Program Manager

Brandeis University seeks to hire a Program Manager. As chief liaison for the Heller School's PhD program in Social Policy, the Program Manager manages a wide range of academic, administrative and financial matters for this program consisting of 115 students. The 30+ in-residence students and 80+ continuing students are matriculated across four concentrations, requiring close communication and collaboration with the PhD Program Director, heads of four different concentrations, 20+ program faculty, as well as coordinating requirements for students on two federal training grants and in one joint degree program. The Program Manager monitors student progress, including students with approved medical accommodations, from orientation to degree completion and represents the students to various constituencies.

Reporting to the PhD Program Director, the incumbent also works closely with the Assistant Dean for Student and Academic Services, providing close communication and collaboration with Heller offices for course planning and enrollment, career development, development and alumni relations, budgeting and finance, admissions, communications, and the six Heller master's programs. The position also liaises with Office of the University Registrar, Office of Student Financial Services and International Student and Scholars Office.

Key Responsibilities:

PhD Financial Management

• Manages the information related to continuing PhD student fellowships in the amount of $960,000.  Works closely with the Program Director to monitor the progress of continuing PhD students on fellowship and initiates the annual review process. Submits all scholarship information, this includes stipends and tuition, fees and health insurance. Authorizes the final release of these scholarships. Collaborates with team on decisions related to stipend schedules, financial equity across the program. Alerts Program Director, Chief Financial Officer, Associate Director for Finance and Administration, and Assistant Dean for Academic and Student Services to any impending financial issues related to PhD scholarships. Oversees the data entry of stipends in Workday. Troubleshoots billing errors for PhD students, including those no longer on fellowship.
• Tracks dissertation service of faculty researchers which determines their eligibility for 10% salary coverage. Report information to Chief Financial Officer and Associate Dean for Faculty.
• Forecasts program operational expenditures and manages OPEX budget in amount of $13,400.

Manages all aspects of the PhD program related to student progress, ensuring students meet benchmarks [course requirements, comprehensive exams, dissertation proposal hearings, dissertation hearings and performs degree audits for both the MA in Social Policy and PhD in Social Policy degrees when students are preparing to graduate. This requires careful monitoring [learning plans, goal statements, time limit in program] of students at different cycles of completion over a ten year period to anticipate academic issues.

• Resolves issues in consultation with program leadership.
• Provides guidance to students and faculty throughout the life cycle of the student, from residency to final submission of dissertation.
• Advises on academic policies and procedures, course requirements, course enrollment and registration, dissertation standards and procedures, funding and fellowships, special requests and waivers, and other activities .

Provides substantive input into program policies and design, strategy and implementation. Implements policies and directives decided by the Program Director, Program Committee (sub-committees and ad-hoc committees), Educational Steering Committee and Heller administration.

• Manages logistics, recommends agenda items, performs and follows-up on action items for all program meetings [currently eight PhD Program Committees, three-four Student Inclusion and Opportunity Committee meetings and two student progress meetings annually.]
• Communicates information through program website, email, and individual counseling on such topics as curriculum changes, academic review process, coverage for dissertation service, comprehensive exams, third and fourth year fellowship requirements and other matters.

Time Limit Policy Implementation.  Manages the implementation of a new (June 2020) time limit policy within the PhD program that impacts the milestones and deadlines for students with an approved accommodation through SAS.  Manages and tracks revised deadlines, communicates this information to the students, and works with PhD Director to manage changes to their funding package.

Meets with students on complex and confidential matters. Triage students having difficulty due to medical, emotional, familial, or psychological reasons to appropriate services and resources, including the Offices of Disability Services, Counseling and Psychological Services, and Health Services. Refers students having financial issues to PhD Program Director. Follow-up as appropriate. Work with relevant offices within and outside of Heller School to address crisis situations as needed.

Supervises senior department coordinator

Skills & Qualifications:

Bachelor’s degree plus 5-8 years of total work

Strong organizational skills

Closing Statement

Brandeis University is committed to providing its students, faculty and staff with an environment conducive to learning and working and where all people are treated with respect and dignity. We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, ancestry, national origin, ethnicity, caste, sex, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity/expression, including transgender identity, religion, disability, age, genetics, active military or veteran status and any other characteristics protected under applicable federal or Massachusetts law.