Assistant Director - Academic Programs

Northeastern University; United States; Hybrid; USD 90,000 - 120,000; Full time

Job summary

Northeastern University is seeking an Assistant Director of Academic Programs to develop and execute a strategic plan for the ECE graduate programs (MS, PlusOne, PhD). You will advise students, coordinate admissions data, and liaise with Graduate School and faculty committees to advance graduate education.

The role emphasizes managing course scheduling, program development, and onboarding activities, with a mix of on-site and remote work in a hybrid model.

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent is required.
• Minimum of four years supporting academic/administrative projects.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with attention to detail.

Responsibilities

• Lead academic program operations and recruitment for MS, PlusOne, and PhD programs.
• Oversee graduate enrollments, catalogs, and data management.
• Coordinate orientation, recruitment events, and onboarding activities.
• Collaborate with faculty and administrators on new programs and changes.
• Manage tracking of PhD milestones, defenses, and timelines.

Skills

Project management

Organizational skills

Communication skills

Team collaboration

Prioritization

Education

Bachelor's degree or equivalent

Master's degree (preferred)

Job description

About the Opportunity

The Assistant Director of Academic Programs creates and executes a strategic plan to grow and enhance the Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering graduate programs. This role advises Master of Science (MS) and PhD students on their academic programs and serves as an integral partner to the Graduate and Undergraduate Faculty Committees in advancing initiatives and enhancing graduate education. Responsibilities include managing graduate admissions processes and data, serving as a liaison between the department and the Graduate School, overseeing course scheduling on a semester basis and for the department's five-year growth plan, developing workshops and events that enhance the student experience, managing course assessment activities related to accreditation, providing guidance to faculty and PhD students regarding teaching assistant workload and support, and facilitating academic projects through collaboration with partners across and beyond the college. This position is dedicated primarily to the department's graduate programs (MS, PlusOne, and PhD), with undergraduate-facing responsibilities managed by the Academic Coordinator supervised by this role.

This position follows a hybrid schedule, with three days on site and two days remote each week.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Academic Program Operations and Recruitment

• Manage department policies related to student matters.
• Oversee course scheduling for each academic term and maintain the department's five-year teaching plan.
• Oversee annual catalog submissions and catalog changes.
• Manage TRACE scores and mid-year and annual reviews for PhD students and faculty.
• Manage recruitment activities associated with MS, PlusOne, and PhD applications.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for program inquiries.
• Coordinate and administer orientation programs, welcome events, Graduate Candidates Day, and other graduate recruitment and onboarding activities.
• Serve as a liaison between the college and department for student-facing events and matters.

Student Data Management

• Manage tracking processes for PhD student milestones, including qualifying examinations, work-in-progress reviews, proposal defenses, and dissertation defenses.
• Interact directly with graduate students and monitor timelines related to advisor assignments and reassignments, committee formation, qualifying examinations, proposals, and defense arrangements.
• Serve as the primary contact for MS students with questions regarding course scheduling and academic timelines.
• Manage student enrollment and tracking data and serve as the department contact for student-related data management.

Program Development

• Manage processes related to the development of new MS programs, combined majors and minors, and new research concentrations for the PhD program.
• Administer approval processes for new courses, concentrations, and academic programs.
• Collaborate with faculty and administrators across departments and colleges to manage the development and implementation of new academic programs.
• Document program changes, approval processes, and voting outcomes associated with new programs.

Minimum Qualifications

Required

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent.
• Minimum of four years of experience supporting academic and administrative projects, preferably in higher education, with adult learners, or in a high customer service environment.
• Strong project management and organizational skills with keen attention to detail and a commitment to quality.
• Effective interpersonal, oral presentation, and written communication skills.
• Ability to balance multiple priorities and respond effectively to the needs of diverse constituencies.
• Ability to consistently produce high-quality work under tight deadlines.
• Professional presence and maturity when interacting with audiences internal and external to the university.
• Positive, proactive attitude with flexibility, initiative, and the ability to function effectively as a member of a team in a dynamic environment.
• Demonstrated responsiveness to feedback, commitment to continuous improvement, and high integrity.

Preferred

• Experience with academic coordination.
• Master's degree.

Required Documents

• Resume
• Cover Letter

Position Type

Academic Administration

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.