Job Description

The Chang Chavkin Center for Liberal Education and Civic Life at Bard College is seeking a full-time Administrative Coordinator The Administrative Coordinator reports to the Associate Director and oversees the center’s financial, administrative, communications, and event operations, including administrative support for Bard’s First Year Seminar Program. As a founding member of a new and growing center, the Administrative Coordinator will play a central role in building sustainable systems and practices that support the center’s mission and long-term success. Working closely with the Associate Director and Director, the Administrative Coordinator will help translate programmatic goals into practical operational and financial plans. The Coordinator will analyze budgets, project revenues and expenses, and advise leadership on resource allocation, event scope, staffing needs, and long-term planning. The role requires independent judgment in interpreting and applying College policies related to finance, purchasing, payroll, and event management, and in developing procedures that ensure efficient and compliant operations.

This is a full-time, in-person role with some flexibility for remote work.

Our Center:

The Chang Chavkin Center for Liberal Education and Civic Life is launching in 2026 with the aim of restoring liberal education to the heart of the undergraduate curriculum nationwide. We promote small, conversation-based classes in which students discuss foundational texts and grapple with questions of enduring human significance. The center pursues this mission by developing scholarship on the value of liberal education; organizing institutes and seminars for faculty from around the country; and sustaining and developing student-focused programming for underserved communities.

About Bard:

Bard College’s main campus is in Annandale-on-Hudson, N.Y., with 1,900 undergraduate students; the College also includes multiple graduate programs. The 1,000-acre campus sits along the Hudson River and offers the Fisher Performing Arts Center, and Hessel Museum of Art, and is the home of the Bard Prison Initiative, the largest college-degree-granting prison education program in the U.S. The Bard Network also includes several Bard High School Early Colleges across the country as well as international campuses and partnerships. Bard College is a private institution working in the public interest. Bard faculty and staff lead their students by example, building upon the existing network of boundary-breaking programs focused on rethinking who can and should be included in a liberal arts education.

Responsibilities:

Business Operations (50%)

• Partner with the Director and Associate Director in developing and managing the center’s annual and multi-year budgets, aligning financial planning with the center’s strategic priorities
• Monitor and analyze revenues and expenditures, prepare financial reports, and recommend adjustments to support sustainable operations
• Oversee all center financial activity, including gifts, grants, purchasing, invoices, payroll coordination, and account reconciliation
• Interpret and apply College policies related to finance, purchasing, grants, travel and employment; develop internal procedures that ensure compliant and efficient operations
• Serve as liaison to Bard’s Finance, HR, and Sponsored Programs offices and resolve financial or administrative issues

Event Coordination (30%)

• Manage all logistics for faculty institutes, seminars, and related events, including registration, travel, lodging, vendor coordination, and materials
• Develop event budgets in consultation with leadership, monitor expenses, and oversee post-event financial reconciliation and reporting

Communications & Administration (20%)

• Maintain the center’s contact database and manage listserv distributions in support of national faculty and partner engagement
• Oversee work-study staff in updating the center’s websites and communications materials, setting priorities and ensuring timely execution
• Manage payroll for part-time and student workers, and coordinate with HR to hire and onboard new employees.
• Provide administrative support to the First Year Seminar faculty directors

Perform related duties and responsibilities as assigned or requested

Qualifications

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree or equivalent
• Proven experience in a related position, particularly in financial management, business operations, or higher education administration
• Demonstrated experience managing budgets and analyzing financial data
• Experience interpreting and applying institutional policies and procedures
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills
• Exceptional organizational skills and proactive deadline management.
• Proficiency in Google Workspace and Microsoft Office (specifically Excel)

Preferred Qualifications:

• Familiarity with Bard College financial systems, purchasing procedures, and payroll processes
• Experience managing events or multi-day programs with budget responsibility
• Working knowledge of database management systems

Application Instructions

Please provide a cover letter, resume, and the contact information for three professional references to Interfolio by following this link: https://apply.interfolio.com/187880

Compensation: $62,400 to $70,000 annually

This salary range reflects the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the compensation for the position at the time of the job posting. Salary decisions are dependent on several factors including but not limited to market and organizational considerations, experience, and qualifications of a selected candidate as well as internal and external equity.

Benefits Overview:

We are pleased to offer our full-time employees an excellent benefit package which includes; multiple health insurance options; TIAA retirement plans; generous vacation, sick, and personal time; and more. To learn more about employee benefits and eligibility at Bard College, please visit https://www.bard.edu/humanresources/benefits/

Equal Employment Opportunity Statement

Bard College is an equal opportunity employer and we welcome applications from those who contribute to our diversity. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, mental, or physical disability, age, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, familial status, veteran status, or genetic information.

Bard is committed to providing access, equal opportunity, and reasonable accommodation for all individuals in employment practices, services, programs, and activities.