Program Administrator, EMBA Academics

Department: Kellogg EMBA Evanston
Salary/Grade: EXS/7

Job Summary

The Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University is a premier institution for management education. Founded in 1908 and based just outside of Chicago, Kellogg is home to a renowned, research-based faculty and the best and brightest MBA students from around the world.

The Kellogg Executive MBA (EMBA) program is a world leader in executive business education, designed for working professionals from all over the world who earn their MBA on weekends over a period of two years. Our distinctive, rigorous general management curriculum is delivered across campuses in Evanston, IL, Miami, FL, and 5 global partner schools in Canada, China, Germany, Hong Kong, and Israel (Kellogg Global Network). Students come to Kellogg to develop new frameworks for solving tough business problems while broadening their global network and creating lifelong connections.

Reporting to the Associate Director, EMBA Global Operations, the Program Administrator, EMBA, is responsible for providing direction to the planning and delivery of EMBA programs to ensure success of the programs and an outstanding academic experience for our students. This work includes oversight of all 75 course electives across the Evanston and Miami campuses as well as the Global Partner School Network with direct responsibility for at least one set of electives. This role functions as the main point of contact to the EMBA Evanston/Chicago faculty and students and requires strong relationship management. While this role is based in Evanston, the Program Administrator is responsible for overseeing the course calendar and schedule for all course electives across all campuses.

The Program Administrator ensures the effective, compliant, & efficient daily management of all operational, financial, & business functions in support EMBA's mission & in coordination with departmental contacts and central offices supporting Budget, Facilities, and IT. This role is also responsible for representing the department on key projects and committees throughout the school as assigned.

Please note, EMBA staff require flexible long hours including nights and 1-2 weekends per month while programs are in session.

Specific Responsibilities:

Administration

• Leads the execution of the EMBA Evanston strategic plan for academics.
• Oversees & ensures that day-to-day operations are appropriately managed, efficient and effective including but not limited to:
• Act as the main point of contact for EMBA students and faculty including during course delivery.
• Develop and manage communication with students and faculty including program logistics and academic operations.
• Lead all aspects of assigned EMBA elective courses, including trip preparation for students, negotiating contracts with travel providers, restaurants, and other vendors.
• Operationalizes goals & objectives; ensures that resources are created or obtained.
• Creation of course schedule across Evanston and Miami campuses, including space allocation for break-out sessions, etc.
• Manage collection of academic program materials from faculty (e.g. cases, books, articles, and simulations).
• Preparing materials for distribution to students, including creation and distribution of copyright course packs.
• Manages customer service; creates associated practices & procedures & metrics to measure success.
• Analyzes data & recommends & implements changes & improvements to better ensure attainment of mission.
• Manages logistics requirements, including facilities, venue, scheduling, technology, instruction, catering, etc.
• Oversees documentation of agreements between NU and partner institutions, ensuring that agreements are complete and reviewed by all necessary NU officials.
• Participates in developing IT strategy to meet the mission & needs of program/project.
• Coordinates with EMBA Operations team to ensure technology systems are properly installed & maintained & meet the informational, analytical, & computing needs for the programs
• Ensures necessary hardware, software & network infrastructure technology services are appropriated from central or internal IT.
• Manages relationships with internal and external partners and coordinates logistical support:
• Oversees the relationship with FedEx, including the creation and management of portals for each cohort and posting appropriate documents to students FedEx sites each quarter.
• Participate in business and process improvement projects representing EMBA on key projects and committees.

Budgets & Financial

• Ensures that the program/project meets associated revenue & expense goals.
• Develops and implements ideas for improving business processes and increasing program/project revenues and margins.
• Oversees accurate, efficient and compliant workflow of all transactional processes, including tracking all budget and expenditures on textbooks and course packs to ensure accuracy prior to payment.
• Plans & manages complex budget(s) which fund strategic mission including financial sustainability & enhancement models.
• Plans & implements annual budget process for EMBA Academics.
• Oversees all daily, monthly & annual financial activities including transactions, analysis, & reporting for EMBA Academics.
• Approves funds reallocation within budget as necessary & appropriate for EMBA Academics.

Program Development & Evaluation

• Manages goals, objectives, outcome measurements and metrics, financial feasibility, marketing strategies and collaboration opportunities with other internal and external organizations for EMBA Academics.
• Manages the ongoing development and refinement of the program's/project's current and future curriculum and course offerings in consultation with subject matter experts.
• Observes program sessions and interact with students to gain consumer insights to enhance, improve, and innovate program curricula and delivery to better meet goals & objectives and optimize client satisfaction.
• Provides leadership for planning, scheduling, delivering and maintaining program(s)/project(s) to sustain quality instruction in all educational activity.
• Ensures the delivery of all onsite instruction is coordinated, and provision all logistical support for the programs.
• Oversee development and implementation of new program/project initiatives.
• Oversees development & implementation of evaluation processes, quantitative & qualitative measurements that ensure that program/project benchmarks are successfully attained and communicated in a timely and efficient manner.
• Manages evaluation processes; recommends & implements changes for enhancement; monitors effectiveness through follow-up evaluation studies.
• Continually assesses and innovates programs to achieve educational goals.
• Review evaluations and program feedback; assess programming and recommend changes to faculty, Director of Academic Affairs, marketing, and Executive MBA senior leadership team on ways to innovate and invigorate programming and improve the student experience.
• Collaborates with internal/external resources to develop meaningful outcome measurements and methods of program/project evaluation that will lead to enhancement regarding student grade audits.
• Responsible to notify Student Experience team of any students in low academic standing.

Faculty Support

• Manages and documents faculty classroom needs including providing all logistical and operational support in partnership with EMBA Operations.
• Oversees aspects of faculty administrative tasks ensuring optimal faculty support.
• Refines and manages a database of faculty covering key technology needs, operational needs, and all details related to EMBA class weekends. Ensures database is easily accessible and up to date for the team to refer to prior to and during class sessions.
• Partner with Course Support to manage timeline for canvas sites, textbooks, and course packs for each academic course and assure timely publication of all to ensure faculty have the materials for each session.

Strategic Planning

• Creates & leads a coordinated program of activities designed to increase program/project objectives.
• Develops & executes strategies to involve internal/external constituents and cultivate new individual, corporate, institutional &/or foundation collaborations.

Student Support

• Oversees the implementation of the department strategy for structure, process, & staff support of students for EMBA Academics.
• Oversees academic year course schedule; monitors course registration & enrollments including add and drops for assigned electives.

Supervision

• Supervises summer interns and/or student workers.
• Provide oversight to the Course Support Coordinator for EMBA programs.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications: (Education, experience, and any other certifications or clearances)

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience.
• 4 years program/project administration or other relevant experience.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Proven ability to organize and coordinate multiple events, projects, and deadlines simultaneously.
• Strong customer service skills

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• MBA or master's degree in a relevant discipline
• 3-4 years' experience in event planning, conference coordination, management of educational programs.
• Experience working with high-profile, senior level clients.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Skilled working within a culturally diverse environment.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $68,000 - $75,000 per year. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.

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