Programs & Operations Lead — External Initiatives

JMU Careers; Harrisonburg (VA); On-site; USD 46,000 - 50,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Generous leave

Health coverage

Retirement options

Well-Being program

Tuition waiver

Job summary

James Madison University is seeking a Coordinator of Programs & Operations to support the External Initiatives Office in the College of Education. The role oversees multiple statewide programs, Lab School activities, and professional learning events, coordinating logistics, communications, and data reporting across grants and partnerships.

The position requires strong collaboration with university colleagues, educators, state partners, and school divisions, with a focus on timely delivery,

Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience developing and leading communication strategies and collaborating with diverse internal and external stakeholders to deliver clear, accurate, and timely communications.
• Experience coordinating projects, programs, and personnel, including supervising or directing the work of graduate assistants, student employees, or other support staff.
• Demonstrated ability to anticipate program needs, strategically plan and prioritize multiple concurrent, year-round initiatives, and independently translate priorities into timely action with a high degree of accuracy and follow-through.
• Demonstrated experience coordinating program and office operations, including developing and maintaining effective systems, workflows, administrative processes, and professional customer service practices.
• Demonstrated ability to manage program data and reporting processes, prepare surveys and reports for evaluation and decision-making, and effectively utilize Microsoft Teams, Outlook, Excel, Word, PowerPoint, and Adobe applications.

Responsibilities

• Lead and coordinate the planning, implementation, and day-to-day operations of multiple College of Education grant-funded and other external initiatives, Lab School programs, professional learning events, meetings, and statewide activities.
• Manage comprehensive program and events logistics, including venues, contracts, registration, lodging, catering, travel, purchasing, materials, participant communications, attendance, on-site operations, and post-event closeout.
• Coordinate multiple concurrent scopes of work, timelines, priorities, deliverables, and operational benchmarks to ensure effective and timely program implementation.
• Coordinate purchasing, invoicing, contracts, and related operational processes in collaboration with fiscal and university staff and in accordance with JMU and grant requirements.
• Lead participant recruitment, program communications, marketing, data collection, and feedback processes that support program participation, evaluation, continuous improvement, and growth.
• Serve as a primary operational point of contact for program participants, partners, presenters, and other stakeholders, representing External Initiatives and the Lab School as designated by Executive Directors.

Skills

Stakeholder comms

Program coordination

Strategic planning

Office operations

Data reporting

Tools

Microsoft Teams

Outlook

Excel

Word

PowerPoint

Adobe apps

Job description

James Madison University is seeking a Coordinator of Programs & Operations to support the External Initiatives Office in the College of Education. The role oversees multiple statewide programs, Lab School activities, and professional learning events, coordinating logistics, communications, and data reporting across grants and partnerships.

The position requires strong collaboration with university colleagues, educators, state partners, and school divisions, with a focus on timely delivery,