Programming Administrator

The Programming Administrator serves as the principal contact and administrative organizer for all events and educational programs in the Center for Bioethics, including but not limited to conferences, symposia, webinars, weekly consortia, fellowship and master’s program events, graduation activities, and other Center-wide gatherings. This hybrid strategic and hands-on role both leads and executes all aspects of event and program management, from high-level planning and oversight of event coordination to independently carrying out day-to-day logistical and operational details.

The role is essential in creating a welcoming and inclusive sense of community, fostering academic exchange through Center events and talks among Harvard and Affiliated Hospital faculty networks and the bioethics community. The position contributes to community-building by planning and coordinating internal events, all-team strategy sessions, and workshops, and by leveraging opportunities to build relationships and share information about the Center’s activities. The Programming Administrator interprets and implements relevant Harvard policies, including those related to disability access, travel, purchasing, branding, and virtual event standards. The role is hands-on and is responsible for organizing all events in the Center for Bioethics. It also includes a broader strategy for collecting and maintaining data to produce reports on program participation, marketing responses, and course/event evaluations.

The incumbent is expected to stay current with trends in virtual and in-person events, provide appropriate advice, and explore and utilize new technologies to improve processes. While this role works within the operations team and reports to the Associate Director of Finance and Operations, it will require hands-on implementation, follow-through, task completion, as well as big picture organizing coordinated across staffing teams and the faculty. The Programming Administrator is responsible for smooth event operations and implementation, and for ensuring clear communication and alignment among key stakeholders on appropriate details, developments, and organization.

Event Planning and Management

• Serve as the main point of contact for all Center events (in-person, hybrid, and virtual), including conferences, symposia, webinars, weekly consortia, master’s and fellowship events, and graduation.

Stakeholder and Vendor Coordination

• Arrange speaker invitations, agreements, accommodations, transportation, reimbursements, and honoraria.
• Coordinate venues, AV needs, and facilities; negotiate contracts with hotels, caterers, photographers, and other vendors.

Planning, Day-of Execution, and Post-Event (both Virtual and Hybrid) Follow-Up

• Implement event registration; monitor spending against pre-assigned budgets in collaboration with the Associate Director.
• Execute all event operations including venue preparation, catering, décor, and on-site logistics; resolve issues promptly.

Data, Reporting, and Continuous Improvement

• Stay current on best practices in in-person, hybrid, and virtual events and advise leadership on opportunities to improve effectiveness.
• Gather and maintain data on attendance, audience trends, marketing responses, and feedback to inform strategic planning.

Promotional and Marketing Support

• Collaborate with the Marketing and Communications team to create and manage event publicity and outreach.
• Maintain inventory of promotional items; coordinate with vendors for ordering and manage the logo approval process through the School.

Additional duties as assigned

As part of your application, we recommend including a cover letter that will help us better understand your qualifications and background. This can provide valuable insight into your experience and interest in the role.

Basic Qualifications:

5+ years of related experience required. Higher education may count toward experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills:

Interpersonal and communication skills are essential, as is being a collaborative team player who supports the Center's overall success.

The successful candidate will embrace change, be adaptable, and have a learning mind-set.

A successful administrator will be highly organized, detail-oriented, proactive, able to work independently with minimal supervision, strong in communication, problem-solving, and gaining consensus, and capable of prioritizing and multitasking while remaining calm under pressure.

Understanding of Internal and Harvard-wide policies and best practices is key.

Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hrs. per week | Monday - Friday | 9:00 am - 5:00 pm. Must be available to work occasional evenings.

Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position.

Pre-Employment Screening: Identity

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