Assistant Director of Graduate Student Advising and Program Administration

20-Sep-2022

Division of Continuing Education

59592BR

Position Description

The Assistant Director is a core member of the ALM (Master of Liberal Arts) Advising and Program Administration leadership team, working closely with and providing backup for the Director and Associate Director. The Assistant Director manages and oversees a team of two academic advisors and temporary office staff, and acts as an academic advisor for a selection of degree candidates. 

Other duties and responsibilities include: 

• Advise students on course selection for degree requirements and support candidates’ future academic and career plans 
• Facilitate adult students’ capacity to successfully manage demands of school with professional/personal responsibilities to ensure realistic degree completion 
• Communicate mandatory academic policies and procedures, and assists in resolving issues when they develop 
• Ensure critical and timely student communication, fair administration of registration approvals, and successful outcomes around the capstone experience and fundamental academic requirements 
• Oversee all poor grades and prerequisite concerns, monitor registration limits, and alert program directors to potential capacity issues 
• Responsible for collecting individual project submissions for storage in Harvard University Archives 
• Review and suggest changes to capstone procedures and policies to ensure more successful outcomes for both student experience and ease of administration 
• Responsible for designing communication protocols of the ALM advising office, determining the narrative structure, timing of emails, as well as exploring options for new avenues of communication (e.g. texting, portal task functionality, video messaging). Communication would be program-wide (e.g., monthly newsletter and portal updates) and individualized based upon students’ academic progress, such as nearing their five-year deadline, poor academic standing, inactive status, and candidacy expiration.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent work experience required
• Minimum of 5 years’ relevant work experience

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• 8 years of work in student services, academic advising, or career counseling, with demonstration of advancement and acquisition of additional responsibilities 
• Experience with webinar presentation and video capture software 
• Positive attitude about commitment to outstanding customer service  
• Excellent written and interpersonal communication skills 
• Comfort with public speaking and presentation 
• Fluent in Microsoft Office 
• Great team player 
• Familiarity with social media

Working Conditions

The University requires all Harvard community members to be fully vaccinated against COVID-19 and remain up to date with COVID-19 vaccine boosters, as detailed in Harvard’s Vaccine & Booster Requirements . Individuals may claim exemption from the vaccine requirement for medical or religious reasons. More information regarding the University’s COVID vaccination requirement, exemptions, and verification of vaccination status may be found at the University’s “COVID-19 Vaccine Information” webpage: http://www.harvard.edu/coronavirus/covid-19-vaccine-information/ . 

This position will be based in Cambridge, MA. DCE is currently trialing hybrid workplace models with a minimum of 2 days per week on campus, and will actively support some remote work (within a state in which Harvard is registered to do business: CA, CT, MA, MD, ME, NH, NY, RI, and VT) where business and team needs allow. DCE may adjust these as necessary or appropriate. Furthermore, individual flexible and remote work options for this role will be discussed during the interview process.

Additional Information

The Faculty of Arts and Sciences will not provide visa sponsorship for this position. 

In order to be considered for this role, a resume and cover letter must be submitted with application. 

The Division of Continuing Education (DCE) comprises several entities serving about 30,000 students annually. The Harvard Extension School, the Harvard Summer School, the Harvard Professional Development Programs and the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement allow Harvard to serve the learning needs of students across their life. For more than a century, Harvard Extension School has made Harvard faculty and teaching accessible to a diverse community of local, national, and international students. Harvard Extension School enrolls approximately 17,000 students per year in approximately 46 graduate and undergraduate liberal arts and professional fields. More than 1,500 open enrollment courses are offered year-round with over 600 available online are offered at affordable prices to our communities across the world. Harvard Summer School offers approximately 450 courses on the Harvard Campus to 11,000 secondary school, college and adult learners and more than 30 international study abroad programs for up to 600 students each summer. The Division also includes the Harvard Institute for Learning in Retirement with approximately 550 active members and Harvard Professional Development Programs offering nearly 130 short noncredit programs to more than 3,200 participants annually.
All formal offers will be made by FAS Human Resources. 

Harvard offers an outstanding benefits package including:
Time Off: 3 - 4 weeks paid vacation, paid holiday break, 12 paid sick days, 11.5 paid holidays, and 3 paid personal days per year; prorated for part-time employees
Medical/Dental/Vision: We offer a variety of excellent medical plans, dental & vision plans, all coverage begins as of your start date.
Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with full vesting after 3 years of service.
Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive tuition assistance program, $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and discounted options through participating Harvard grad schools.
Transportation: Harvard offers a 50% discounted MBTA pass as well as additional options to assist employees in their daily commute.
Wellness options: Harvard offers programs and classes at little or no cost, including stress management, massages, nutrition, meditation and complimentary health services.
Harvard access to athletic facilities, libraries, campus events and many discounts throughout metro Boston.

Job Function

Faculty & Student Services

Location

USA - MA - Cambridge

Job Code

S0357M FSS Student Services Mgt III

Department

Division of Continuing Education

Union

00 - Non Union, Exempt or Temporary

Pre-Employment Screening

Education, Identity

Schedule

Monday-Friday, 9-5pm

Commitment to Equity, Diversity, Inclusion, and Belonging

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.

EEO Statement

We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.