Graduate and Special Programs Coordinator

Bennington College seeks a Graduate and Special Programs Coordinator to join the Office of the Provost and Dean of the College in support of a vibrant and growing collection of new programs that extend the reach and audience for a Bennington education.

Reporting to the Associate Dean of Academic Planning and Analytics, the Coordinator will provide a broad range of administrative functions to serve a vital role in support for new and emerging graduate and special programs at the College, including, but not limited to, the newly-launched graduate programs in Clinical Mental Health Counseling and Screenwriting, a new undergraduate program in writing, and a suite of summer programs planned for 2026 and beyond. The Coordinator will work closely with—and serve as a liaison between—Program Directors, faculty, and other staff across the College, ensuring the highest quality experience for our students. This includes supporting the College’s Enrollment Marketing Team (EMT), composed of members within Admissions, Financial Aid, and Communications.

Key responsibilities

1. Support the planning, development, and implementation of Bennington’s new and emerging graduate and special programs, including new degree, non-degree, and summer programs.
2. Meet regularly with Program and Provost’s Office leadership and staff to identify and build out workflows and processes to facilitate the successful launch and implementation of new programs.
3. Serve as a central administrative liaison for Program Directors within the Provost’s office, responding to requests and ensuring workflows related to faculty hiring and support, curriculum development, and student concerns are managed effectively. Contribute to relevant administrative processes as appropriate.
4. Work with Program Directors and other staff to develop and communicate program dates, times, spaces, and workflows. Liaise with relevant staff in developing and implementing plans for dining and housing for students, faculty, and other program participants. 
5. Determine course schedule in partnership with Program Directors (when courses will meet, who will teach, etc); coordinate curriculum entry/registration process with Registrar’s Office.
6. Communicate enrollment changes (leaves, withdrawals, reentries, etc) to Academic Services; work with students to understand the timeline and process related to these processes. 
7. Support the coordination of commencement ceremonies, including but not limited to outreach to students/faculty about the ceremony, diploma staging, and drafting of programs.
8. Assist in the coordination of student arrival and orientation for assigned programs, ensuring students, faculty, and other participants get situated in their housing, have access to dining, and are connected to other relevant resources on campus.
9. Coordinate with enrollment and marketing staff to support admissions for graduate and special programs. Respond to questions from prospective students and families as appropriate.
10. Support Program Directors with other duties as required, including general administrative support, assembling orientation materials, drafting of policy or process documents, etc.
11. Work with the Associate Dean of Academic Planning and Analytics on tracking data related to graduate and special programs, including enrollment, retention, student success/satisfaction, program evaluation, and other metrics.
12. Promote a positive, congenial atmosphere and working relationship with students, employees, supervisors, and other individuals that this position may come in contact with.
13. Demonstrate a high degree of accountability and ensure efficiency of assigned duties on a  daily basis. Be proactive, solution-oriented, and recommend ongoing improvements to existing practice. Assist with other special projects as needed.
14. Use proper judgment in the use of College funds for travel, events, and other expenses. Submit accurate and timely expense reports.
15. In all areas of responsibility, promote a commitment to building a deeply inclusive culture and sense of belonging for all community members.

Bennington serves a diverse student population inclusive of members of ethnically/racially minoritized, international, LGBTQIA+, and disability communities as well as diverse gender identities, socioeconomic backgrounds, religions, and political beliefs. Our staff and faculty also reflect diverse and intersecting backgrounds and identities. All employees are expected to be respectful and responsive to these differences in the service of building community that promotes student and employee success and community cohesiveness. Each individual (faculty, staff and students) will be accountable for upholding these values. The College’s approach to pluralism and inclusivity—both as fields of inquiry and practice—is to prioritize flexible thought, and to invite the examination of access, value, power, and privilege through its institutional policies and areas of study. We encourage applicants from diverse realms of interest, backgrounds, experience, and accomplishment to apply.

Qualifications

The ideal candidate will bring a solid work ethic, administrative acumen, and attention to detail. Other qualifications include: 

1. Bachelor’s degree and a minimum of three years of relevant experience in program coordination or other administrative work. One year of experience in event planning preferred. 
2. A demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks in partnership with diverse stakeholders.
3. Demonstrated ability to accept confidential information and to facilitate/initiate processes in compliance with institutional and federal regulations. 
4. Project management skills.
5. Knowledge of Google and/or Microsoft Office Suite; willingness and ability to learn new systems.
6. A commitment to building an inclusive community, alongside enthusiastic support for a progressive liberal arts education.
7. Offers of employment are contingent upon the successful completion and acceptable results of a background check. 

Hybrid work arrangements open to consideration. 

Compensation: The annual salary for this position starts at $50,000.

The College

Bennington College offers a comprehensive benefits program that includes medical, dental, vision, life, and long-term disability insurance, retirement, and tuition benefits, including Tuition Exchange scholarships. The College also offers an on-site fitness center as well as generous time off benefits.

Bennington College is a laboratory for innovation in higher education. At Bennington, learning and making—on campus and in the field—are inseparable, and its graduates are noted for their outsized impact on the world’s stage. This campus celebrates the ongoing making of work—shared on walls, in shows and performances, in lectures and readings, and in conversations—and believes that equity, diversity, and inclusivity are vital to a collaborative community. The position reflects the ethos of this creative community.

Nestled at the foot of the Green Mountains in Vermont, the campus consists of approximately 370 acres. The College was named one of ten with the best architecture by Architectural Digest.  From campus, it is a short drive to the cultural offerings of the northern Berkshires in Massachusetts, Albany, New York, and many of Vermont’s top recreational centers. New York City, Boston, and Burlington, Vermont are all within three and a half hours by car.