Program Administrator, Schusterman Center

Brandeis University is looking to hire a Program Administrator in the Schusterman Center. The program administrator is responsible for the administration and oversight of the Schusterman Center for Israel Studies. They oversee our fellows and visiting scholars, manage our programs, and administer our finances and budgets. They are constantly developing, implementing, and improving our processes and system management. They work closely with the rest of the Schusterman staff to ensure the smooth operation of the center and represent the center to other university bodies, such as accounts payable and university events.

Key Responsibilities

Fellows and visiting scholar administration (35%)

• Onboard research fellows and visiting scholars to Brandeis University systems
• Collaborate with senior management to plan, implement, and evaluate orientations, on campus events, and webinars.
• Develop system to organize logistics (flights, hotels, ground transport, etc) for fellows and guest speakers in collaboration with relevant staff to create meaningful programs for the center

Program Administration (35%)

• Oversee the full lifecycle of online and in-person events, including annual conference, flagship programs, summer program, student events, speaker series, etc. Plan logistics and execute all center programs and related initiatives - working closely and collaboratively with logistics providers.
• Serve as the primary technical lead for virtual and hybrid events, managing Zoom Webinars and Meetings, and troubleshooting real-time issues as they arise.
• Edit, caption, and publish event recordings to the center’s YouTube channel, working with third-party captioning vendors as needed to meet accessibility standards.
• With support from the communications specialist, develop and implement strategy for communication and marketing for the center

Finance & Expense Administration (20%)

• Track information for sponsored accounts including updating budgets as needed. Project personnel and non-personnel expenses, monitor accounts, review account records for accuracy, reconcile all accounts to Workday, and generate reports as needed for senior staff strategic planning, donor reports, and university budget needs.
• Develop and execute budgets, preventing or resolving cost over-runs. Work with personnel in relevant university offices such Accounts Payable, Procurement, IA, and other offices to correct errors or overages.
• Process and track center payments to vendors, including scholars, travel agencies, and subcontractors during the biannual Summer Institute for Israel Studies. Collect invoices and develop organized, accurate financial records and documentation on the shared server in accordance with university policies. Process costs and payments in a timely manner via Coupa and Workday.

Process Improvement & Systems Management (10%)

• Contribute to continuous process improvement efforts at the center, identifying inefficiencies and proposing solutions. May choose to implement task management software and other tools such as Google drives to increase workflows and synergy.
• Develop written protocol for processes, such as guidelines for planning events, conferences, etc so that all needed tasks are performed in a timely manner by the entire SIIS staff
• Support the implementation of approved process changes, including documentation and staff communication.
• Maintain organized file structures on the shared server and drive, including periodic audits and reorganization. Will liaise with IT and other relevant university bodies for best practices.

The salary range for the position is $55.9k-$68k.

Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor’s degree in a relevant field.
• 1–3 years of relevant program coordination, events, or administrative experience.
• Demonstrated experience supporting or managing multi-stakeholder events from planning through execution, including virtual and hybrid formats.
• Proficiency with standard office productivity tools (Google Workspace or Microsoft 365).
• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail, with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and deadlines.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills; able to draft professional correspondence and program communications independently.

Attributes

• Proactive problem-solver who anticipates challenges and proposes solutions before being asked.
• Collaborative and dependable team member with strong interpersonal skills and service orientation.
• Comfortable working in a fast-paced environment with shifting priorities and multiple stakeholders.