Program and Operations Coordinator

The Student Commons cultivates belonging, dialogue, and meaningful connection across difference. Through educational programming, cultural celebration events, and dialogue-based initiatives, the Student Commons supports student development, intellectual curiosity, and community engagement.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Manage the full cycle of assigned programs, including semester planning, partner coordination, scheduling, approvals, purchasing, promotion, staffing, delivery, and follow-up.
• Exercise independent judgment in adapting program format, logistics, communications, materials, and staffing within established goals, budgets, and priorities.
• Monitor participation, expenses, feedback, and operational challenges; maintain program records; and recommend improvements to future programming and resource use.
• Coordinate routine Student Commons marketing and communications, including social media, event promotion, and accurate public-facing information.
• Provide daily work direction and development for undergraduate student employees, including assigning responsibilities, communicating expectations, monitoring completion, supporting onboarding and training, and providing coaching and feedback.
• Coordinate day-to-day administrative and physical-space operations and help maintain a welcoming, organized, and functional environment.
• Complete administrative and financial processes supporting programs and operations, including initiating approval forms, uploading receipts, monitoring deadlines, and maintaining purchasing and program records.
• Maintain the calendars, checklists, records, and shared systems needed to coordinate programs, communications, student staff assignments, and office operations; identify and recommend process improvements as needed.

Required Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• More than one year of experience with students in higher education or a comparable setting.

• Demonstrated experience coordinating an ongoing program, recurring event series, or multiple related projects through planning, implementation, evaluation, and follow-up.

• Progressively responsible administrative experience involving process coordination, recordkeeping, deadline management, and use of common office and communication software; or an equivalent combination of relevant education and experience.

• Demonstrated ability to organize and prioritize multiple responsibilities, adapt to changing needs, and complete work accurately and on schedule.

• Demonstrated experience providing work direction, coaching, or support to student employees, peers, volunteers, or other team members.

• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and maintain productive working relationships with a variety of internal and external partners.

• Demonstrated ability to work effectively with individuals and groups from a wide range of backgrounds and experiences.

Preferred Qualifications – Experience, Education, Knowledge & Skills

• Familiarity with Microsoft software.

• Bachelor’s degree plus at least one year of relevant experience, or an equivalent combination of education and applicable experience.

• Experience coordinating recurring educational, cultural, community-based, or student-centered programs in higher education or a comparable setting.

• Experience supervising, directing, or mentoring student employees or young adults.

• Experience with program budgets, purchasing, approval processes, invoices, receipts, or related financial records.

• Experience managing organizational social media, promotional communications, website content, graphic design, or other digital communication platforms.

• Experience using participation data, participant feedback, or other assessment information to improve programs.

The Successful Candidate Will

• Be able to work in a dynamic environment where you’re asked to respond to situations with minimal supervision.
• Exercise sound judgment and initiative while recognizing when consultation or approval is required.
• Communicate effectively and maintain constructive relationships with students, colleagues, campus partners, vendors, and members of the public.
• Demonstrate strong organization, reliability, attention to detail, adaptability, and consistent follow-through.
• Apply policies and procedures appropriately and maintain the confidentiality of student, personnel, financial, and operational information.
• Work independently while contributing effectively as a member of the Student Commons team.
• Provide clear expectations, respectful coaching, and developmentally appropriate feedback to student employees.
• Contribute to a welcoming, student-centered environment and demonstrate a commitment to understanding the experiences of a wide range of students.

Position Special Requirements/Additional Information

This job description should not be construed as an exhaustive statement of duties, responsibilities or requirements, but a general description of the job. Nothing contained herein restricts Montana State University’s rights to assign or reassign duties and responsibilities to this job at any time.

Physical Demands

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily with or without reasonable accommodations. The requirements listed above are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.

This position has supervisory duties?

Yes

Posting Detail Information

Number of Vacancies

1

Desired Start Date

Upon completion of a successful search.

Position End Date (if temporary)

Open Date

Close Date

Applications will be:

Screening of applications will begin on November 3rd 2026; however, applications will continue to be accepted until an adequate applicant pool has been established.

Special Instructions

This position is not eligible for new sponsorship

EEO Statement

Montana State University is an equal opportunity employer. MSU does not discriminate against any applicant on the basis of race, color, religion, creed, political ideas, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, marital status, national origin, physical or mental disability, or any other protected class status in violation of any applicable law.

In compliance with the Montana Veteran’s Employment Preference Act, MSU provides preference in employment to veterans, disabled veterans, and certain eligible relatives of veterans. To claim veteran’s preference, please complete the veteran’s preference information located in the Demographics section of your profile.