Administrative Project Coordinator for the Center for Innovation and Collaboration

Position Title:

Compensation:

Department:

Start Date:

About this opportunity:

Candidates for searches must have current authorization to be employed in the United States without employer sponsorship.

What you'll do and what you'll bring:

Position Function:

The Administrative Project Manager serves as a key operational and project leadership role for the Center for Innovation and Collaboration. Reporting to the Director, this position provides strategic administrative and fiscal support while serving as the liaison and support role for Center initiatives including coordinating center projects, programs, partnerships, and events.

The role integrates project leadership, budget and reporting oversight, operational management, and supervision of Graduate Assistants, serving as a central point of coordination among internal university stakeholders, external partners, and interdisciplinary project teams. The position also supports programming and activities at the 16 Tech Innovation Center.

Duties and Responsibilities:

1. Project Liaison and Partner Engagement

• Act as a primary liaison with internal and external project partners; support faculty, staff, students, and community collaborators engaged in Center projects.
• Coordinate Center resources, timelines, and communications for project partners to facilitate smooth operations.
• Provide operational and administrative leadership to project teams, ensuring alignment with Center goals and university policies.
• Track project milestones, outcomes, documentation, and reporting requirements.

2. Administrative and Fiscal Management

• Provide high-level administrative support to the Director, including calendar management, scheduling, correspondence, purchasing, travel coordination, and expense reconciliation.
• Support development, monitoring, and reconciliation of Center budgets; track expenditures; prepare financial summaries; and coordinate financial reporting in collaboration with appropriate university offices.
• Ensure compliance with university financial, purchasing, and reporting policies and procedures.

3. Programming and Event Coordination

• Lead planning, scheduling, coordination, and execution of Center programs, meetings, workshops, and public events.
• Serve as liaison with campus offices, vendors, and external partners for event logistics including space reservations, catering, contracts, and speaker coordination.
• Provide coordination and on-site support for Center programming and activities at the 16 Tech Innovation Center and other off-site locations.

4. Center Operations and Data Management

• Support day-to-day Center operations, workflows, and administrative systems.
• Create, maintain, and manage databases related to people, partners, projects, events, and outcomes.
• Maintain organized electronic and physical records to support reporting, assessment, and institutional memory.

5. Marketing, Communications, and Digital Presence

• In collaboration with the Director, manage and maintain the Center’s website, marketing materials, and social media presence.
• Coordinate with University Marketing and Communications to ensure brand alignment and effective messaging.
• Track and compile engagement metrics related to programs, events, and digital platforms to inform reporting and continuous improvement.

6. Graduate Assistant Coordination and Supervision

• Facilitate Graduate Assistant assignments aligned with Center priorities and project needs.
• Provide day-to-day supervision, training, and direction to Graduate Assistants, including task assignment, progress monitoring, and performance feedback.

7. Reporting, Assessment, and Compliance

• Coordinate, research, and monitor information needed for project, programmatic, and financial reporting to the University and external stakeholders.
• Compile data and materials for internal reports, grant-related documentation, and annual summaries.
• Support assessment and continuous improvement efforts for Center initiatives.

8. Represent the Center at relevant internal and external meetings and events as appropriate.

9. Perform other related duties as assigned.

10. Maintain regular and predictable attendance.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree, an equivalent combination of education and additional years of experience, or an additional four years of experience will be accepted in lieu of a bachelor’s degree.

• One year of related experience.

• Ability to perform high-level administrative functions, for example: meeting coordination, document preparation, budget tracking, record management, and process improvement.

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

• Proficiency with Microsoft Office and administrative and financial systems.

• Ability to work independently, exercise sound judgment, and handle confidential information.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Additional years of related experience.

• Experience in a higher education, nonprofit, corporate, or innovation-focused environment.

• Demonstrated potential through education or experience to simultaneously coordinate or manage multiple projects, priorities, and stakeholders.

• Experience serving as a project lead or coordinating cross-functional teams.

• Experience with budget oversight and financial or project reporting.

• Experience with event planning and coordination.

• Experience managing websites, social media, or marketing communications.

• Experience supervising or coordinating student employees or Graduate Assistants.

• Experience working with community, industry, or nonprofit partners.

How to apply:

The following documents should be uploaded. Please do not use the resume "Autofill" feature.

1. Cover letter (optional but recommended)

2. Resume (required)

For questions about this opportunity please contact Bette Smith, Director of the Center for Innovation and Collaboration at bette.smith@bsu.edu.

Applications must be submitted before 12:01 AM on March 5, 2026.

What we offer:

At Ball State University, we understand the importance of balancing professional responsibilities with personal well-being. That's why we offer paid 10 to 24 vacation days, 12 sick days, and 10 holidays a year. Plus, our paid parental leave (6 weeks) is there for life's most significant moments. We offer affordable health and dental insurance, robust long-term disability and life insurance plans, as well a range of retirement benefits to provide financial security to you and your family. These benefits ensure that you can focus on your work and personal growth without worrying about the unexpected.

When you work for us, you are family. And to show our support of your family, we will cover 90 percent of your child's (or children's) undergraduate college tuition at Ball State. We do the same for you. In fact, we'll cover 100 percent of the tuition costs for you to earn your undergraduate degree and 80 percent of your graduate tuition. This offer is good from the very first day you start. It's just one way we do our part to uplift you.

Let's fly together toward a secure and prosperous tomorrow.

Curious about our excellent benefits package?

We have developed a calculator that show you the value of our core benefits. Select the Total Compensation Calculator - Staff (Exempt) and download our calculator spreadsheet.