Coordinator B (Biomedical Graduate Studies Division)

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The University offers a competitive benefits package that includes excellent healthcare and tuition benefits for employees and their families, generous retirement benefits, a wide variety of professional development opportunities, supportive work and family benefits, a wealth of health and wellness programs and resources, and much more.

Posted Job Title

Coordinator B (Biomedical Graduate Studies Division)

Job Profile Title

Coordinator B

Job Description Summary

The Graduate Group in Biochemistry and Molecular Biophysics (BMB) provides training to approximately 100 PhD students, including approximately 10 MD-PhD students. BMB is administered within the graduate division of Biomedical Graduates Studies (BGS). BMB’s education and training activities are carried out by more than 100 active faculty members, mostly based in departments in the Perelman School of Medicine but also representing the schools of Engineering and Applied Sciences, Arts and Sciences, Nursing, Dental Medicine, Veterinary Medicine, and Wharton, as well as the Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and the Wistar Institute.
The coordinator oversees all aspects of graduate group administration and is responsible for ensuring that the various graduate group functions are carried out. As the only full-time staff person directly responsible for the group, the coordinator handles the various administrative aspects of student recruitment and admissions, student training activities and records management; student advising, course registration, curriculum development, and course information management; group-wide events; graduate group information and data analysis; program publicity and outreach; new student orientation; student affairs; faculty appointments and service records; alumni records; and operating and recruitment budgets.
The coordinator works closely with the graduate group chair and vice chair, as well as with chairs and other faculty on committees for admissions, advising, and the curriculum, course directors, student mentors, and other faculty. The coordinator is expected to anticipate all activities, requirements, and deadlines throughout the year and provide administrative guidance to faculty: answering ad hoc questions, planning events, organizing administrative processes, and managing systems for compiling and sharing program information.
The coordinator also works closely with prospective students, applicants, and enrolled students to guide them in processes, connect them with other university resources, and support their activities.
Finally, the coordinator works closely with the BGS staff members, with whom they share responsibility for various aspects of admissions and recruitment, student records and degree processing, curriculum management, and the like. They also work with staff in BGS Finance Office, MD-PhD Office, IDEAL Research Office, and the other graduate groups in BGS.
The coordinator has a dual reporting line to the Graduate Group Chair and to the Administrative Director of Biomedical Graduate Studies.

Job Description

The BMB Coordinator is the lead administrative staff person.  The BMB Coordinator works closely with the graduate group chair, the vice chair, and chairs of committees for admissions, advising, and curriculum. The BMB Coordinator oversees all aspects of IGG administration, in coordination with the program faculty and the graduate division (BGS), including: student recruitment and admissions; student training activities and records management; student advising, course registration, curriculum development, and course-information management; group-wide activities; graduate group information, and data analysis; program publicity and outreach.

The BMB Coordinator interacts extensively with prospective and actual applicants, students, faculty, and administrators in other offices throughout campus. The BMB Coordinator works closely with the BGS Administrative Director and other BGS staff members, as well as members of the BGS finance office.

The position includes the following duties:

Student Recruitment and Admissions : Directly manage applications and schedule approximately 45 PhD candidate visits and several MD/PhD candidate visits each year. Organize recruitment weekends involving receptions, individual faculty-candidate interviews, and student-led events. Respond to questions from prospective applicants. Manage application data in admissions system.

Student Advising and Course Registrations, Curriculum Development, and Course Information Management : Oversee scheduling of advising sessions; support curriculum and advising committee members and course directors; oversee classroom scheduling, rotation assignments, and dissertation lab assignments; register students for classes; help organize TA assignments.

Other Training Activities and Student Records Management : Oversee scheduling of post-rotation talks, candidacy exams, thesis committee meetings, and dissertation defenses; manage student records in University, division level, and program level data systems.

Group-Wide Events : Oversee organization of new student orientation activities; student participation in associated seminars and journal clubs; student aspects of annual retreat, faculty and student town halls; provide support to student activities; oversee administration of faculty and student awards.

Group Documentation and Data : Collect, update, and publicize group handbook, forms, alumni career records, student & alumni publications, and other data; conduct analyses for internal evaluations and periodic graduate group reviews. Manage new faculty appointments, service records, and reappointments. Provide data on current and former trainers and faculty members' training activities for training grant and fellowship applications.

Program Publicity and Outreach : Develop and oversee graduate group website, social media, calendar, and newsletter.

Office Management : Maintain all program records, including group policies and procedures. Oversee space allocated for student use. Formulate/reconcile operating and recruitment budges with members of the BGS finance office.

Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

Bachelor's Degree with 3-5 years of related experience in office administration, program/events management, and project management or equivalent combination of education and experience is required. Experience in an academic administration setting strongly preferred. Proficiency using Microsoft Office applications, web content software, and database reporting applications preferred. Ability to work independently with minimal supervision, initiative, good judgement, and excellent interpersonal skills strongly preferred. Excellent organizational and communication skills are essential.

In order to be considered for the position, candidates must complete all application fields and provide a resume and cover letter. Additional writing samples are encouraged.
Working Conditions
Office, library, computer room
Physical Effort
Typically sitting at a desk or table, occasionally stooping or lifting up to 25 lbs

Job Location - City, State

Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Coordinator B

Department / School

Perelman School of Medicine

Pay Range

$43,919.00 - $60,000.00 Annual Rate

Salary offers are made based on the candidate’s qualifications, experience, skills, and education as they directly relate to the requirements of the position, as well as internal and market factors and grade profile. 

Affirmative Action Statement 
Penn adheres to a policy that prohibits discrimination on the basis of race, color, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, religion, creed, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, age, disability, veteran status, or any other legally protected class.

Special Requirements 
Background check required after a conditional job offer is made. Consideration of the background check will be tailored to the requirements of the job.

University Benefits

• Health, Life, and Flexible Spending Accounts: Penn offers comprehensive medical, prescription, behavioral health, dental, vision, and life insurance benefits to protect you and your family’s health and welfare. You can also use flexible spending accounts to pay for eligible health care and dependent care expenses with pre-tax dollars.

• Tuition: Take advantage of Penn's exceptional tuition benefits. You, your spouse, and your dependent children can get tuition assistance here at Penn. Your dependent children are also eligible for tuition assistance at other institutions.

• Retirement: Penn offers generous retirement plans to help you save for your future. Penn’s Basic, Matching, and Supplemental retirement plans allow you to save for retirement on a pre-tax or Roth basis. Choose from a wide variety of investment options through TIAA and Vanguard.

• Time Away from Work: Penn provides you with a substantial amount of time away from work during the course of the year. This allows you to relax, take vacations, attend to personal affairs, recover from illness or injury, spend time with family—whatever your personal needs may be.

• Long-Term Care Insurance: In partnership with Genworth Financial, Penn offers faculty and staff (and your eligible family members) long-term care insurance to help you cover some of the costs of long-term care services received at home, in the community or in a nursing facility. If you apply when you’re newly hired, you won’t have to provide proof of good health or be subject to underwriting requirements. Eligible family members must always provide proof of good health and are subject to underwriting.

• Wellness and Work-life Resources: Penn is committed to supporting our faculty and staff as they balance the competing demands of work and personal life. That’s why we offer a wide variety of programs and resources to help you care for your health, your family, and your work-life balance.

• Professional and Personal Development: Penn provides an array of resources to help you advance yourself personally and professionally.

• University Resources: As a member of the Penn community, you have access to a wide range of University resources as well as cultural and recreational activities. Take advantage of the University’s libraries and athletic facilities, or visit our arboretum and art galleries. There’s always something going on at Penn, whether it’s a new exhibit at the Penn Museum, the latest music or theater presentation at the Annenberg Center, or the Penn Relays at Franklin Field to name just a few examples. As a member of the Penn community, you’re right in the middle of the excitement—and you and your family can enjoy many of these activities for free.

• Discounts and Special Services: From arts and entertainment to transportation and mortgages, you'll find great deals for University faculty and staff. Not only do Penn arts and cultural centers and museums offer free and discounted admission and memberships to faculty and staff. You can also enjoy substantial savings on other goods and services such as new cars from Ford and General Motors, cellular phone service plans, movie tickets, and admission to theme parks.

• Flexible Work Hours: Flexible work options offer creative approaches for completing work while promoting balance between work and personal commitments. These approaches involve use of non-traditional work hours, locations, and/or job structures.

• Penn Home Ownership Services: Penn offers a forgivable loan for eligible employees interested in buying a home or currently residing in West Philadelphia, which can be used for closing costs or home improvements.

• Adoption Assistance: Penn will reimburse eligible employees on qualified expenses in connection with the legal adoption of an eligible child, such as travel or court fees, for up to two adoptions in your household.

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To learn more, please visit: https://www.hr.upenn.edu/PennHR/benefits-pay