Department

Graham Leadership & Society Initiatives

About the Department

The Graham School is a one-of-a-kind intellectual community that brings the best of the University of Chicago to lifelong learners who are seeking discovery and discernment. Through an array of distinctive programs and courses in the Great Books, the liberal arts, and advanced leadership, we welcome learners who seek to deepen their understanding of the world and lead examined lives of purpose.

Job Summary

The University of Chicago Leadership and Society Initiative (LSI) is a yearlong, cohort-based fellowship that supports distinguished individuals at or nearing retirement to transition from their longstanding careers toward purposeful next chapters of leadership for society. The initiative has a two-part mission, to help individuals live more meaningful, connected, and fulfilling lives; and to help society by equipping these individuals with the frameworks, pathways, and community to drive significant, positive societal impact.  

LSI is seeking a Program Manager to support operations and student engagement across the LSI team. Reporting to the Executive Director of the Leadership and Society Initiative, the Program Manager will have two areas of responsibility: 1) supporting the efficient and smooth operation of administrative functions across LSI and 2) developing student-facing resources and responding to student inquiries to deliver an exceptional Fellowship experience. This position requires a highly organized and detail-oriented individual who can oversee various operational processes, manage logistics and project timelines, and collaborate with different team members to maintain administrative tasks and records. This is an exciting opportunity for someone who enjoys building strong operational effectiveness alongside helping students succeed and who is passionate about social impact, leadership development, and lifelong learning.  

Responsibilities

Supports operations across the LSI team by maintaining project plans, timelines, expenses, and scheduling partner meetings.   Assists with administrative processing including contracts, payments, and documentation with central University units such as the registrar, bursar, and human resources.   Organizes program supplies and order materials as needed, such as workshop materials, printing for classes and events, and swag orders.   Plans and executes events for LSI, its Fellows and future program alumni, including symposiums, workshops, info sessions, and cultural outings. This includes managing invitations to speakers and guests, creating a run of show for all participants, and coordinating with any event space providers on room setup, menus, and A/V as needed. Events will be held both in person and virtually. Some evening and weekend support is required, with comp time provided to offset irregular hours.   As needed, supports with the creation of written materials for external facing audiences, such as event promotion, website updates, and partner presentations.   Supports the Executive Director in designing and implementing new projects on an as-needed basis. Supports the Executive Director and the LSI team in delivering key aspects of the cohort experience and resources for Fellows.  Oversees development and production of resource guides, weekly email updates, and maintains a Canvas site for LSI Fellows to provide instructions and guidance on key learning elements. Serves as first point of contact for all Fellow inquiries, and triages to team members as appropriate.  Conducts research on University policies, offerings, and course catalog as needed, to help Fellows navigate the many University-wide resources available to them.  Leads the enrollment process for Fellows in audited courses across the University, including securing faculty approvals for audits, guiding Fellows on their audit selections, and liaising with department administrators. Supports the development of each Fellow’s capstone project, a Purpose Plan. Includes providing updates to Fellows on deadlines and connecting them to relevant campus partners and resources in support of their unique interests and learning goals.  Uses general understanding and experience to administer the delivery of services to program participants and/or beneficiaries.Interacts with faculty, researchers and staff for committee work or information.Performs other related work as needed. 

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through < 2 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Experience: 

Significant project and events management and execution.  Significant customer service or client-facing experience.  Interfacing with and coordinating a wide array of stakeholder groups, including executives and frontline administrative staff, a plus.

​Technical Skills or Knowledge:

Strong project management skills and ability to manage timelines and proactively provide updates to various project stakeholders.  Proficient in digital project management platforms, ticketing systems, and/or CRMs. Understanding of operational process design, implementation, and continuous improvement.     

Preferred Competencies

Work both independently and collaboratively in a fast-paced environment and prioritize among competing tasks.  Exceptional oral and written communication.  Significant attention to detail and time management.   An entrepreneurial mindset.  A deep passion for the Graham School’s mission of lifelong learning and to the University of Chicago’s commitment to deep inquiry and the rigorous pursuit of knowledge.  Work well with others in a highly collaborative environment and across multiple stakeholder groups, including team members, LSI Fellows, faculty, collaborators, advisors, and candidates.Enthusiasm for leadership development and social impact – twin driving forces of LSI.  

Working Conditions 

Events will be held both in person and virtually. Some evening and weekend support, with comp time provided to offset irregular hours. 

Application Documents 

Resume/CV (required)Cover Letter (preferred) 

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Administration & Management

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$55,250.00 - $71,500.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

 

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

 

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.  A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.  Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

 

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