International Security Program Coordinator

The Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs is the hub of Harvard Kennedy School's research, teaching, and training in international security and diplomacy, environmental and resource issues, and science and technology policy. The Belfer Center was named a “Center of Excellence”¿by the University of Pennsylvania’s Think Tanks and Civil Societies Program in 2021 – the last year of its ranking program – in recognition of the Center’s six consecutive years as the world’s #1 university-affiliated think tank. 

The Center has a dual mission: (1) to provide leadership in advancing policy-relevant knowledge about the most important challenges of international security and other critical issues where science, technology, environmental policy, and international affairs intersect; and (2) to prepare future generations of leaders for these arenas. 

The Belfer Center’s International Security Program has an immediate opening for a Fellowship Coordinator who will play a pivotal role in facilitating the fellowship portfolio for both the International Security and Ernest May Fellowship programs. This position will have a lead role in handling all aspects of the fellowship process, organizing programming for and direct support to all International Security and Ernest May fellows, and serving as a primary resource on fellowships for this cohort. The coordinator will perform various administrative and managerial duties to support the project’s principal investigators, staff, and fellows.

Located in the Belfer Center for Science and International Affairs at Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government, the International Security Program addresses the most important challenges to U.S. national security and international security and trains the next generation of scholars in this field. A cover letter is required for this position.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Reporting to the ISP Director, the program coordinator will perform the following duties. 

Administrative Support

• Act as the primary point of contact and information resource for students, staff, faculty, prospective fellows, current fellows, and the public regarding ISP administrative and program-related matters.

• Maintain and update information management systems, including the use of Salesforce.

• Oversee accounts and budgets for the program, working with the faculty director and finance team.

• Manage staff travel and process reimbursements in a timely manner using Harvard financial systems.

• Coordinate and provide general project office support, including arranging supply and repair requests for ISP offices and overseeing space usage.

Program Coordination/Delivery

• Facilitate the planning, organization, and execution of ISP programming, including seminars, conferences, workshops, panel discussions, and reception; this includes all logistical aspects such as venue and vendor selection, catering, multimedia and virtual event setup, registration management, stakeholder outreach and speaker accommodations.

• Provide on-site support during programming, ensuring smooth operations, troubleshooting technical issues, and addressing participant inquiries. Liaise with Campus Planning and Operations (CPO) and Harvard University Dinning (HUDs) on setup for all ISP events.

• Maintain the ISP website, and facilitate digital channels related to information around fellowships and programming.

• Work with internal and external stakeholders both at HKS and the University, including Human Resources, Harvard International Office and Research Administration.

• Manage Salesforce registration and provide technical support to presenters and participants.

Fellowship Portfolio

• Assist the Director and Faculty Director in running the fellowship cycle, including the application and selection process, onboarding, and support to current fellows, and serve as a primary point of contact for Center staff on HR and HKS policies for managing program fellows. 

• Collect data and manage records to support the fellowship cycle using Salesforce.

• Stay updated on trends related to pre- and post-doctoral fellowships, as well as HR and scholar visa procedures.

• Recommend new or revised policies and possible implementation plans for the fellowship cycle.

• Organize and facilitate Fellows Orientation.

• Create content showcasing ISP fellows at the Belfer Center for internal and external promotion for use on website.

• Facilitate the offboarding of fellows into alumni status and connection to broader ISP network.

• Manage all visa paperwork and processes liaising with the Harvard International Office for fellowship.

• Serve as the main point of contact for Fellows, supporting their administrative needs for the duration of their affiliation with the ISP program.

• Manage nomination paperwork and logistics for fellows; including arranging visa and reconciling fellowship expenses and reimbursements as needed.

• Develop and support programming for fellows, including study groups and seminars.