Program Associate for Doctoral Programs

Program Associate for Doctoral Programs

Company:
North Carolina State University

Job Location:

Category:
Other Administrative Positions

Type:
Full-Time

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Department: 120101 - College of Design

Location: Raleigh, NC

Essential Job Duties:
The University Program Associate manages the comprehensive student lifecycle for the Doctoral Programs (PhD and DDes) in the College of Design, providing expert administrative support from recruitment through graduation. Serving as the primary liaison between the Graduate School and program, this role oversees admissions compliance, degree milestone tracking, and GSSP contract administration. By coordinating fiscal operations, instructional scheduling, and marquee program events, the Coordinator ensures seamless operational success and policy alignment for both graduate and doctoral students and the college community.

Student & Faculty Services

• Advise doctoral students (DDes and Ph.D.) on course planning, registration, and program requirements.
• Oversee program communications, including listserv management and timely updates on enrollment, tuition, events and key deadlines.
• Track student progress and milestones; coordinate with Director of Graduate Programs (DGPs) and the Graduate School; monitor exams, electronic theses and dissertations (ETD) deadlines, and degree audits to ensure compliance.
• Manage the (student/applicant) application lifecycle, including international requirements (English proficiency), faculty reviews, and enrollment monitoring.

Program & Event Coordination

• Plan, schedule, and execute major graduate and doctoral program events, including Immersion Week, Symposium, defenses, forums, and professional development activities. Manage all logistics to ensure seamless event delivery.
• Coordinate and manage workshop logistics, guest speakers, and provide virtual event technical support.
• Oversee communications, registration, and logisitics for co-sponsored lectures and student-focused events.

Administration & Technology

• Maintain accurate, up-to-date records for all active students and faculty.
• Collaborate with the Finance team and Scheduling Officer on course scheduling, instructional planning, and related administrative tasks.
• Maintain and update program websites, internal resources (Moodle), and handbooks, and stay current with university tech platforms (Google Drive, Panopto, WolfWare).
• Provide administrative support for faculty meetings, including scheduling, documenting, and distributing minutes, and maintaining faculty documentation.

Budget, Finance & HR

• Support budget tracking, purchasing, and assist with HR tasks as needed.
• Reconcile PCards, oversee vendor payments, contracts, and honoraria, and manage purchasing for supplies and student association activities.
• Administer fellowships, travel awards, and honoraria, ensuring timely processing and compliance with program policies.
• Assist leadership on assistantship appointments, faculty buyouts and hiring processes, coordinate doctoral contracts with HR and Budget Office, and verify student eligibility for assistantships (TA/RA).
• Collaborate with the Budget Office and Department Head's suite to manage financial processes, budget tracking, and reporting.

Assessment & Reporting

• Collect and manage program data (student milestones, publications, events).
• Support university reporting and develop assessment visuals; analyze and report on admissions, retention, and graduation data; communicate policy updates to the college.

Other Work/Responsibilities:

• Other responsibilities may be assigned as needed for the operation of the office.

Minimum Experience/Education:
Bachelor's degree; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.
All degrees must be received from appropriately accredited institutions.

Required Qualifications:

• Knowledge of graduate academic policies, admissions compliance, and degree milestone tracking from enrollment through graduation.
• Proficiency in managing student contracts, assistantship eligibility, and departmental financial processes like p-card purchasing and travel awards.
• Ability to research and prepare technical reports on student data, including admissions, retention, and graduation rates for accreditation.
• Strong communication skills to act as a primary liaison between the Graduate School, faculty, and an assorted student population.
• Advanced organizational skills to manage the logistics, scheduling, and implementation of large-scale program events and workshops.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Knowledge of graduate academic policies, admissions compliance, and degree milestone tracking from enrollment through graduation.
• Proficiency in managing student contracts, assistantship eligibility, and departmental financial processes like p-card purchasing and travel awards.
• Professional experience in graduate or undergraduate student services.
• Proficiency with university-level systems such as SIS, GARS, and Apply Yourself.
• Experience utilizing advanced visual or web-based software, including WordPress, InDesign, or comparable tools.

Required license or certification:

• N/A

Position Number: 00106851

AA/EEO Statement:
NC State University is an equal opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive equal opportunities for employment without regard to age, color, disability, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy), sexual orientation, and veteran status. The University encourages all qualified applicants, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities, to apply. Individuals with disabilities requiring disability-related accommodations in the application and interview process are welcome to contact 919-513-0574 to speak with a representative of the Office of Equal Opportunity.

If you have general questions about the application process, you may contact Human Resources at (919) 515-2135 or workatncstate@ncsu.edu.

Final candidates are subject to criminal & sex offender background checks. Some vacancies also require credit or motor vehicle checks. Degree(s) must be obtained prior to start date in order to meet qualifications and receive credit.

NC State University participates in E-Verify. Federal law requires all employers to verify the identity and employment eligibility of all persons hired to work in the United States.