Job Description

About the Opportunity

About the Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Collaborative

The Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Collaborative is a cross-institutional partnership dedicated to strengthening the connection between research, policy, and practice in early childhood education across the Commonwealth. The Collaborative brings together researchers, practitioners, and policy partners to identify, support, and elevate policy-relevant research that can inform decision-making and promote equitable outcomes for young children and families.

The Collaborative is led by faculty and research leaders from Northeastern University, Wellesley College, and Boston University, in partnership with additional organizations focused on policy translation and advocacy, including Strategies for Children and the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy. Together, these partners work across the research-to-policy continuum, from surfacing and supporting research to translating findings into policy-relevant insights and engaging policymakers and advocates.

About the College of Social Sciences and Humanities

The College of Social Sciences and Humanities (CSSH) combines Northeastern University’s signature approach to experiential learning with liberal arts education, interdisciplinary research, and community engagement, both locally and globally.

The College comprises 20 academic units, including two schools, eight departments, and ten interdisciplinary programs, as well as 15 research centers and institutes. Our faculty connects liberal arts education with the challenges of our time and fosters ethical reasoning and critical thought, with attention to the enduring significance of history, literature, and culture. CSSH promotes inquiry with global perspectives across interdisciplinary clusters of expertise, including Resilience, Sustainability, Health, and Equity; Cultural Studies, Governance, and Globalization; and Network Science, Computational Social Science, Digital Humanities, and Data Ethics.

Job Summary

The part-time Project Coordinator will serve as the operational lead for the Massachusetts Early Childhood Policy Research Collaborative. This individual will coordinate activities across partner institutions, support leadership decision-making, manage timelines and workflows, and ensure consistent follow-through across the Collaborative’s initiatives.

This role is ideal for someone who is highly organized, collaborative, and comfortable working across research, policy, and advocacy contexts. The Project Coordinator will not be responsible for producing research or policy content but will play a critical role in enabling that work to move forward efficiently and cohesively. The Project Coordinator will help ensure that strong ideas translate into coordinated action and that the Collaborative functions as a durable, effective platform for cross-sector engagement.

The position will be housed at Northeastern University’s Boston campus, will work on a hybrid schedule, and will work closely with the Collaborative’s leadership team and partner organizations. Funding for this position is currently scheduled to end on June 30, 2027. Contingent on additional funding, the position may be extended beyond this date.

Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities

Collaborative Coordination and Project Management

• Coordinate activities across partner institutions, including Northeastern University, Wellesley College, Boston University, and external partners
• Track timelines, deliverables, and responsibilities across multiple workstreams
• Schedule, support, and attend, when appropriate, leadership group meetings, working group meetings, and cross-partner check-ins
• Prepare agendas, meeting notes, and action-item summaries to ensure follow-through
• Facilitate and help manage the Early Childhood Exchange (ECX), the Collaborative’s partnership with the Rennie Center for Education Research & Policy and Strategies for Children, including coordinating communication, aligning timelines and roles, and supporting effective collaboration across research, policy, and advocacy workstreams

Operations and Infrastructure

• Support the development and maintenance of operational systems, including shared calendars, documentation, and workflows
• Manage onboarding materials and processes for new partners, working group members, interns, and funded projects
• Serve as a central point of contact for internal and external inquiries related to the Collaborative’s operations

Partner and Stakeholder Engagement

• Support coordination with partner organizations involved in policy translation and advocacy
• Facilitate communication and handoffs between research-focused and policy-focused partners
• Help ensure alignment between research priorities, policy translation efforts, and advocacy timelines

Event and Initiative Support

• Provide logistical and project management support for Collaborative initiatives, including the annual summit and other convenings
• Coordinate timelines and follow-up related to calls for research, poster submissions, and working group outputs

Reporting and Documentation

• Maintain clear documentation of Collaborative activities, decisions, and progress
• Support reporting requirements related to grant funding, as needed
• Assist leadership in tracking progress toward short- and long-term goals

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in early childhood, education, public policy, social sciences, or a related field required.
• Familiarity with higher education institutions required
• At least 3–5 years of experience in project management, program coordination, or operations, preferably in research, policy, education, or nonprofit settings
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects and stakeholders simultaneously
• Strong organizational, communication, and follow-up skills
• Experience working across institutions or sectors, such as academia, nonprofits, or government
• Ability to work independently in a part-time role

Preferred Qualifications

• Master’s degree
• Familiarity with early childhood education systems, education policy, or applied research
• Experience organizing or supporting collaboratives, coalitions, networks, or cross-organizational initiatives
• Experience working with academic researchers and policy-oriented organizations
• Proficiency with project management and collaboration tools, such as Google Workspace, Airtable, Dropbox, Asana, Trello, or similar tools

Applicants should include the following documents with their application:

1. Resume
2. Cover letter

The University is unable to work sponsor for this role, now or in the future.

The range listed on this requisition reflects the full-time salary range. This position is part-time at 24 hours/week and is benefits-eligible.

Position Type

General Administration

Additional Information

Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work experience, education and skills when extending an offer.

Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as well as commuting & transportation. Visit https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for more information.

All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, religion, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable law.

Compensation Grade/Pay Type:

107S

Expected Hiring Range:

$53,615.00 - $75,728.75

With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend on several factors, which may include your education, experience, location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role. Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to change.