Academic Program Administrator

Location: Boston, Massachusetts

Country: United States

Category: Technology

Workplace Location: Onsite

Employment Type: Contract To Hire

Posted Date: September 2, 2026

Job ID: 651589

Job Description

Title: Academic Program Coordinator
Duration: 6 months temp to perm possible
Location: Boston hybrid
Pay: 25-30/hr

1,600 students

120 faculty

Busy fall & spring schedule

Will be a busy position during semesters

Top 3 Technical or Soft Skills
  1. Scheduling & Systems: Most important will be the scheduling aspect, so being able to work with systems, Banner SSB and Courseleaf, or the ability to pick up/learn new systems quickly are important, as well as attention to detail.
Job Summary Reporting into Director of Administration & Finance

Under the direction of the Director of Administration and Finance, the Academic Program Coordinator independently manages key academic program operations for the Electrical and Computer Engineering Department (ECE), including:

  • The ECE Visitor Program
  • Graduate course catalog and semester schedule support
  • MS program logistics
  • Undergraduate and graduate committee leadership
  • Degree-record and accreditation support
  • Student employment coordination
  • Event-support duties

This individual provides administrative support for academic programs; assists with course scheduling, curriculum documentation, and ABET/Student Outcomes and program review reporting; gathers the visitor information needed to support visa and immigration processing for visiting students and scholars; and coordinates the semesterly TA and HCA recruitment, hiring, onboarding, and timesheet approval process.

This individual also provides administrative leadership for the undergraduate and graduate committees, serving as a key point of contact for current students and prospective applicants, and collects and analyzes program data to inform recommendations to department and college leadership.

Assignments are often varied and complex, requiring ingenuity and independent judgment. This individual serves as a go-to resource for the department, identifying problems, recommending solutions, and maintaining the smooth day-to-day rhythm of a busy academic engineering department.

Education & Experience
  • Bachelor's degree required; Master's degree in higher education or a related field strongly preferred (may substitute for professional experience).
  • Minimum of 2-4 years of progressive administrative experience in a fast-paced office environment; experience in a university or academic setting strongly preferred.
  • Knowledge of academic program administration, degree/course record management, and cross-office compliance coordination, including accreditation and program review reporting (e.g., ABET/Student Outcomes); ability to independently manage a specialized program area (e.g., visiting scholar/student administration) and support course catalog and scheduling systems (e.g., Banner).
  • Experience or familiarity with international student/scholar visa and immigration processes (e.g., SEVIS) preferred.
  • Experience supporting student employment or personnel processes (recruitment, hiring, onboarding, timesheet approval) preferred.
  • Demonstrated experience serving as a primary point of public contact in a multi-constituent environment (students, faculty, visitors, vendors), including experience leading or facilitating committee meetings.
  • Experience collecting and analyzing programmatic data (e.g., enrollment, retention, time-to-degree) using tools such as Banner reporting, Excel, or program assessment platforms (e.g., Heliocampus) to inform recommendations preferred.
  • Experience coordinating event logistics and preparing communications materials, including web content and print materials.
Skills & Competencies
  • Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) required; proficiency with Banner or a comparable student information system, and familiarity with HR/timesheet systems (e.g., Workday), strongly preferred.
  • Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, make sound independent decisions, and carry out complex assignments with minimal supervision.
  • Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to draft professional correspondence, presentations, and reports on behalf of the department.
  • Outstanding interpersonal and customer service skills; ability to interact professionally and warmly with individuals at all levels, including students, faculty, senior administrators, and industry guests.
  • Ability to lead and facilitate committee meetings and represent the department's interests to faculty and college stakeholders.
  • Comfort working with data and reporting tools, collecting, organizing, and analyzing programmatic data (including via Banner and program assessment platforms such as Heliocampus) to identify trends and support recommendations.
  • High level of discretion and ability to handle confidential information with professionalism and sound judgment.
  • Strong organizational skills with attention to detail and follow-through; resourceful and committed to building deep institutional knowledge of department programs, faculty, and university resources.
  • Knowledge of Electrical and Computer Engineering and academia a plus.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities 1. Academic Program & Course Operations

Percent of Time: 30%

  • Course scheduling logistics, registration, room assignments, catalog/curriculum documentation for all UG and MS program needs.
  • Coordinating with college advising; advising students/faculty on academic policy.
  • Maintaining degree and course records; ABET/Student Outcomes and Program Assessment reporting.
  • Supporting accreditation and program review data.
  • Assisting the Assistant Director for Academic Programs in ECE and the Assistant Dean for Undergraduate Education with catalog/schedule maintenance and updates.
2. Undergraduate & Graduate Committee, Admissions, and Student Affairs

Percent of Time: 30%

  • Administrative leadership for the Committee and Associate Chair for Graduate Studies on admissions/recruitment.
  • Maintaining and recommending updates to the graduate handbook/guidebook.
  • Leading committee meetings, taking minutes, representing the committee at faculty meetings.
  • Primary point of contact for current UG, MS and PhD students and prospective applicants.
  • Advisor selection coordination and recordkeeping in collaboration with the Associate Chair for Graduate Studies.
  • Planning/coordinating recruitment and student events; event budget support in coordination with the Administrative Specialist in ECE and relevant faculty.
  • Collecting and analyzing data on candidacy, placement, attrition, time-to-degree, stipends, recruitment/admissions/retention, and student feedback, and routing recommendations to the Senior Business Manager, department executive committee, and COE Grad student services.
3. Visitor Intake for Visa Processing

Percent of Time: 20%

  • Serve as the department's point of contact for incoming visiting students and scholars who require visa or immigration support.
  • Collect required intake information (invitation details, funding source, appointment dates, host faculty information) and route for approval.
  • Track visitor timelines and proactively follow up with host faculty and visitors to prevent processing delays.
4. Student Employment & Ad Hoc Projects

Percent of Time: 20%

  • Support student employment requests, including the semesterly TA and HCA recruitment, hiring, and onboarding processes and timesheet approvals.
  • Complete ad hoc projects as assigned by the Chair and Director of Administration and Finance.

EEO Statement

The staffing industry has seen an increase in people falsely representing themselves as recruiters to gather personal information from job seekers. For your safety, do not provide sensitive data to anyone you have not spoken with thoroughly, never provide banking information during the application process, and always double check the email address of the Recruiter to ensure it’s from an official Planet domain (@theplanetgroup.com or @launchcg.com) - and not a domain with an alternative extension like .net, .org, or .jobs.

The Planet Group and our companies are equal opportunity employers. It is our practice not to discriminate against any employee or applicant based on any criteria, condition or basis protected by laws or regulations in the locations where we do business. All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply. We celebrate diversity and are committed to providing an environment of mutual respect. We believe that diversity, equity, and inclusion enable us to better meet our mission and values while serving our clients across the globe. If you have a disability or handicap and would like us to accommodate you in any reasonable way, please inform your recruiter, or contact us, so that we can discuss the appropriate alternatives available.

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About The Planet Group

The Planet Group is a global professional services firm delivering strategic staffing and advisory solutions. We operate at the intersection of talent and transformation – connecting the right people with the right opportunities in the areas of technology, engineering, accounting & finance, digital marketing, and manufacturing.

As one of the largest staffing companies in the US, we operate with a global reach and a performance-first mindset. We partner with clients to move fast, stay agile, and drive measurable results – building high-impact teams that fuel transformation and growth.

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