Senior Program Coordinator

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Occupational Summary

The Senior Program Coordinator provides leadership in planning, coordinating, and administering a university-wide initiative dedicated to space-related research spanning cosmology, law, policy, and economics, instrumentation and materials, and the biological and medical impacts of space travel. This role serves as the central hub for academic program development, strategic communications, financial management, and policy advising. The Senior Program Coordinator makes operational and programmatic decisions that directly affect the achievement of program goals and strategies. In addition, the role supports faculty and leadership by developing and coordinating program policy, supervising staff, and overseeing administrative functions, including budgeting, procurement, and reporting, to ensure effective and sustainable program growth in alignment with Duke’s priorities.

Worked Performed 

Program Leadership & Development

• Lead the design and implementation of new academic initiatives, including strategy, research, and proposal development for a prospective master’s program.
• Benchmark peer institutions and recommend strategies to strengthen the Initiative’s academic competitiveness.
• Guide faculty and leadership on program operations and policy; develop and advise staff on procedures to ensure consistency with institutional goals.
• Manage the fellowship recruitment process, from application review and candidate communication to interview logistics and onboarding.
• Monitor and evaluate program outcomes using both qualitative and quantitative methods; analyze trends and recommend improvements to enhance program effectiveness.

Event Strategy & Execution

• Direct the planning and execution of high-visibility academic events such as seminars, symposia, workshops, and panels.
• Oversee all event logistics, including speaker engagement, vendor management, budget oversight, and post-event evaluation.
• Develop targeted event communications, including promotional materials, newsletters, and press releases.
• Represent the Initiative at events, cultivating relationships with faculty, alumni, donors, and external partners.

Communications & Outreach

• Manage and expand the Initiative’s communications strategy, including curating website content, social media, and public-facing materials.
• Draft and edit content for diverse audiences, ensuring consistent branding, messaging, and tone.
• Build and maintain collaborative relationships with Duke offices, faculty, alumni, donors, industry leaders, and government agencies to advance program objectives.
• Serve as the Initiative’s primary liaison with university communications teams and external media outlets to increase visibility.

Financial & Administrative Management

• Provide financial oversight for endowed and gift funds, including annual budget planning, development and monitoring, and donor reporting.
• Conduct reconciliations, forecasting, and compliance reviews to ensure fiscal responsibility and adherence to policies.
• Oversee administrative operations, including procurement, reimbursements, travel arrangements, and program correspondence.
• Develop and implement procedures, processes, and systems to support effective program administration.
• Supervise and train staff, ensuring accuracy, compliance, and alignment with program objectives.
• Manage revenue for future Master’s program.

Other Duties as Assigned

Anticipated Pay Range:

Duke University provides an annual base salary range for this position of USD $48,960.00 to USD $77,928.00. When extending an offer, Duke University considers factors such as (but not limited to) the scope and responsibilities of the position, the candidate’s work experience, education/training, and key skills, internal peer equity, as well as market and organizational considerations.

Total Compensation:

Your total compensation goes beyond the dollars on your paycheck. Duke offers comprehensive and competitive medical and dental care programs, generous retirement benefits, and a wide array of family-friendly and cultural programs to eligible team members. Learn more at: https://hr.duke.edu/benefits/

Essential Physical Job Functions:

Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provisions for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.

Required Qualifications

Education: Work requires analytical, communication, and organizational skills generally acquired through completion of a bachelor's degree program.

Experience: Work requires three years of experience in program administration or involving academic, instructional, or counseling activities to acquire skills necessary to plan, coordinate, and implement a variety of program activities and events.

OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE

Skills: Ability to provide guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting standards and monitoring performance.

Skills using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions to problems.

Skills evaluating program performance, summarizing findings, communicating results, and forming an action plan.

Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership techniques, and coordination of people and resources.

Preferred Skills:

• Strong organizational and project management skills with the ability to balance priorities and meet deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with experience preparing reports, proposals, and outreach materials for a range of audiences.
• Proven ability to lead, supervise, and train staff while ensuring compliance with institutional standards.
• Demonstrated expertise in budget planning, financial reporting, and use of administrative systems.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, make independent operational and programmatic decisions, and advise leadership on policy matters.
• Strong interpersonal skills to foster productive relationships with faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors, and external stakeholders.
• Familiarity with website content management, social media, and event management tools preferred.

Duke is an Equal Opportunity Employer committed to providing employment opportunity without regard to an individual's age, color, disability, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex (including pregnancy and pregnancy related conditions), sexual orientation or military status.

Duke aspires to create a community built on collaboration, innovation, creativity, and belonging. Our collective success depends onthe robust exchange of ideas—an exchange that is best when the rich diversity of our perspectives, backgrounds, and experiences flourishes. To achieve this exchange, it is essential that all members of the community feel secure and welcome, that the contributions of all individuals are respected, and that all voices are heard. All members of our community have a responsibility to uphold these values.

Essential Physical Job Functions: Certain jobs at Duke University and Duke University Health System may include essential job functions that require specific physical and/or mental abilities. Additional information and provision for requests for reasonable accommodation will be provided by each hiring department.