MIP Program Coordinator

Stanford University; Palo Alto (CA); Hybrid; USD 55,000 - 58,000; Full time

Job summary

Stanford University’s Ford Dorsey Master’s in International Policy (MIP) seeks an organized administrative professional to support four staff members, faculty director, and students. The role spans student services, finances, communications, events, admissions, and office operations in a fast-paced university setting.

The ideal candidate will be collaborative, detail‑oriented, and able to work independently with limited supervision.

Qualifications

• Experience in a higher education, nonprofit, or international affairs setting is preferred.
• Familiarity with university systems (student information and financial systems) and Drupal or willingness to learn quickly.
• Experience supporting events, admissions cycles, or basic financial/budget processes.
• Able to prioritize and manage a diverse workload; collaborative, service-oriented mindset.
• Interest in graduate education administration and global affairs.

Responsibilities

• Provide academic administration, student services, and admissions support.
• Schedule courses and order textbooks; support instructors with administrative tasks.
• Be a point of contact for current students on policies and finances.
• Maintain course and degree systems, program handbooks, and the program website; assist with analytics and reporting.
• Coordinate events (orientation, receptions, admit day, panels) and manage calendars for reservable spaces.
• Draft weekly student newsletters and event invitations.

Skills

Higher education experience

Event support experience

Budgeting & financial basics

Excellent communication

Drupal familiarity

Applicant tracking tools

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Drupal

Applicant tracking tools

Job description

WORK SCHEDULE

Hybrid work arrangement with at least 3 days per week on-site. MIP utilizes an arrangement where team members are on-site three days per week and remote two days per week. This role should expect that some weeks will require on-site work four or more days. This may be offset by limited increased flexibility during the summer.

BUDGETED SALARY:

$40 to $42 per hour

SCHOOL/UNIT DESCRIPTION:

Stanford's Ford Dorsey Master’s in International Policy (MIP) is a two-year Master of Arts program in the School of Humanities and Sciences, administered by the Freeman Spogli Institute for International Studies (FSI). Established in 1982, MIP prepares future leaders for careers in international policymaking across government, NGOs, IGOs, and the private sector. The program's small, close-knit cohorts create a dynamic learning environment built around FSI's interdisciplinary faculty, Stanford's research strength, and Silicon Valley's culture of innovation. Students graduate equipped to analyze and solve complex, real-world policy challenges.

POSITION SUMMARY:

MIP is recruiting a highly organized administrative professional to support the program's four staff members, faculty director, and students. Reporting to the Assistant Director for Academic and Student Affairs, this role will perform a variety of functions supporting student and academic services, finances, communications, event planning, admissions, and office operations. This role works closely with the MIP team, as well as students and prospective applicants, faculty and instructors, alumni, and other affiliates. The successful candidate is a friendly, proactive, and dependable self-starter who can adapt to different working styles and needs. They should possess excellent interpersonal and communication skills and enjoy meeting and engaging with people from diverse backgrounds and personalities. This role requires a high level of professionalism, productivity, organization, multi-tasking, and attention to detail. The role should also be comfortable working independently, with limited supervision at times, and collaborating with colleagues across the university. An interest in global affairs, public policy, and diverse cultures is valued.

Why Join MIP:

• Be part of a small, mission-driven team with outsized visibility and impact
• Work alongside world-class faculty and a highly engaged, globally minded student cohort
• Gain broad exposure to graduate program administration — a strong foundation for a career in higher education, international affairs, or nonprofit management
• Access to Stanford's professional development resources and university benefits

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

Student and Academic Services / Admissions

• Provide academic administration, student services, and admissions support
• Schedule courses, order textbooks, and provide administrative support for instructors
• Act as a point of contact for current MIP students on program policies and financial and other matters
• Maintain university web-based course and degree systems, program handbooks, and the program website
• Provide support with analytics and reporting

Events and Communications

• Coordinate MIP events (e.g., orientation, receptions, admit day, alumni and career panels)
• Manage calendars for reservable MIP spaces
• Draft weekly student newsletter and various student forms
• Draft, send, and manage event invitations

Finances

• Serve as financial approver by making financial entries, processing reimbursements, etc.
• Process student fellowship and assistantship entries and financial transactions
• Arrange travel and accommodation for students participating in the Stanford-Vienna Exchange program
• Provide support for budget monitoring and analysis, as needed

Operations

• Place work orders and maintain office supplies

PREFERRED/DESIRED QUALIFICATIONS:

• Prior experience in a higher education, nonprofit, or international affairs setting
• Familiarity with university systems (e.g., student information and financial systems, applicant tracking tools) and Drupal or willingness to learn quickly
• Experience supporting events, admissions cycles, or basic financial/budget processes
• Proven ability to prioritize and manage a diverse workload
• Collaborative, service-oriented mindset
• Interest in international policy, public affairs, or graduate education administration

Additional Requirements:

• Applicants must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment visa.

Core Duties

• Act on behalf of the supervisor, department manager, or chair in regards to establishing priorities and identifying and resolving problems that are administrative in nature.
• Oversee and/or perform duties associated with scheduling, organizing, and operating complex conferences, seminars, and events, including arranging with vendors for services, overseeing the production and distribution of materials, administering logistics, and managing event within budget.
• Compose and draft documents and correspondence for presentations, course handouts, grants, conferences, seminars, and reports. Perform substantial editing and fact checking. Create, maintain, modify, and/or ensure accuracy of content in various unit documents, displays, reports, brochures, social media, and/or websites.
• Plan and schedule calendar(s) with limited consultation, resolve calendaring conflicts, and arrange travel in compliance with unit, university, and sponsor policies.
• Create complex reports and spreadsheets which may utilize specialized software and systems.
• Oversee and/or process a variety of complex financial transactions; produce, monitor, and reconcile budget statements; research, identify, and resolve discrepancies. May assist with capital or special equipment requests and/or vendor selection.
• Coordinate and monitor routine maintenance services completion. Plan and coordinate office moves and/or minor renovation projects.
• May lead staff or supervise day-to-day work of students and/or temporary workers, including scheduling, assigning, and prioritizing workloads, setting appropriate deadlines, reviewing work for quality and timeliness, and providing performance review input.

Minimum Education and Experience

High school diploma and four years of administrative experience, or combination of education and relevant experience.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Advanced computer skills and demonstrated experience with office software and email applications.
• Demonstrated success in following through and completing projects.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Excellent strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Excellent customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Ability to prioritize, multi-task, and assign work to others.
• Ability to take initiative and ownership of projects.
• Ability to routinely and independently exercise sound judgment in making decisions.