Coordinator I

Job Summary:

Provides a wide range of administrative support to the Center for Middle Eastern Studies including receptionist duties, office administration, event logistics, and academic program assistance. Serves as main public representative of the Center to visitors and the general public and provides general office support for Center faculty, staff, and associates.

Job-Specific Responsibilities:

Responsibilities of this service-oriented role include, but are not limited to,

• Serve as Harvard CMES's public facing representative, answering the main telephone line, handling general inquiries about all aspects of CMES operations via the cmes@fas.harvard.edu main email line and greeting a disparate variety of visitors to the Center at the 'front desk". Fields inquiries from students, the general public, local academics, vendors and the media. Answer inquiries as appropriate and/or escalate to the proper person when needed.

 

• Serve as CMES's facilities and building manager, and maintains all CMES common spaces and office equipment, including troubleshooting and reporting issues with computers (IT liaison), building access and maintenance, ordering supplies, photocopying and faxing, distributing mail, sending FEDEX, etc. Helps to maintain building and computer inventory for CMES space at 38 Kirkland and 17 Sumner. Serve as Room Scheduler, coordinating and allocating CMES conference room space (rooms 102 and 208). Serve as Phone/TELECOM liaison.

 

• Provide administrative support to the Center Director and Executive Director, including travel arrangements, word processing, drafting and editing correspondence, meeting organization including scheduling, invitations, reminders and agendas for Steering Committee, Executive Committee (4-6x per year) and Staff Meetings (2-3x per month), scheduling appointments, processing expense reports, and maintaining files.

 

• Process financial transactions related to office administration, maintenance, meeting expenses (typically business meals) and student travel. Maintains budget for CMES office supplies and maintenance, and business meals.

 

• Student travel coordinator: primary contact for undergraduate and graduate travel grants and programs available through the Center for January Term, Spring Break, and Summer. Serves as CARAT administrator. Work with OIE in advertising travel opportunities. Coordinates travel payments, required pre-departure travel forms, GSS travel orientation for funded students for high and elevated risk countries students travelers. May serve as trip administrative co-leader for in-country short-term JTerm and Summer programs (Turkey, Tunisia). Organizes and conducts post-excursion analysis: surveys and interviews.

 

• Assist with publications, communications and website, including responsibility for updating teacher resources, graduate student, Visiting Researcher, and Faculty web pages and contact info. Help proof CMES newsletter.

 

• Support Center activities with an emphasis on Academic programs (AM & PhD) and activities including admissions, recruiting, orientation, conferences, mailings, website, and databases. Assist with alumni outreach. Responsible for annual Affiliates in Research renewals.

 

• CMES contact for Art and Photo Exhibits (CGIS; CMES, per year) including liaising with artist and CGIS staff, coordinating set-up of show (carpenter, payments, insurance, etc.) arrange and moderate artist public talk and opening "ceremony". Assists with print and online publicity for the event in the Harvard and Boston area community.

 

• Support Center activities, including special events, student programs, conferences, mailings, website, and databases. Assist in data collection for grants and special projects. Perform other clerical and administrative duties as requested.

 

Working Conditions:

• Work is performed in-person, in an office setting on the Harvard University campus in Cambridge, MA. 

• The typical weekly schedule is Monday - Thursday, 9AM to 5PM (or by arrangement).

• Occasional overtime may be required to assist at special events.