About UMass Amherst
UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.
Job Summary
The Department of Political Science Associate Director of Academic Programs provides leadership and direction for the department’s academic programs by managing graduate student services, program administration, course planning and enrollment.
Essential Functions
- Provides diplomatic problem solving and leadership in the day-to-day administrative and operational functions of the academic programs for the Department.
- Manages graduate student services. Liaises with the Graduate School, university offices and staff for admissions, milestones, adviser and committee memberships, student defenses and other activities related to graduate student progress. Advises departmental leadership on issues of curriculum creation and revision, including online programming. Assists the Graduate Program Director with assigning student teaching roles each semester and prepares graduate student contracts and appointments. Administers departmental graduate student fellowships and grants. Attends graduate related committee meetings and provides support for committee work.
- Advises graduate students on academic requirements and satisfactory progress toward degree, with special attention to program requirements and rules; proactively advises students who have not completed their requirements or are not in satisfactory progress. Updates student files with advising notes and progress documentation as appropriate. Alerts the Graduate Program Director to student progress concerns. Liaises with the Graduate School as needed.
- Develops and implements events and programming for graduate students, including recruitment fairs for prospective students, graduate orientations, and brown-bag lectures and workshops for graduate students.
- Develops and manages student recruitment, marketing, and communication efforts for the Department. With department leadership and College communications and marketing staff, develops and implements marketing, recruitment, and communication strategies to grow student majors and course enrollments, and to support retention of current students.
- Manages team content generation for the Department’s webpages, social media pages, and/or other communication needs. Maintains up-to-date all communications and marketing platforms and materials. Supports alumni outreach related to academic programs and alumni student engagement.
- Confers with appropriate faculty and staff to determine optimal undergraduate and graduate course offerings each semester with available resources. Manages the Academic Programs Manager to ensure course scheduling effectiveness and makes recommendations concerning changes or updates to curriculum and course descriptions. Coordinates Department submission to the University catalog management system.
- Creates, tests, and improves data collection systems for scheduling. Reviews and analyzes enrollment data for academic programs. Produces reports for department leadership related to academic programming. Contributes to the development and implementation of procedures and guidelines for scheduling decisions, student enrollment priority policies, and administrative procedures to accomplish program objectives and goals.
Other Functions
- Ensures smooth operation of the Department by overseeing and performing routine administrative tasks.
- Serves in a back-up role for other department staff as needed. Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor with flexibility.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Bachelor’s degree (preferably in a social science discipline or in business, public administration, or management), and four (4) years of experience in program administration or program coordination, preferably in an academic department in a College or University setting.
- Excellent ability to work both independently and to be part of an effective team with a highly cooperative and collaborative work style. Ability to adapt and work effectively as the situation changes.
- Excellent interpersonal communication skills with the ability to interact effectively and to create and maintain harmonious relationships with a diverse population of staff, faculty, students, and off-campus constituents.
- Excellent supervision and managerial skills, with the ability to support staff and create a harmonious and productive work environment.
- Flexibility to work with initiative and willingness to take on a variety of tasks related to the successful operation and administration of the unit. Ability to work effectively under pressure and varying situations with independence, competent judgment, and discretion. Extensive organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to complete assignments in a timely manner, balancing the demands of concurrent and potentially competing projects.
- Ability to collect data from multiple sources and create new reports that add value to program goals. Excellent computer usage skills including email, spreadsheets (including formulas), word processing, and databases.
- Must have the ability to stay on task and work productively with a minimum of supervision. Ability to write concisely, express thoughts clearly, and develop ideas in a logical sequence.
- Ability to investigate a situation, seek out additional information, and resolve discrepancies. Ability to think through problems, organize information, identify key factors and underlying causes to generate solutions.
- Ability to read, understand, apply, and explain rules, regulations and policies/procedures related to duties. Ability to understand and follow complex oral and written instructions and create effective and efficient work processes. Ability to exercise sound judgment and maintain confidentiality.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Master’s degree (preferably in a social science discipline or in business, public administration, or management).
- Experience with social media platforms and Drupal web systems.
- Experience in marketing and/or event development and implementation.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
- Typical office work environment.
Work Schedule
- Monday – Friday, 8:30 am – 5:00 pm.
- Occasional night or weekend hours may be required.
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This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee’s work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the Professional Staff Union, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the Professional Staff Union collective bargaining agreement.
Salary Information
Level 26
PSU Hiring Ranges
Special Instructions to Applicants
Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. Applications will be reviewed on a continuous basis until the position is filled. Early submissions are encouraged.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.