Program Coordinator

UC Santa Barbara; Santa Barbara (CA); On-site; USD 50,000 - 60,000; Full time

Job summary

UC Santa Barbara's NCEAS invites applications for an administrative assistant who will serve as a key member of the administrative team, providing front desk operations, meeting coordination, and travel and financial administration for Center activities.

Under the general direction of the Business Officer, the successful candidate acts as the primary contact for visitors, residents, staff, vendors, and Working Group participants, delivering professional customer service while ensuring efficient

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• 1‑3 years experience in an administrative, clerical, or operations role.
• Good verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, multi‑tasking, and time‑management skills.
• Strong customer‑service orientation.
• Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate front desk operations and serve as a central point of contact for visitors, staff, vendors, and participants.
• Organize and coordinate meetings, events, and travel arrangements.
• Oversee travel, reimbursements, and related financial transactions in compliance with university and sponsor requirements.
• Maintain accurate administrative records and ensure timely communication among stakeholders.
• Troubleshoot and resolve operational, event, and facility-related issues.

Skills

Communication

Active listening

Critical thinking

Multi-tasking

Time management

Education

High School Diploma

Tools

Word processing (MS Word)

Spreadsheets (Excel)

Databases

Job description

Job Summary

Under the general direction of the Business Officer, the successful candidate serves as a key member of the NCEAS administrative team by providing front desk operations, administrative support, meeting coordination, and travel and financial administration for Center activities. The role acts as the primary point of contact for NCEAS visitors, residents, staff, vendors, and Working Group participants, delivering professional customer service while ensuring the efficient operation of the Center.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate approximately 50 scientific, educational, and outreach events each year, including Working Groups, Distributed Graduate Seminars, and other meetings held onsite and offsite.
• Oversee event logistics, travel arrangements, visa documentation, participant stipends, reimbursements, and related financial transactions in compliance with University, sponsor, and funding agency requirements.
• Serve as a central resource for troubleshooting and resolving operational, event, travel, and facility‑related issues, requiring extensive knowledge of University and NCEAS policies.
• Maintain accurate administrative records and ensure timely and effective communication among NCEAS staff, leadership, faculty, project leaders, participants, external institutions, vendors, and other stakeholders.
• Coordinate visitor, resident, and Working Group travel and reimbursement activities, ensuring compliance with University, federal, sponsor, and funding agency policies.

Qualifications

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• 1‑3 years experience in an administrative, clerical, or operations role.
• Good verbal and written communication, active listening, critical thinking, multi‑tasking, and time‑management skills.
• Strong customer‑service orientation.
• Proficiency with word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications.

Special Conditions of Employment

• NCEAS is located off‑campus in downtown Santa Barbara.
• Must pass a satisfactory criminal‐history background check.
• UCSB is a tobacco‑free environment.

Vaccination Policy

As a condition of employment, the candidate must comply with the University of California Vaccination Programs Policy, providing proof of being up‑to‑date on required vaccines or requesting an exception as described by the policy.

Equal Employment Opportunity

The University of California is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, age, protected veteran status, or other protected status under state or federal law.

Reasonable Accommodations

Accessibility assistance requests may be directed to Katherine Abad, Human Resources (805‑893‑4664 or [e-mail]). This contact is for accommodation requests only and cannot be used to inquire about the status of applications.

Benefits Eligibility

Full Benefits are available to this position.