Program Manager

at  Vanderbilt University

The Program Manager will work directly with the Principal Investigator’s (PI) lab constituents, collaborative groups, and programs to ensure the day-to-day operational needs. This position will be responsible for all operations, logistics, financial, and administrative functions of the programs and research lab under the purview of the PI. Reporting directly to the PI, the Program Manager will work closely with all team members, staff, faculty and students to ensure successful program planning, execution and assessment. Part of these responsibilities include managing task distribution between the Director and the Program Coordinator of programs overseen by the PI, establishing clear communication channels, and overseeing delegation of administrative and secretarial tasks that support the Lab.
About the Work Unit :
The Department of Physics and Astronomy at Vanderbilt University combines the friendly and supportive atmosphere of a liberal arts college with the excitement and challenge of forefront research. The undergraduate program consists of a focused physics education combined with a wealth of skills from the humanities and social sciences. The bachelor’s degree prepares a student for a career in the private sector or for continuing one’s education in physics, astronomy, engineering, law, medicine and many other fields. Both undergraduate and graduate students actively engage in departmental research programs that are supported by more than $6 million in external funding annually. These research programs are at the cutting edge of traditional areas of physics as well as being a major contributor to contemporary interdisciplinary institutions and centers.

QUALIFICATIONS:

• A bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education or at least four years of relevant work experience is necessary .
• Working knowledge of Outlook, Word, Excel, and Adobe Acrobat is necessary.
• Strong organization skills with an emphasis on managing multiple tasks and proven capabilities to meet deadline is necessary .
• Effective oral and written communication skills is necessary .
• Excellent customer service skills are necessary .Experience managing multiple calendars and/or complex calendars is preferred .
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  Experience and Skills :

Software / Vanderbilt Systems Knowledge:

• MS Office proficiency (including Word, Access, and Excel), Adobe Professional
• Proficient user of Vanderbilt systems included, but not limited to Concur, Oracle, eProcurement

• EndNoteExperience with Google docs and Box

Preferred Qualifications:

• Excellent verbal and written communication skills

• Strong time management skills; highly organized and detail-orientedEnjoy working independently and as part of a team

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Budgetary/Financial
• Assist with administrative support for federal and non-federal grants, such as proposal writing tasks, maintaining an updated database of CVs, gathering supporting documents, etc., with a focus on proposal drafting.
• Monitor grant expenditures, including projecting funding balances, with a focus on lab programming funds, and regularly communicate current burn rates and spending projections to the program director.
• Monitor subaward expenses and invoicing, to include meeting with PI once a month to review subaward budgets and tracking consultant contract invoicing.
• Assist PI with annual EMIT program reporting to NSF and other sponsoring agencies.
• Track and monitor joint faculty funds for astronomy-specific programming.
  Serve as expense delegate for the PI, helping collect receipts and putting together expense reports.
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• Personnel Management

• Serve as direct supervisor, recruiter, and manager of all program staff, to include overseeing the Program Coordinator’s designing, planning, and execution of weekly and special events.
• Oversee screening and hiring process for lab student workers, including recruitment, application, and interview process.
• Assist in transition of labs incoming and outgoing post-docs and visiting scholars
• Hold meeting series for various lab meetings as required by program or PI.
  Create and update program onboarding materials.
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• Administrative and Support Functions within Lab

• Screen emails as required, handles some categories of emails, such as replies to prospective students and postdocs.
• Maintain lab appointment calendar and schedules meetings involving multiple participants including U.S and international collaborators, as well as calendar management between PI and lab members.
• Schedule conference rooms for hybrid meetings, drafts agendas, and arranges catering when needed, as back-up to Program Coordinator
• Provide editorial support for lab members in academic publications by providing copy editing and feedback.
• Oversee maintenance of lab/programs website content and social media posts for research group; provides reports as requested for internal and external requests.
• Maintain business operations for the research group, including processing e-Procurement orders, assisting in Oracle reimbursement requests, One Card Access and serving as Guest Travel Coordinator for business visitors and students as back-up to Program Coordinator.
• Process extensive international travel coordination for PI, to include travel visas when applicable
  Other duties as assigned by PI.
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  Supervisory Relationships :
  This position includes supervisory responsibility over the EMIT Program Coordinator, administrative staff, interns, fellows, and student workers; this position reports administratively to the department Administrative Manager and functionally to Research Group Principal Investigators.

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville , Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of “America’s Best Large Employers” as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice through:

• Working and growing together as a community of communities… we are One Vanderbilt .
• Providing a work environment where every staff and faculty member can be their authentic and best self , while providing the resources and opportunities to learn and grow.
• Encouraging development, collaboration, and partnership both internally and externally while fostering the value that every member of the Vanderbilt community can lead and grow regardless of title or position