PhD Faculty Support and Program Coordinator
smithcollege/smithcollege
Smith College
Posted Sep 11, 2026
- Full-time
Job description
If you have any questions about the position or our application process, reach out to us at . Department School for Social Work Job Description Job Summary As a member of the Faculty Support, Operations & Systems Office, this position serves as the primary operational and administrative coordinator supporting the PhD Program while also providing faculty support services to the MSW Program. The coordinator plays a critical role in ensuring the effective operation of the SSW PhD program by working with the Manager of Faculty Support and Director of the PhD Program, to navigate complex faculty, student, academic and operational processes. The position serves as an administrative partner to the PhD Director and a primary liaison to doctoral faculty, students and institutional partners. This position exercises discretion and judgment in managing program operations, faculty support systems, communications, and helps with the contracting processes and academic milestones. The coordinator independently manages multiple ongoing projects and operational workflows, including doctoral student progress tracking, assisting with the faculty contracting, and activity-pay administration, PhD Policy Committee support, course reserves, syllabus management, faculty onboarding and instructional support services. The position is expected to identify opportunities to improve existing systems and procedures and implement enhancements that strengthen faculty support, student services and program effectiveness in the PhD program. Take appropriate actions to support a diverse workforce and participate in the College's efforts to create a respectful, inclusive, and welcoming work environment. Essential Functions PhD Program Administration and Faculty Support (55%): Serve as the primary administrative and operational liaison for the PhD Director within the Office of Faculty Support, Operations & Systems. Manage and maintain doctoral student records, databases and academic progress tracking systems; monitor enrollment, degree requirements, dissertation milestones, examinations, and graduation requirements. Coordinate doctoral program milestones in partnership with the PhD Director and faculty, including qualifying examinations, dissertation proposal meetings, dissertation defenses, oral examinations and associated documentation and grade submissions to the SSW Registrar. Maintain program records and prepare institutional, accreditation and external reports, including census reporting and Survey of Earned Doctorates submissions. Serve as a point of contact for doctoral students and provide guidance regarding program processes, timelines and administrative requirements. Provide administrative support for clinical and research internships – ensuring accurate collection, tracking and distribution of required materials to support faculty oversight and student compliance. Support the PhD Director and the PhD Policy and Oversight Committee by coordinating meetings, preparing agendas and supporting materials, documenting committee decisions and maintaining governance records. Manage doctoral program communications and maintain accurate faculty- and student-facing information across relevant platforms and systems. Assist with budget monitoring and financial tracking; compile and analyze annual spending data to support planning, forecasting and fiscal oversight. Deliver logistical and technical support for dissertation defenses, oral examinations, meetings, and academic programming - including virtual and hybrid events. Provide Moodle course setup, troubleshooting, and support for CSWE competency data collection, gradebooks, and rubrics. Serve as a backup Sonia system user, providing operational support as needed to the Office of Practicum Learning. Review existing doctoral program processes and workflows and recommend operational improvements that enhance efficiency, accuracy, compliance and user experience. Faculty Contracting, Compensation, and Faculty Support Systems (20%): Under the guidance of the Manager of Faculty Support, assists with administering faculty appointment, contracting, reimbursement, and activity-pay processes for doctoral and adjunct faculty in collaboration with the leadership. Track invoices, reimbursements, honoraria and faculty compensation requests; coordinate payment processing and resolve discrepancies in collaboration with Human Resources, Payroll, and Finance. Support hiring processes by assisting with the maintenance of faculty records, hiring pools and curriculum vitae databases and oversee hiring communications, documentation tracking and onboarding logistics. Serve as a secondary point of contact for PhD faculty inquiries and maintain timely, accurate communications and documentation. Partner with campus offices to establish coordinated timelines and workflows for PhD faculty-centered events and training. Faculty Support Projects and Academic Operations (15%): Manage and support designated MSW faculty support projects including syllabus management and course reserves. Coordinate in-person and virtual MSW faculty onboarding sessions, trainings, lectures and academic events including registration management, technology support, setup, and breakdown. Attend monthly SSW faculty meetings; support agenda development, coordinate voting processes, document faculty decisions and prepare and distribute meeting minutes. Support end-of-term data collection in both the PhD and MSW programs to ensure timely and accurate submission of required materials. Administrative Support to the PhD Director (10%): Serve as administrative contact for the PhD Director - managing communications, scheduling meetings and supporting interactions with faculty, students, alumni, and external partners. Independently manage routine operational matters on behalf of the Director and exercise sound judgment in prioritizing requests and resolving routine to moderate issues. Support special projects and perform additional administrative and operational responsibilities as assigned to meet evolving needs within the PhD and MSW programs. Perform other duties as assigned by management. MINIMUM REQUIRED Qualifications: High School Diploma or Equivalent 5 or more years experience, Area: Academic operations, administration or program support Knowledge of: Strong proficiency with Google Workspace and Microsoft Office Suite; familiarity with academic operational processes. Skills: Demonstrated ability to exercise discretion and sound judgment, manage confidential information; ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and oversee complex workflows with high attention to detail; strong organizational, project management, and time-management skills; excellent interpersonal, relationship-building, written, and verbal communication skills; ability to work collaboratively with diverse faculty, students, staff, and campus partners; commitment to continuous improvement and SSW’s Five Guiding Principles. Preferred Qualifications: Bachelor's Degree Preferred Experience, Area: Experience supporting graduate or doctoral education programs, faculty affairs, academic operations, contracting, payroll or higher education administration preferred. Knowledge of: Familiarity with Moodle, Sonia, CourseLeaf, Workday, DocuSign, PollEverywhere, and Qualtrics preferred. Skills: Advanced system troubleshooting, process optimization, and operational enhancement tracking. Compensation In addition to a competitive benefits package, pay for this role is typically between $28.55 - $34.89 hourly covering the middle half of market compensation. Actual compensation will vary based on individual qualifications. Position Type Regular Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position . Be sure you have provided all attachments before submitting your application. You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button. Review of applications will begin September 15, 2026 About Smith College Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship. The policy regarding requests for reasonable accommodation applies to all aspects of employment, including the application process. If reasonable accommodation is needed, please contact our recruiting team at . As set forth in our mission and values , Smith College is committed to promoting a culture of equity and inclusion among students, staff and faculty. The College will not discriminate in employment on the basis of age, race, color, ethnicity, national origin, creed, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, pregnancy, genetic information, age, veteran status, physical or mental disability, or any other classification protected by law. Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination.