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Program Coordinator, Alumni & Family Programs

( Pennsylvania | Hybrid )

About the Organization

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility.

Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community.

As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world.

The 425-acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Job Description

Position Details

• Salary Range: $27.00 - $31.00/hour

Who We Are

The Swarthmore Office of Advancement manages the College's relationship with its alumni, families, and friends to further Swarthmore's commitment to intellectual rigor and creativity, nurturing of student confidence and curiosity, production of new knowledge, and inclusive excellence, among other goals.

Advancement works closely with the President, faculty, and senior colleagues to foster positive and productive relationships that not only accelerate the objectives of the College but also represent meaningful and beneficial engagement for the Swarthmore community.

The Office of Advancement:

• Manages and maintains alumni, family, and friend records

• Engages constituents in the life of the College in a variety of ways and contexts over time

• Provides and supports meaningful volunteer opportunities

• Partners with the President and Board of Managers to share information about the College and raise critical philanthropic support for College priorities and new initiatives

• Ensures alumni and donors are appropriately recognized and informed about the impact of their service and contributions

• Manages all gift acceptance and stewardship activities

The Opportunity

The Program Coordinator reports to the Associate Vice President, Alumni & Family Programs (AVP) and supports vital alumni engagement initiatives and presidential transition activities.

This position is integral to the work of the Associate Vice President and three teams:

• Alumni Engagement

• Advancement Events

• Advancement Marketing

The position monitors workflow across multiple programs and helps ensure timely progress updates and alignment of deliverables for the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council.

The Program Coordinator also assists with administrative tasks and supports projects such as nominations and alumni awards.

The coordinator provides operational support for the Swarthmore Discussion Group and manages the coordination and work assignments of student workers within:

• Alumni Engagement

• Reunion Giving

• Advancement Events

• Advancement Marketing

The successful candidate will be organized, communicative, and committed to enhancing alumni and student engagement.

Essential Responsibilities

Department Coordination and AVP Support

• Work with the AVP to streamline operations within Alumni Engagement, Reunion Giving, Advancement Events, and Marketing teams

• Coordinate team calendars to ensure efficient scheduling and minimize conflicts

• Coordinate communication and updates on projects across departments

• Assist the AVP with preparation of meeting materials and reports

• Suggest and implement process improvements for better efficiency and team collaboration

Alumni Council

• Collaborate with the AVP and Alumni Council Executive Committee to execute administrative needs, including organizing meetings, preparing agendas, and maintaining accurate records

• Manage tasks related to nominations and alumni awards, including coordinating communications, nomination forms, and bios

• Execute the Alumni Council's new member ratification process

Presidential Transition

• Coordinate project workflows for celebration events during the presidential transition period

• Serve as a key point of contact for project coordination and status updates, ensuring colleagues and partners have clear information regarding progress, responsibilities, and next steps

• Assist with coordinating briefing materials

Swarthmore Discussion Group

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Swarthmore Discussion Group volunteer board

• Provide administrative and financial support, including processing payments and maintaining records

• Coordinate digital communications for the program, including marketing emails, survey emails, and website updates

• Collaborate with College Communications on printed marketing materials

• Track event attendance and registration

Student Workers

• Manage the hiring and supervision of student workers, including timesheet administration

• Coordinate training and work assignments according to departmental needs

• Ensure effective integration of student contributions across projects and initiatives while fostering a meaningful experience

Supervisory Responsibilities

• Supervise 4–6 Student Workers

Who You Are

The following character traits will make the candidate a valuable asset to the team and successful in this role:

• Diplomatic confidence

• Systems mindset

• Proactive problem-finding

• Adaptability and resilience under pressure

• Facilitation and consensus-building

• Boundary-setting with grace

• Stakeholder communication across styles

• Initiative and self-direction

What You Bring

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree with at least three years of relevant professional experience in project coordination, program management, alumni relations, or a related field

• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while balancing competing priorities

• Strong organizational and project management skills, including coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders

• Ability to exercise sound judgment and proactively identify opportunities or challenges affecting project progress

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail

• Ability to work collaboratively across teams while independently managing responsibilities and follow-through

• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues and volunteers

• Ability to provide on-site support for:

  • Alumni Council weekend meetings (twice annually)

  • Garnet Weekend

  • Alumni Weekend

  • Presidential events as needed

• Ability to work outside normal business hours, including evenings and weekends, when necessary for events, constituent engagement, or deadline requirements

• Ability to travel off-campus nationally and internationally as needed

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education advancement, alumni relations, or nonprofit program management

• Familiarity with higher education CRM platforms and event registration systems

• Experience supporting data tracking or program reporting

• Proficiency with:

  • G Suite (especially Google Docs and Sheets)

  • PowerPoint

  • Adobe Acrobat