Program Assistant

Cornell University; Town of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 42,000 - 54,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health care options

Retirement contributions

Wellness programs

Tuition benefits

Job summary

Cornell University seeks a Program Assistant to support the ACT for Youth Center for Community Action and COE initiatives. The role focuses on event planning, travel logistics, fiscal management, and project coordination across NYSDOH-funded programs.

The position is in-person on Cornell's Ithaca campus, one-year fixed-term with potential renewal based on funding and performance. No visa sponsorship provided; applicants must be authorized to work in the US.

Qualifications

• Associate’s degree required with up to 1 year of relevant experience or equivalent.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills and strong organizational abilities.
• Ability to work as part of a team and follow up with colleagues to complete tasks.
• Attention to detail; manage multiple projects and deadlines.
• Demonstrated initiative and ability to work independently.
• Proficiency with Windows Office applications; willingness to learn new tools.
• Commitment to equity, inclusion and wellbeing, and experience with diverse communities.

Responsibilities

• Assist with event planning, logistics, and communication (40%).
• Support ACT team travel logistics (10%).
• Assist with fiscal management (30%).
• Other position-related responsibilities (20%).

Skills

Communication skills

Team player

Detail-oriented

Initiative

Time management

Education

Associate’s degree

Bachelor’s degree preferred

Tools

Microsoft Word

Microsoft Excel

Microsoft Outlook

PowerPoint

Job description

Cornell Human Ecology explores the complexity of human life. We bring together a wide range of perspectives to understand the full context of the human experience and improve lives at every scale, from cells to society. Our research and academic programs focus on the interaction of humans with their biological, economic, social and physical environments. Using Cornell's far-reaching extension network and the college's translational research methods, we deliver our findings directly to communities and families, ensuring that our work reaches those who need it most.

The ACT for Youth Center for Community Action (ACT CCA) / Children and Youth with Special Health Care Needs Center of Excellence (ACT CYSHCN COE) is housed in the Bronfenbrenner Center for Translational Research (BCTR), which is located within Cornell University’s College of Human Ecology. The BCTR mission is to improve professional and public efforts to understand and deal with risk and protective factors in the lives of children, youth, families, and communities that affect family strength, child wellbeing, and youth development. Translational research, as defined by the College and the BCTR, is the systematic application of research findings into the development of innovative interventions, practices, and policies that may ultimately improve health and well-being. The knowledge derived from these interventions feeds future research.

ACT for Youth advances the well-being of children, adolescents, and young adults by connecting research to practice in the areas of positive youth development and health. As the ACT for Youth Center for Community Action, we primarily support adults who work with adolescents; as the ACT for Youth CYSHCN Program Center of Excellence we primarily support local New York State health departments, families, and children and youth with special health care needs (CYSHCN). We do this work by creating, identifying, and disseminating research-informed resources; developing and providing trainings; and supporting continuous quality improvement through evaluation services and technical assistance.

What You Will Do

The Program Assistant will provide support to the ACT for Youth (ACT) Center for Community Action (CCA) and Center of Excellence (COE), initiatives funded by the New York State Department of Health (NYSDOH). ACT for Youth works with communities, families, and youth-serving organizations across the state to promote the health and well-being of children and adolescents. The successful candidate will work closely with the Lead Program Assistant to 1) assist with event planning (including identify and booking training/conference venues, developing and tracking event registrations, communicating event logistics to participants); 2) support ACT team travel logistics (including identifying and booking hotel accommodations and car/bus/flight reservations); 3) assist with fiscal management (including monitoring accounts, tracking expenditures, setting up purchase orders, working with consultants regarding contracts, supporting staff in obtaining travel reimbursement, and ordering supplies); and 4) assist with other project logistics (such as scheduling meetings, sending agendas, taking meeting minutes, etc.).

The Program Assistant will work closely in collaboration with the ACT CCA and COE teams, as well as NYSDOH, and community-based partners to ensure smooth function of ACT projects. Occasional travel to locations across New York State may be required.

This is a one-year, fixed-term, in-person position based in Ithaca, NY on Cornell University’s campus. Annual renewal for 5 years (or more) is possible contingent on available funding, work, and successful performance.

No visa sponsorship or relocation assistance are provided for this position.

Applicants must be legally authorized to work in US without sponsorship. Employment will end upon the expiration of work authorization in the US. Continued employment in this position is subject to eligibility to work in accordance with US immigration laws.

Required Qualifications

• Associate’s degree and up to 1 year of relevant experience or equivalent combination.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills, and excellent organizational skills.
• Demonstrated ability to work as part of a team; and have strategies to ensure tasks are completed, including following up with team members, as needed.
• Attentive to details, be able to manage multiple projects and tasks simultaneously, handle the demands of deadlines, and seamlessly move between changing priorities.
• Able to initiate own work schedule and solve problems; must demonstrate initiative.
• Experience with Windows Office applications, including Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint; willingness to learn new technologies as needed.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting equity, access, inclusion and wellbeing.
• Experience working with people from all socioeconomic backgrounds.
• Experience incorporating the perspectives of multiple communities, with respect to inclusion and belonging.
• Must be passionate about working in an organization that values and promotes equity, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Must have the ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff and community members.
• Must have and maintain a valid US driver’s license; may be required to operate a motor vehicle (your own vehicle or Cornell-owned) to travel to/from job sites.

Preferred Qualifications

• A Bachelor’s degree with a social science major is preferred.

Responsibilities

• Assist with event planning, logistics, and communication (40%)
• Support ACT team travel logistics (10%)
• Assist with fiscal management (30%)
• Other position-related responsibilities (20%)

Benefits

• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, sustainability, and diversity initiatives.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: https://hr.cornell.edu/benefits-pay.
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell: https://hr.cornell.edu/jobs/your-total-rewards.
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1.
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program.

Cornell University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator supporting Individuals with Disabilities and Protected Veterans. Learn more at hr.cornell.edu/eeeo.

Cornell welcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeks job candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. We hire based on merit, and encourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply. Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

2026-07-29