Program Coordinator #2023-16788
Program Coordinator
US-NJ-Princeton
Job ID: 2023-16788
Type: Full-Time
# of Openings: 1
Category: Student Affairs and Services
Princeton University
Overview
The Keller Center for Innovation in Engineering Education was founded in 2005, with the mission of bridging engineering with the liberal arts at Princeton University. Since then, the Keller Center has grown to three locations on campus- two within the School of Engineering and Applied Science and the third at 34 Chambers Street in Princeton. The Center offers more than 25 courses in an academic year, open to undergraduate and graduate students from all majors. The Center offers two certificates, one in technology and society, and the other, in entrepreneurship, and is planning to offer a third. Additionally, the Center offers a growing portfolio of co-curricular programs and initiatives throughout the academic year and summer months, aimed at students, faculty, and staff. Some of these programs include a summer accelerator for student-formed startup ventures, an international startup internship program, a makerspace, and campus/community-based programs that address societal issues using design and design thinking processes.
Keller Center seeks a program coordinator to work in collaboration with the program managers and campus partners, to support several of our flagship co-curricular programs. Specifically, the program coordinator will be supporting the Princeton Startup Immersion Program (PSIP), the Keller Center makerspace and the Program in Institutional and Historical Racism in Engineering, Technology, and Innovation. The program coordinator performs a wide range of responsibilities including working closely with students, faculty, and staff to help before, during, and after their application to the programs. This is a very exciting opportunity for individuals seeking to support the innovation ecosystem at Princeton, and for building Keller’s programs from the ground up. This position plays a critical role in ensuring that Keller Center’s programs continue to be delivered efficiently, effectively, and with the highest level of professionalism. The incumbent should enjoy working with students, faculty, staff and engaging with stakeholders from the entrepreneurial ecosystem including representatives from industry and the startup community domestically and internationally in which the programs operate. He/she will track metrics for each of the three programs and perform analysis of the analytics. The incumbent will use the highest level of independent discretion to interact with very senior stakeholders. He/she will be highly proactive and skilled in balancing the needs of three programs and be judicious about how to allocate time amongst competing priorities. The program coordinator must be able to expertly represent Keller Center and the programs with external stakeholders and across the university.
Responsibilities
Assist with planning and executing a portfolio of Keller Center’s flagship programs such as the Princeton Startup Immersion Program (PSIP), Keller’s makerspace and the Program in Institutional and Historical Racism in Engineering, Technology, and Innovation. This position reports into Keller Center’s Associate Director Outreach and Administration, but also supports the other program directors. The role is designed to provide communications, development
support, and logistical and administrative support to the program directors. As program coordinator, the role encompasses the following responsibilities by program:
50%: Support of the Princeton Startup Immersion Program (PSIP):
- For PSIP, a significant part of the responsibilities will include creating content and updating the PSIP website, GPS system, Handshake, FormAssembly, and WordPress.
- Other key responsibilities include sending regular emails to prospective PSIP applicants and campus partners to promote events, responding to questions of prospective applicants, and scheduling events and applicant interviews; maintaining relationships with current and former participants as well as with faculty, staff, alumni, and other entrepreneurs that comprise the Princeton and PSIP stakeholder community.
- Schedule, coordinate, and execute events that are hosted virtually or in-person, on or off campus. Provide the first review of contracts with off-site service providers such as housing, caterers, local host companies, and other suppliers. When necessary, travel to events and offer on-site support. May require some evening and weekend hours especially during peak program application periods. Work with Keller Center’s Digital Media and Communications Team to maintain and update the PSIP web pages and social media accounts.
30%: Support for the Keller Center makerspace: Working to support the Makerspace Educator and Design Lab Manager, the program coordinator will assist with the following activities:
- Act as an ambassador of the makerspace with graduate and undergraduate students to build relationships and student activity in the makerspace. Build and maintain partnerships with student organizations to create long-term interest and engagement.
- Solicit quantitative and qualitative feedback from students to inform the direction and vision of the space. Leveraging user experience tools (surveys, focus groups, interviews) to create a premium user experience of the space that reflects constituent needs and wants as well as stakeholder objectives.
- Develop an analytical framework to track engagement with the space (e.g., number of trainings, number of visitors, attendance at events) as well as progress towards long-term objectives of the space (developed in partnership with the Makerspace Educator and Design Lab Manager)
- Manage and maintain makerspace web page content. Promote makerspace offerings to the Princeton community through all available channels.
- Assist with makerspace events, workshops, and training.
- Assist with management of the makerspace by assisting with budget management and development for the makerspace. Assisting with necessary purchasing for the makerspace.
- Act and assist in supervising the makerspace and the makerspace student staff when the Makerspace Educator and Design Lab Manager is unavailable.
20%: For the Program in Institutional and Historical Racism in Engineering, Technology, and Innovation: Support the Digital Marketing and Communications Manager, who serves as the head of this program, with the following types of administrative activities:
Program coordination:
- Schedule meetings and set up Zoom calls for the program managers with the cohort, coaches, program speakers, vendors, and others.
- Handle communications with prospective and current participants
- Help plan cohort activities including annual kickoff meeting, monthly guided conversations, and year end activities.
- Help plan and acquire collateral materials (year-end certificates, cohort SWAG, etc.)
- Reserve meeting space and arrange necessary technology capabilities.
- Maintain program Canvas site. Build and maintain searchable library of articles, podcasts, and videos about racial equity topics.
- Track and report about program activities and handle communications with cohort members.
- As needed, research potential guided conversation topics and speakers
- Update program website
Financial:
- Oversee the process of onboarding vendors and speakers (establishing them as approved Princeton vendors, coordinating the contract process, etc.).
- Track and approve invoices to ensure they are paid in a timely manner.
Qualifications
- Bachelor’s Degree is required and a minimum of four years applicable experience.
- Ability to multitask effectively and efficiently, and to track projects over time at varying degrees of detail. Accordingly, candidates must be able to work independently, employ outstanding organizational and time management skills, and be extremely detail-oriented in a high-paced and dynamic environment.
- Strong and professional interpersonal skills as well as a demonstrated ability to work as part of a team and interact effectively with students, alumni, faculty, administrators, and other stakeholders.
- Experience with working in a university setting and/or in settings that support entrepreneurship and innovation preferred.
- Strong ability to communicate orally and in writing, including expertly representing the programs to key and senior stakeholders.
- Attention to detail.
- A commitment and interest in social justice and anti-racism.
- Proficient with and/or comfortable learning and using technologies including Microsoft Office, G Suite, Slack, Salesforce, FormAssembly, EventBrite, project management software, and more.
- Self-starter eager and open to learning equipment and maker-specific language and vocabulary.
Princeton University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to age, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by law. KNOW YOUR RIGHTS
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