Job Description

The Assistant Director works under the leadership of the Faculty Director. S/he works with the Director to manage the day-to-day operations of the Center and coordinate the academic programs. The successful candidate provides administrative and program support to the Director of CURA: The Institute on Culture, Religion & World Affairs. The successful candidate will develop, manage, advertise, and schedule a broad range of center events workshops, symposia, conferences, etc. They will oversee the institutes operational budget and prepare and maintain a variety of reports, correspondences, including filing financial reports. They will build public awareness of the work of CURAs faculty and students by consistently and proactively sharing the mission, vision, and work of the institute to relevant audiences within the academic community and through media. They will foster partnerships & increase engagement with CURAs research by leveraging established channels (email, social media, website) to enable dialogue and connections between CURA and target audiences and stakeholders including media, scholars, and partners. They will hire and supervise student workers and contractors as required or needed. Knowledge of religious studies and/or the social sciences preferred, but not required. Other duties include management of the Muslim Studies curricular program and events; support the MENA studies program; managing CURAs program for visiting scholars/visiting researchers; administering the CURA colloquium and CURA Fellows program. Interacting with students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and other parties as a source of information. They will also manage the Directors calendar, support the Directors research as it relates to CURA, and prioritize tasks and other duties for the Director.

Communication: Maintain and provide frequent updates to the Centers website, including weekly reports on faculty and student activities related to religion and world affairs; coordinate use of and provide weekly updates on other social media, as well as hire and supervise student workers and contractors as required or needed; communicate and coordinate with BU faculty and student organizations oriented to religion and world affairs; coordinate planning of joint events with CURA-linked students. The ideal candidate will implement CURAs media and communication strategy to build awareness of CURA and improve its influence. Consistently and proactively share the mission work of CURA and its affiliated faculty, and students to relevant audiences within the academic community and in general media. In conjunction with the Pardee School Communications Specialist, leverage established channels (email, social media, website) to enable dialogue and connections between CURA and target audiences including media, scholars, and partners.

Finance and Administration: In partnership with the Pardee Director of Finance and Administration, oversee the institutes operational budget and prepare and maintain a variety of reports, correspondences, including CURA annual budget together with the Pardee Director Finance & Administration; process all A/P travel reports and other payments associated with the Centers operations. Assist director in the preparation and submission of grant applications in collaboration with Pardee Finance Office and BU Sponsored Research Administration Office, provides oversight of all sponsored research for the Center including coordinating and drafting all financial reports, progress reports and follow University and School policy on these submissions. Interact with students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and other parties as a source of information. Coordinate all event-related tasks, including room reservations, setup, cleanup, speaker travel arrangements, post-event dinners, reimbursement of speakers out-of-pocket expenses, etc.

Academic Support: Management of the CURA colloquium and CURA fellows Program; support for the Muslim Studies minors, Graduate Certificate in conjunction with the Associate Dean of Studies and will manage the travel and research grants. Manage our programs for visiting scholars/ visiting researchers and support visiting researchers. Interact with students, student organizations, faculty, staff, and other parties as a source of information. In conjunction with the Pardee Faculty Affairs Office, update each semester our CURA-related course lists including Muslim Studies courses that satisfy BU Hub requirements; distribution of said lists to relevant faculty and departments and students; inform departments and CURA-linked students of related courses offered each semester.

We are an equal opportunity employer, and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, physical or mental disability, sexual orientation, gender identity, genetic information, military service, pregnancy or pregnancy-related condition, or because of marital, parental, or veteran status. We are a VEVRAA Federal Contractor.

Required Skills

• Bachelors degree required with 5-8 years of experience.
• Excellent writing skills, project management experience, an ability to work independently, and skills engaging with a variety of stakeholders.
• Knowledge of religious studies and/or social science preferred, but not required.
• Experience with SAP software is a strong plus.
• This position is eligible for Boston University's generous benefits package including health, dental, and retirement. This position directly supervises staff and/or students. Supervision generally includes recommendations for hiring and firing, completing performance evaluations, training, allocation of work, and problem resolution.

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About Boston University

Boston University is an international, comprehensive, private research university, committed to educating students to be reflective, resourceful individuals ready to live, adapt, and lead in an interconnected world. Boston University is committed to generating new knowledge to benefit society. We remain dedicated to our founding principles: that higher education should be accessible to all and that research, scholarship, artistic creation, and professional practice should be conducted in the service of the wider community—local and international. These principles endure in the University’s insistence on the value of diversity, in its tradition and standards of excellence, and in its dynamic engagement with the City of Boston and the world. Boston University comprises a remarkable range of undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs built on a strong foundation of the liberal arts and sciences. With the support and oversight of the Board of Trustees, the University, through our faculty, continually innovates in education and research to ensure that we meet the needs of students and an ever-changing world.

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