Job Description

Job Summary

Reporting to the Associate Director of Administration and relevant faculty, this position provides complex administrative support to faculty members with active research and teaching programs in the Physics Department. The Swampland Administrative Assistant is responsible for providing high-level administrative and financial support to the Swampland Initiative. This position will be responsible for managing multiple events per year along with a robust visitors program, which is central to the operation and mission of the Swampland Initiative. The Swampland Initiative will invite 2-3 visitors per week for the entire academic year and will require extensive time managing logistics related to this travel.

Position Description

Administrative Support

• Provide high-level administrative support to very active/complex research group

• Arranges extensive and complicated international and local travel arrangements for 2-3 visitors per week during academic year

• Prepares schedules for visitors

• Schedules meetings/seminars, maintains detailed calendars, and keeps faculty/group websites up to date

• Oversees appointment process for research scholars, postdoctoral fellows, graduate and undergraduate students; works with Research Scholar Coordinator to process appropriate visa requests and submits relevant paperwork

• Composes and edits correspondence for PI as required by their research and scholarly initiatives

• Helps assign workspace for group. Maintains office area, equipment, supplies, and files

Research Administration, Finance, and Purchasing

• Interprets, applies, and advises on department and University policies/procedures

• Works closely with Physics Research Admin team to support preparing, submitting, and managing sponsored research grants. Assists with proposal preparation, including funding for personnel groups, budget justifications, equipment quotes, and technical progress reports

• Creates, submits, and maintains all progress and final reports as they relate to sponsored funding

• Monitors budget including tracking expenditures and providing reports. May prepare spreadsheets for budgets, grants or contracts, including tracking and maintaining expenditures and reconciling accounts; uses budget tool. Prepares financial reports using on-line financial systems. May serve as approver for financial transactions representing the department

• Manage all local financial transactions, including reimbursements, PCard, and corporate card expenditures. Trains group members on proper usage of funds and creates reference materials to ensure compliance

• Processes expense reports and reimbursements, reconciles corporate card and PCard payments. Redirects and/or resolves billing problems and accounting errors internally and with outside vendors

• Orders and reviews group members? orders for supplies and equipment

• Serve as group?s financial approver for all purchasing requests within Harvard systems

• Performs audit function to assure accuracy and compliance with internal and external regulations

Website Management and Technical Support

• Generates, develops, and maintains faculty websites at the direction of the PI

• Composes and edits correspondence, prepares letters of recommendation, course materials, and scientific articles which may involve scientific terminology and mathematical technical typing and desktop publishing script languages in programs like LaTex, MATLab, and Mathematica

• Manages HUIT equipment and maintains records for computer refresh program

Document Administration

• Draft, edit, and submit a wide array of written material with minimal direction from the PI

• Ensure that publication listings are current and compliant with federal requirements

• Develop and maintain methods for organization of information including files, databases, and other systems as they pertain to the complicated nature of each research PI?s group

Events Management

• Coordinates site visits, handling all logistics from travel bookings and accommodations, catering orders, and itineraries for visitors

• Coordinates Postdoctoral Researcher interview visits, handling all logistics from travel bookings and accommodations, catering orders, and itineraries for visitors

• Organizes events for the research group, including weekly meetings, scientific advisory board meetings, and other events

• Manages, organizes, and executes all aspects of larger-scale meetings and conferences at the direction of the PI, including designing and promoting event collateral

• Manages all logistics of an annual international conference or event from identifying an appropriate venue, vendor management, event coordination, and all related logistics

• Provides administrative support for other projects at the direction of faculty

Basic Qualifications

• Minimum five years of office administration or customer service experience required.
• A combination of education and experience may be considered.

Additional Qualifications and Skills

• Bachelor?s degree preferred, or an equivalent of education plus experience in an office environment, perhaps managing budgets.
• Ability to be a self-starter and to work independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent organizational skills with ability to prioritize in an environment with multiple and conflicting interests.
• Strong customer service skills.
• Solid working knowledge of office processes and business policy development, and of related computer software and electronic communications tools.
• Proven interpersonal skills with experience providing complex administrative support in a high-profile environment with tact and diplomacy.
• Ability to work across teams and with a variety of projects and constituencies.

Certificates and Licenses

None.

Physical Requirements

None.

Working Conditions

Work is performed in an office setting. There is an expectation that the employee be able to work in person in Cambridge, MA 5 days per week from mid-August through mid-May. This position offers summer flexibility of up to 2-days a week for remote work, depending on the needs of the program. In addition between the fall and spring semesters, there is flexibility for up to 2-days a week for remote work, depending on the needs of the program.

Local travel may be required to identify and conduct walkthroughs of event spaces.

Additional Information

Please submit a cover letter when applying for this position.

Knowledge of Physics is not necessary to be considered for this position.

We regret that Harvard University is unable to provide work authorization and/or visa sponsorship for this position.

All formal written offers will be made by FAS Human Resources.

Benefits

We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website ( ) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:

• Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
• Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
• Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
• Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
• Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
• Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
• Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
• Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
• Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.

Work Format

On-Site





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EEO Statement
We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.

About Harvard University Faculty of Arts and Sciences

Harvard University is devoted to excellence in teaching, learning, and research, and to developing leaders in many disciplines who make a difference globally. The University, which is based in Cambridge and Boston, Massachusetts, has an enrollment of over 20,000 degree candidates, including undergraduate, graduate, and professional students. Harvard has more than 360,000 alumni around the world. The University has twelve degree-granting Schools in addition to the Radcliffe Institute for Advanced Study, offering a truly global education. Established in 1636, Harvard is the oldest institution of higher education in the United States.

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Job Tags

Holiday work, Summer work, Local area, Visa sponsorship, Work visa, 2 days per week,

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