Administrative Coordinator

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.

Swarthmore has a unique perspective on how to use one's intellect in service to others. Here, students integrate social consciousness with intellectual rigor in their academic pursuits and their lives outside the classroom -- including their careers. A commitment to social justice and advocacy have been guiding principles of Swarthmore since its founding by members of the Quaker faith as a co-ed institution of higher education in 1864.

At Swarthmore, Career Services partners with colleagues across campus, including faculty, to promote a campus culture of career wellness, such that all students feel empowered to explore their interests and navigate fulfilling career paths. We believe in meeting students and alumni where they are at, acknowledging that each person’s career journey is unique, whether they are exploring new possibilities or have a particular destination in mind.  Swarthmore Career Services fulfills its educational mission of inclusive excellence through collaborative programming and our individualized approach to advising. These strategies help students and alumni leverage their strengths, connect learning within and in and beyond the classroom, and prepare to engage as leaders making a difference in their chosen fields.

The Administrative Coordinator provides operational, administrative, and fiscal support for Career Services. The person in this role meets regularly with and takes guidance from the AVP & Executive Director to ensure that the center is operating efficiently and effectively; assists with preparation and administration of $330,000+ operating budget, tracking expenditures, annual reporting, and contributes to the overall direction of the office supporting 7 staff members.  This work includes operational oversight of the Career Services’ facilities, management of student interns and “Career Fellows” (between 10-12 per semester), management and monitoring of online subscriptions, and coordination of daily office operations, as well as logistical support for events.

OPERATIONS

• →Provide operational oversight to high traffic office and complete a wide range of critical administrative, budgetary, and event coordination tasks to support overall team goals.
• →Manage Career Services’ facilities, including oversight of front desk and related administrative operations.
• →Ensure that systems and protocols are in place for the office to run smoothly.
• →Oversee management of office’s direct communication channels including email correspondence and Zoom phone tree coordination.
• →Triage and respond to in-person, phone and virtual office inquiries, including referral to appropriate office or campus resources.
• →Provide administrative support to Career Services team of 7 professional staff.
• →Manage and maintain resource request portal, including usage monitoring and reporting, and responding to daily requests for interview rooms, headshots, professional attire, and online subscription access; These include online form management using Google Form and room calendar management.
• →Manage online subscriptions, including communicating and negotiating with vendors, gathering user statistics and processing annual invoices.
• →Manage inventory of office supplies and identify appropriate vendors for supplies; negotiate rates.
• →Coordinate and oversee credentials files to support student and alumni applications to graduate and professional school.
• →Play a critical role in the transition to Workday for the student conversion.

PROGRAM & EVENT MANAGEMENT

• →Coordinate multiple trips per semester to the Career Wardrobe, often in conjunction with other offices or departments, for students to “shop” for free professional clothing.
• →Liaise with campus partners to facilitate event management and program coordination and support Career Services’ initiatives, including space reservations on 25Live.
• →Organize logistics for small and large-scale events (e.g., career fairs, family weekend, senior week, faculty presentations, departmental planning retreats, etc.).
• →Coordinate logistics for career education initiatives as assigned by Career Center leadership.

BUDGET

• →Organize fiscal operations, including management and tracking of expenditures and creation of financial reports, seeking ways to reduce expenses when possible.
• →Consolidate and reconcile expenditures (purchase orders, invoices, transfers, pro-card, travel, etc.) through expense report submissions using the College’s financial systems for all office Pcards.
• →Process payroll for ~12 student employees.
• →Produce mid-year and annual budget summary reports tracking trends in cost increases and suggest strategies for cost savings.

STUDENT WORKER SUPERVISION

• →Supervise and co-manage student Career Fellow program (~10 students annually), in collaboration with select Career Center staff, including establishing recruitment timeline, shift scheduling, and processing time sheets.
• →Process all hiring and onboarding of ~15 student workers including office interns and Career Fellows through Workday.
• →Develop and annually update student worker handbook regarding office processes, professionalism expectations, operational checklists.

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

• Ability to shift gears quickly and problem solve in the moment.
• Manage Vendor Contracts and partnerships.
• High level of Emotional Intelligence and Compassion
• Comfort with Technology and proven ability to learn new technologies/platforms quickly.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Willingness to take initiative and work independently.
• Approachable, welcoming, friendly - genuinely enjoy people.
• Project Development, Management, and Execution.
• Patience, adaptability, and flexibility when working in different dynamics, including internal and external constituents, with frequent interruptions. 
• Observational ability and attention to constantly evolving trends and feedback coming through the office.

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma with five years of job-related experience or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Experience managing administrative and programmatic operations in a higher education setting.
• Experience supporting budget responsibilities.
• Superb organizational, time management and prioritization skills.
• Excellent relationship-building and service orientation related skills
• Strong cultural competency skills and demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals from a wide range of backgrounds and identities.
• Familiarity and comfort level with Google suite (gmail, slides, sheets, docs, etc.)
• Exceptional organizational, time-management, and planning abilities.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and projects in a dynamic, fast-paced and high traffic environment with workflows prone to interruptions.
• Demonstrated history of and ability to learn new technical systems quickly
• Works well with minimal supervision.
• Maintain highest levels of confidentiality; mastery in using discretion.
• In alignment with Swarthmore’s commitment to Inclusive Excellence, it is vital that all candidates seeking employment not only be committed to, but also demonstrate skills, knowledge and values necessary for serving the unique needs of our diverse campus community.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree and one to three years of related professional experience.
• Familiarity and comfort level with higher education and career services technology platforms such as Handshake, Workday, 25Live highly preferred.
• Experience reconciling and reporting on expenses preferred.
• Demonstrated experience managing calendaring systems.
• Experience supervising student workers or equivalent leadership experience a plus.
• Familiarity with budget management tools such as ChromeRiver or Workday a plus.

• Must be able to remain in a stationary position at least 50% of the time.
• Ability to lift and carry boxes up to 30 pounds and push or pull a supply cart for campus events.
• Must be able to raise arms to above shoulders as part of supply inventory restocking and career closet maintenance.

• This position is a fully in-person position.
• Occasional work outside for special events on campus.

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2026 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.

Advertised: May 29 2026 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close:

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