Graduate Program Manager

University of Wisconsin; Madison (WI); On-site; USD 59,000 - 72,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin–Madison is seeking a Graduate Program Manager to lead operations, student services, and program development for the Cancer Biology Graduate Program within the Department of Oncology / McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research. You will also manage NIH T32 training grants and support doctoral students.

This onsite role may offer hybrid arrangements post-hire; strong communication, organization, and collaboration with faculty, staff, and students are essential for success.

Qualifications

• Minimum two years of experience working in higher education administration and/or student services.
• Experience advising graduate students and navigating university policies.
• Familiarity with graduate program administration and NIH training grants.
• Strong written and oral communication and organizational skills.

Responsibilities

• Maintains web content and internal communications related to Cancer Biology graduate program and/or training grant.
• Provides comprehensive advising services promoting graduate student success, retention, and degree completion.
• Oversees programming, services, and events to promote professional development and academic success.
• Manages the response, support, and advocacy for graduate students while continuously improving the student experience.
• Maintains alumni contact information and promotes goodwill with current and former trainees and other relevant parties.
• Serves as the expert resource for applicants, current students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders of an academic program.
• Oversees staff and/or graduate program functions.
• Maintains compliance with graduate program requirements and technology systems related to admissions, assessment, and program review.
• Manages graduate student funding including fellowships, scholarships, training grants, or assistantships; may prepare proposals.
• Assists with reports/evaluations for program reviews and related needs.
• Manages curricular responsibilities including SIS maintenance, student approvals, and course development.

Skills

Communication

Organization

Multitasking

Collaboration

Creativity

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Master's Degree

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Box

Zoom

Microsoft Teams

WebEx

PeopleSoft (SIS)

CourseLeaf (Lumen)

WiscWeb

Job description

Current Employees: If you are currently employed at any of the Universities of Wisconsin, log in to Workday to apply through the internal application process.

Job Category:

Academic Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Graduate Program Manager

Job Summary:

The Graduate Program Manager provides operational, administrative, and student services leadership for the Cancer Biology Graduate Program within the Department of Oncology / McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research. This position serves as a member of the Interdisciplinary Biological and Health Sciences Consortium (IBHSC), which ensures seamless academic progression and comprehensive support for doctoral students. The Graduate Program Manager is also responsible for managing NIH T32 training grants, which support graduate and postdoctoral trainees.

• This position requires work to be completed onsite, at a designated campus work location. Hybrid work may be considered after hire based on business needs, job responsibilities, performance, and manager approval. Hybrid arrangements are not guaranteed and may be subject to change.

• Candidates who demonstrate the following knowledge, skills, and abilities will be given first consideration

  • Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, cloud storage platforms (Box), and virtual meeting tools (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, WebEx). Preferred experience using campus enterprise software, including PeopleSoft (SIS) for student records, CourseLeaf (Lumen) for curriculum management, and content management systems (e.g., WiscWeb) for website maintenance.

  • Excellent written and oral communication skills

  • Excellent organizational skills

  • Ability to multitask and prioritize tasks

  • Ability to work effectively and collaboratively with students, faculty and staff

  • Creative thinking

Key Job Responsibilities:

• Maintains web content and internal communications related to Cancer Biology graduate program and/or training grant
• Provides comprehensive advising services promoting graduate student success, retention, and degree completion. Advises on programs, graduate education, and university policies, processes, and procedures. Monitors degree progress and assists students in navigating resources and systems throughout the student lifecycle from matriculation to degree completion
• Oversees programming, services, and events to promote professional development and academic success
• Manages the response, support, and advocacy for graduate students while continuously improving the student experience and overall graduate program
• Maintains alumni contact information and promotes goodwill with current and former trainees and other relevant parties
• Serves as the expert resource for applicants, current students, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders of an academic program
• Oversees staff and/or graduate program functions
• Maintains compliance with graduate program(s), school/college, and university requirements and technology systems related to admissions, assessment, academic degree progress/requirements, and program review. Makes policy and procedure recommendations and/or changes
• Manages graduate student funding including, but not limited to, fellowships, scholarships, training grants, or assistantships from department, university, and/or outside sponsors. May prepare and/or submit funding proposals
• Assists with the preparation of reports and evaluations (e.g., program review) required by the Cancer Biology Graduate Program Director, Graduate School, and/or SMPH related to the Cancer Biology graduate program
• Manages aspects of Cancer Biology program curricular responsibilities including SIS maintenance, student approvals, and course development and revision. Assists Oncology faculty with course materials, evaluations, etc. as needed

Department:

School of Medicine and Public Health, Department of Oncology, Administration

The McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research is also designated as the Department of Oncology within the University of Wisconsin-Madison School of Medicine and Public Health. Our administrative team actively supports departmental research and their pursuit of understanding cancer.

The central mission of the McArdle Laboratory for Cancer Research is twofold:

1. To pursue outstanding research programs directed toward understanding the causes and biology of cancer and the factors that regulate normal and neoplastic growth and differentiation.

2. To provide training of the highest quality in basic cancer research at the graduate and postdoctoral levels.

While these two goals represent the cornerstone of our activities, we also seek to provide undergraduates and medical students with a foundation in basic cancer biology and to serve the public and scientific community through our activities for national and international organizations. You can see more on our training and instruction here.

Compensation:

The starting salary for the position is $65,000 annually; but is negotiable based on experience and qualifications.

Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays, and sick leave; competitive insurances and savings accounts; retirement benefits. For more information, refer to the campus benefits webpage.

SMPH Faculty /Academic Staff Benefits Flyer 2026

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum two years of experience working in higher education administration and/or student services

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working with undergraduate or graduate students in admissions, recruitment, advising, or a related function
• Experience preparing and managing federal funding mechanisms such as training grants

Education:

Bachelor's Degree required; Master’s Degree preferred.

Contact Information:

Gabby Fisk, [e-mail]

Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.

Institutional Statement on Diversity:

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal OpportunityEmployer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgroundsand encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.

Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.

The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).

The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.