Career and Professional Development Program Manager for Postdoctoral Fellows

The newly formed Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA) serves as a centralized hub across the Ann Arbor, Dearborn and Flint campuses to support postdoctoral fellows. Under the Rackham Graduate School and the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), the OPA guides and advises departments and programs about leading-practice policies, processes, and services related to the employment of and support for the well-being of postdoctoral fellows. The OPA works closely with postdocs, schools and colleges, university organizations, faculty mentors, administrators, and external entities to support the personal growth and professional development of each postdoc in preparation for their independent research, professional, and academic careers. 

The Postdoc Career and Professional Development Program Manager leads career and professional development programs and services for postdoctoral research fellows at the Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPA). This position will collaborate and liaise with other campus units that support postdoctoral fellows career and professional development, including Rackham Graduate School, the Office of the Vice President for Research (OVPR), and the Office of Graduate and Postdoctoral Studies (OGPS) in Michigan Medicine, the University of Michigan Postdoc Association (UMPDA), the Center for Research on Learning and Teaching (CRLT), postdoctoral administrators across the university, and the International Center. 

Because we are committed to diversity, equity, inclusion and accessibility we aspire to develop and nurture the individual and collective skills to recognize, celebrate, and deploy difference as a path to engagement, innovation, and the generation of new ideas and knowledge.

PLEASE NOTE: This is a three-year, term limited position with continuation based on available funding.

PLEASE NOTE: OPA is located within the Rackham Graduate School building. Rackham Graduate School is currently offering hybrid work schedules to staff, requiring 2-3 days per week on-site with the remaining time being remote. 

To learn more about the Rackham Graduate School visithttps://rackham.umich.edu/

Master's degree or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience in higher education administration. Minimum 2 years experience working in higher education administration. 

Understanding of the current graduate education landscape, particularly knowledge of diverse career options for postdoctoral fellows within and beyond academe. Reasonable, increasingly responsible experience as a successful member of a high-level support team in program development, management and coordination in a university setting, including program planning and administration. 

Experience implementing effective and innovative professional development programs and services for diverse audiences. Understanding, appreciation of, and strong personal commitment to the issues involved in programming for diverse scholars, particularly scholars that are historically underrepresented in higher education. 

Experience developing and implementing training programs on a university campus and coordinating large scale events, including both in person and virtual programs. 

Demonstrated customer service attitude and experience and excellent interpersonal communication skills, including the capacity to build collegial relationships with postdoctoral fellows, faculty and staff within the OPA and across the University and the ability to work with a wide range of people who represent our diverse and multicultural society. 

Demonstrated ability to exercise a high level of initiative, creativity and judgment and to achieve organizational and operational change within a large and complex organization with multiple operations and constituencies.  

Strong problem-solving skills, including the demonstrated ability to synthesize ideas, anticipate next steps, and prioritize important decisions. 

Demonstrated organizational skills to plan, organize, manage and follow through on a large and diverse workload with excellent attention to detail and ability to meet deadlines in a timely manner.

 Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively with faculty, staff and postdoctoral fellow constituencies, both orally and in writing, including the ability to exercise discretion and judgment in matters of a sensitive or confidential nature. Commitment to empowering postdoctoral fellows in their professional development. 

Knowledge of personal computer productivity tools including word processing, spreadsheets, calendaring, scheduling, presentation, web-based video conferencing tools, and communication software packages.  Energized by working in a trainee-centered, multidisciplinary and collaborative team environment. Ability to maintain confidentiality, exercise discretion, and handle people with diplomacy under stressful situations and in matters of a sensitive and confidential nature. 

Knowledge of and strong personal commitment to shared teamwork, continuous business process improvement, and professional development. Understanding and value of diversity and the importance of inclusion as demonstrated through a commitment to apply and incorporate the differences, complexities, and opportunities that diversity brings to an organization. 

Ability to work evenings and/or weekends with prior notice, depending on requirements of individual workshops/presentations/etc. Ability to travel to locations across campus for presentations/workshops/etc.