Senior Cohort Program Manager

NU USA Northeastern University; Boston (MA); Hybrid; USD 67,000 - 94,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Medical Benefits

Vision & Dental

Tuition assistance

Paid time off

Wellness program

Retirement plan

Commuting & transportation

Job summary

Northeastern University College of Professional Studies seeks a dedicated Senior Cohort Manager to support the Pathmaker program, a state-funded initiative designed to train high school graduates in Massachusetts in essential life sciences laboratory skills.

This full-time, two-year term position plays a critical role in guiding learners from program entry through successful placement in entry-level laboratory technician and quality assurance positions.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or relevant training or work experience.
• Minimum of 2 years in student services, program management, or workforce development.
• Experience with diverse populations and first-generation college students.
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills.
• Ability to provide empathetic support while maintaining professional boundaries.
• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting.
• Experience with administrative systems and database management.
• Knowledge of the Massachusetts life sciences industry preferred.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary contact for learners throughout training.
• Assist students with Northeastern administrative processes and paperwork.
• Provide short-term emergency assistance including travel support.
• Offer emotional support and guidance to help learners overcome challenges.
• Connect students with campus resources and support services.
• Facilitate connections between learners and career coaches for development and job placement.
• Track post-graduation employment outcomes and maintain alumni relationships.
• Interview prospective students to assess readiness and fit for the program.
• Evaluate candidate applications and make selection recommendations.
• Conduct orientation sessions for new cohorts.
• Maintain accurate records of applicant pools and selection outcomes.
• Plan and execute program celebrations, recognition events, and milestones.
• Foster a supportive cohort environment encouraging peer learning.
• Coordinate group activities to build professional networks.
• Serve as liaison between learners, faculty, and industry partners.
• Prepare program reports for state funding agency.
• Track learner progress, completion rates, and outcomes.
• Collect and analyze program data to support continuous improvement.
• Other duties as assigned.

Skills

Program management

Interpersonal communication

Empathy & boundaries

Data collection & reporting

Database management

Stakeholder engagement

Student services

Life sciences knowledge

Education

Bachelor’s degree or relevant training

Tools

Student information systems

Data analytics tools

Job description

About the Opportunity JOB SUMMARY

Northeastern University College of Professional Studies seeks a dedicated Senior Cohort Manager to support the Pathmaker program, a state-funded initiative designed to train high school graduates in Massachusetts in essential life sciences laboratory skills. Pathmaker is a comprehensive training program funded by the state of Massachusetts that provides high school graduates with foundational life sciences laboratory skills. The program aims to create pathways into the biotechnology and pharmaceutical industries by preparing participants for roles as laboratory technicians and quality assurance technicians in Massachusetts' thriving life sciences sector. This full-time, two-year term position plays a critical role in guiding learners from program entry through successful placement in entry-level laboratory technician and quality assurance positions. This role will actively recruit and select students for the program, support students throughout their training experience, build community among participants and other stakeholders by planning engaging program activities and events, and assist with administrative tasks. This role will administer, track, analyze, and report on program data, including student progress during the program as well as post-graduation employment outcomes to continuously improve program efforts. This hybrid role is based on the Boston campus with occasional travel to the training facility in Burlington, Massachusetts. This role requires standard business hours with occasional evening and weekend event participation. At the College of Professional Studies (CPS - Home | Northeastern University College of Professional Studies), we serve as a dynamic workforce development hub at the intersection of industry and academics. We empower our community of lifelong learners to build successful careers in groundbreaking fields through experiential learning, world‑class research, and strategic industry partnerships. Our vibrant, collaborative community transcends traditional boundaries, pairing cutting‑edge research with practical workplace wisdom. CPS is committed to fostering lasting professional connections that cultivate lifelong success, with access to a powerful global network of over 257,000 alumni across 180 countries. Our diverse faculty of scholar‑practitioners guide students to create lives aligned with their highest aspirations while developing literacy in technological, data‑driven, and human‑centered approaches essential for tomorrow's workforce. As a staff member at CPS, you'll be an integral part of this transformative ecosystem, directly contributing to student success while growing professionally in an environment that values innovation, diversity of thought, and continuous development.

Minimum Qualifications

• Knowledge and skills typically acquired through a Bachelor’s degree program or relevant training program or working experience


• Minimum of 2 years of experience in student services, program management, or workforce development


• Experience working with diverse populations and first‑generation college students


• Strong interpersonal and communication skills


• Demonstrated ability to provide empathetic support while maintaining professional boundaries


• Proficiency in data collection, analysis, and reporting


• Experience with administrative systems and database management


• Knowledge of the Massachusetts life sciences industry preferred

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

• Learner Support Services (60%)
  
  
  
  • Serve as primary point of contact for learners throughout their training experience
  
  
  • Assist students with Northeastern University administrative processes and paperwork
  
  
  • Provide short‑term emergency assistance including travel support and resource connections
  
  
  • Offer emotional support and guidance to help learners overcome personal and academic challenges
  
  
  • Connect students with appropriate campus resources and support services
  
  
  • Facilitate connections between learners and career coaches for career development and job placement
  
  
  • Track post‑graduation employment outcomes and maintain alumni relationships
  
  
  
  


• Student Recruitment and Selection (20%)
  
  
  
  • Interview prospective students to assess readiness, motivation, and fit for the program
  
  
  • Evaluate candidate applications and make selection recommendations
  
  
  • Conduct orientation sessions for new cohorts
  
  
  • Maintain accurate records of applicant pools and selection outcomes
  
  
  
  


• Build Community - Event and Program Planning (10%)
  
  
  
  • Plan and execute program celebrations, recognition events, and milestone ceremonies
  
  
  • Foster a supportive cohort environment that encourages peer‑to‑peer learning
  
  
  • Coordinate group activities that build professional networks among participants
  
  
  • Serve as liaison between learners, faculty, and industry partners
  
  
  
  


• Administrative Support and Reporting (5%)
  
  
  
  • Prepare program reports for state funding agency
  
  
  • Track and document learner progress, completion rates, and outcomes
  
  
  • Collect and analyze program data to support continuous improvement efforts
  
  
  
  


• Other Duties as assigned (5%)

Position Type Academic Administration

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer. Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type: 109S Expected Hiring Range: $66,850.00 - $94,427.50 With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly‑situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.

Founded in 1898, Northeastern is a global research university and the recognized leader in experiential lifelong learning. Our approach of integrating real‑world experience with education, research, and innovation empowers our students, faculty, alumni, and partners to create worldwide impact. Our global university system provides our community and academic, government, and industry partners with unique opportunities to think locally and act globally. The system—including 14 campuses across the U.S., U.K., and Canada, 300,000-plus alumni, and 3,000 partners worldwide—serves as a platform for scaling ideas, talent, and solutions. The university’s residential campuses for undergraduate and graduate degrees are located in Boston, London, and Oakland, California. Our research and graduate campuses are in the Massachusetts communities of Burlington and Nahant; Arlington, Virginia; Charlotte, North Carolina; Miami; Portland, Maine; Seattle; Silicon Valley, California; Toronto; and Vancouver. Northeastern’s personalized, experiential undergraduate and graduate programs lead to degrees through the doctorate in 10 colleges and schools across our campuses. Learning emphasizes the intersection of data, technology, and human literacies, uniquely preparing graduates for careers of the future and lives of fulfillment and accomplishment. Our research enterprise, with an R1 Carnegie classification, is solutions oriented and spans the world. Our faculty scholars and students work in teams that cross not just disciplines, but also sectors—aligned around solving today’s highly interconnected global challenges and focused on transformative impact for humankind.