standard office equipment, and occasionally lifting up to 20 pounds. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform essential functions.
Level of English Required: Advanced/Fluent
How to Apply:
https://jobs.brassring.com/TGnewUI/Search/home/HomeWithPreLoad?PageType=JobDetails&partnerid=25240&siteid=5341&Areq=67487BR