Program Administrator

Department
PSD Chemistry: Administrative Staff
About the Department
One of the first departments founded at the University of Chicago was the Department of Chemistry. Since its inception, the Department of Chemistry has embodied the University's central mission of excellence in both research and teaching. The University of Chicago has been the recipient of more than 73 Nobel Prize recipients, 15 of which came from the Department of Chemistry. Our current faculty has considerable strength in inorganic, organic, and physical chemistry, as well as in interdisciplinary research that delves into biology, physics, and materials science.

The Department is a community of over 500, including faculty, students, postdoctoral scholars and staff. Our academic support group operates the graduate and undergraduate educational programs for the department, including 60 undergraduate Chemistry majors and nearly 300 graduate students. Close student-faculty interactions have been a hallmark of our department for over a century. These have fostered a unique intellectual environment that both ensures superb graduate education and continues to produce important and exciting scientific discoveries.
Job Summary
The Program Administrator serves as the principal coordinator for departmental seminar programs and events. The role requires effective project management skills and a high degree of organization. The role will also work closely with the Communication Specialist to provide backup support for website and social media activities dependent on departmental coverage needs. This position reports to the Managing Director of the Chemistry department.

Responsibilities

- Oversee departmental seminars, conferences, workshops and events across all areas of the chemistry department.
- Manages the seminar calendar and publicizes events through a variety of methods.
- Organizes logistics and itinerary for speakers and special guests, including but not limited to delivering invitations, arranging accommodations, travel, reimbursements.  Represents the department as a point of contact with external speakers and guests.
- Manage facility scheduling for all seminar-related events and ensures all room requirements are satisfied, including but not limited to, ensuring audio-visual equipment supports issue-free presentations.
- Serves as the department’s principal facility scheduler in collaboration with the Registrar’s office, department administration and building managers, to secure space reservations for department programs/events, including classes as needed.
- Serves as a resource to organize logistics for special events (e.g. space reservation, communications, vendor management, catering orders, set-up, and clean-up).
- Responsible for processing and tracking financial transactions such as GEMS expense reports, reimbursements and paying departmental invoices to vendors using standard university financial management systems.
- Responsible for office management to include ordering and troubleshooting office equipment and maintaining office supplies.
- Assists with planning and implementing program marketing activities, including the development of publications and Web site.
- Gathers and analyzes data concerning program performance and writes reports. Monitors program budgets.
- As needed to support departmental operations and ensure continuity of coverage, provide backup support for website and social media activities. Responsibilities may include partnering with and providing backup support to the Department Communications Specialist on activities related to the department website and social media.
- Assume additional communications responsibilities during periods of staff absence, increased workload, or other departmental coverage needs.
- Assists with planning and implementing program marketing activities, including the development of publications and Web site.
- Gathers and analyzes data concerning program performance and writes reports. Monitors program budgets.
- Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:
Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.
Work Experience:
Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.
Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

- Bachelor’s Degree in a science or business discipline.

Experience:

- Experience in a STEM related field or area.

Technical Knowledge or Skills:

- Considerable knowledge of standard office practices and procedures.
- Computer and technical proficiency.

Preferred Competencies

- Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
- Project management: tracking deadlines, responsibilities, deliverables, and multiple seminars simultaneously. Demonstrated ability to think strategically, independently develop and evaluate options, and develop solutions.
- Ability to work closely and effectively with faculty and other leaders across an institution.
- Demonstrated problem-solving, organization and coordination skills including attention to detail.
- Ability to interact with Staff, Faculty and Students with tact and courtesy.
- Experience managing websites or developing web-based tools.
- Able to categorize and prioritize work activities.
- Basic finance management.
- Able to develop and implement solutions to varied problems.
- Complete numerous activities in a multi-task environment.
- Effectively communicate in both written and verbal format.
- Able to use a personal computer and standard software packages.
- Able to maintain confidentiality.

Application Documents

- Resume (required)
- References (required)
- Cover Letter (required)

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST  be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family
Academic Affairs
Role Impact
Individual Contributor
Scheduled Weekly Hours
37.5
Drug Test Required
No
Health Screen Required
No
Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required
No
Pay Rate Type
Salary
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FLSA Status
Exempt
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Pay Range
$65,000.00 - $78,000.00
The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible
Yes
The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook .

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.   A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.   Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

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