Undergraduate Affairs and Course Coordinator/Options Manager

Position Description

Undergraduate Affairs and Course Coordinator/Options Manager

Job Category: Fulltime Regular

Exempt/Overtime Eligible: Exempt

Benefits Eligible: Benefit Based

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Caltech is a world-renowned science and engineering institute that marshals some of the world's brightest minds and most innovative tools to address fundamental scientific questions. We thrive on finding and cultivating talented people who are passionate about what they do. Join us and be a part of the diverse Caltech community.

Job Summary

We are seeking a talented, enthusiastic, and detail-oriented Options Manager (working title Undergraduate Affairs and Course Coordinator/Options Manager) to join the Physics, Math, and Astronomy Division (PMA) administrative team. The successful candidate will possess initiative, excellent judgement, and strong problem-solving skills. The PMA Undergraduate Affairs and Course Coordinator manages and oversees the general administration and organization for the PMA Division in the areas of undergraduate academic programs and course scheduling and support. This role requires the ability to provide solutions to a wide range of difficult problems and effectively handle unique and complex requests. This position requires someone who is excellent in interacting with faculty, students, and staff; is organizationally astute; and who can handle many responsibilities simultaneously with discretion and tact.

The successful candidate has exceptional people skills and an excellent memory for detail. Further, the role requires the ability to comprehend “the big picture” as well as a meticulous attention to detail to execute many smaller tasks effectively. We are seeking someone who is dedicated to becoming an integral member of a team, who can provide information that is needed by others even before it is requested, and who understands what information others need to do their jobs. This full-time, on-site position requires a high level of independent judgment; strong analytical skills; and frequent interaction and collaboration with students, teaching assistants, faculty, grant managers, other option administrators, administrative staff, division leadership, and various offices that provide student support throughout campus.

This position plays a strategic role in influencing and recommending program design and implementation changes to ensure that academic program goals and objectives are met at the Department, Division, and Institute levels.

Essential Job Duties

• Manages all administrative activities in connection with the undergraduate academic programs, including providing advisement, advocacy, and support to students in their undergraduate journey at the Institute and playing a key role in the Institute’s “Safety Net” in observing students and taking appropriate actions.
• Manages the administration of courses, including the production and management of course schedules, management of student sections and changes, scheduling classrooms, ordering food and supplies for various courses, helping with set-up and clean-up as needed, supporting the administration of Ph 11, facilitating transportation for fieldtrips associated with various classes, and other duties as assigned.
• Coordinates academic, career, and social events for the PMA undergraduate student body.
• Under the broad direction of the Director of Student Programs and option leadership, manages the processes of assigning and tracking graduate and undergraduate teaching assistants (TA).
• Hires undergraduate teaching assistants and graders, tracking their hourly work as needed, and approving timecards as needed. Independently vets UTA students through the Dean's office; makes sure the TAs have required training; finds and maintains lists of possible students. Handles details including budgets, class hours allotted; recognizes when class enrollment is larger than expected and is able to handle adjustments quickly and flexibly. Takes the initiative to identify potential TAs for consideration by faculty.
• In partnership with the TA Fellows, serves in a support role and liaison to assist TAs improve their teaching, schedules and attends TA meetings as needed, troubleshoot and resolve issues occurring in the classroom, provide assistance to students in distress, etc.
• Independently manages the diagnostic, placement, and transfer exams for the Division, working with option leadership and faculty to administer exams and with the Registrar’s Office to ensure appropriate course enrollment based on exam results.
• Coordinates yearly catalog updates for PMA undergraduate programs and courses to reflect current courses, course requirements and program requirements. Submits catalog changes on behalf of the Option Representatives and independently verifies that all catalog changes are self-consistent with all related courses and requirements. Submits the course requests to the Registrar each term.
• Working on various web platforms (templated pages, HTML), actively maintains course websites and undergraduate affairs pages.
• Manages undergraduate awards, including solicitation of nominations, facilities committee review, interfaces with financial aid office, development office, and division leadership.
• Assists in the organization of end of the year student award banquets for Math and Physics.
• In partnership with the Director of Student Programs, co-advises the PMA Undergraduate Student Advisory Board. Coordinates special student programs or events sponsored by PMA.
• Develops and produces information for various surveys/reports requested by leadership, and maintains and analyzes various data.
• As the department liaison to undergraduate students, communicates with campus visitors, prospective students and their families; responds to prospective applicants regarding the PMA undergraduate programs.
• Develops and proposes new policies, procedures and processes within the department to improve the overall effectiveness of the academic programs.
• Works very closely with HR Records, the Undergraduate Dean’s Office, and Registrar on all aspects of the academic programs. Act as liaison to Career Development Center to enhance internship and career recruiting activities for PMA students.
• Plays key advisory role with Executive Officers and Option Representatives; frequent interaction and collaboration with faculty, students, other administrative staff.
• Acts as a back-up to the Director of Student Programs, and routinely shares knowledge and information with peers to better the student experience Division-wide.
• Other duties as assigned.

Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent
• Five years of previous administrative or project management experience, with at least one year in higher education
• Demonstrated expertise in identifying and implementing operational enhancements to improve workflow, efficiency and productivity.
• Outstanding interpersonal relations skills and effective oral and written communications skills necessary to interface with faculty, students and visitors in a professional manner.
• Previous leadership expertise in coordinating and managing complex processes and programs.
• Must be conscientious, detail-oriented, and proactive delivering high quality services under minimal supervision.
• Proven expertise in all applications within Microsoft Office suite along with relational databases.
• Passionate about Caltech and its educational and research mission.

Preferred Qualifications

• Graduate degree in higher education, student affairs, or related field.
• Experience working in an Academic Division or Department.

Required Documents

• Resume.
• Cover Letter.

Hiring Range

$70,300 - $85,000 Per Year

The salary of the finalist(s) selected for this role will be set based on a variety of factors, including but not limited to, internal equity, experience, education, specialty and training.

As one of the largest employers in Pasadena, CA, Caltech is committed to providing comprehensive benefits to eligible employees and their eligible dependents. Our benefits package includes competitive compensation, health, dental, and vision insurance, retirement savings plans, generous paid time off (vacation, holidays, sick time, parental leave, bereavement, etc.), tuition reimbursement, and more. Non-benefit eligible employees will have access to some benefits such as onsite counseling and sick time. Learn more about our benefits and staff perks.