The Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative is seeking an experienced Conference Coordinator to provide administrative, logistical, and creative support to the inaugural Henry Symposium on Documentary. The Coordinator will work closely with the Project Director, Project Coordinator and members of the Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy's Communications and Events team.
The coordinator's main responsibilities will be to provide logistical, communications and planning support for the Henry Symposium, a two-day symposium + awards dinner taking place sometime in late April or early May 2025. The Henry Symposium will assemble between 50-75 global leaders from the documentary film sector to discuss pressing issues related to the field. Additionally, along with the symposium, the Shorenstein Center will be hosting the first Henry Awards for Public Interest Documentary which will join symposium attendees with award nominees (approximately 150 people total) to recognize and celebrate the most impactful documentary storytelling of recent years.
This role will be part-time (20 hours per week) over the course of several months of planning, will ramp up to full-time (35 hours per week) for the month of April leading up to the symposium, and part-time again as wrap-up activities occur post-event.
This is a fully-benefits eligible term appointment ending 9-months from date of hire, with possibility of renewal.
Position Description
Specific duties will include:
Symposium Coordination
Coordinate full planning and execution calendar for the symposium.
Coordinate hotel, accommodations and travel support management.
Communication with event guests in the lead up to the symposium.
Development of all communication related materials.
Event logistics, including room rentals/bookings, catering, and tech oversight.
Acting as a day-of coordinator for in-person events.
Assisting with symposium advisory meetings.
Coordinating internal team meetings related to the symposium, including agenda and notes development.
Communications
Draft and refine communications internally to Harvard and Program staff on issues related to the symposium, and communications to attendees like Save the Date's, Symposium travel logistics, and agendas.
Making routine updates to the Initiative's public website and social media related to the symposium, as needed.
General administrative help for the program team (keeping team organized, tracking expenses, etc.).
Basic Qualifications
2 years' work experience in a related role such as major event or conference planning.
Additional Qualifications and Skills
Ability to be responsive and collegial in professional communications.
Experience running Zoom webinars and public meetings.
Comfort with learning new technologies, including database, room reservation, email production/delivery, and form builder systems.
Excellent organizational skills - you love checklists, spreadsheets, and follow up. Experience working with Outlook and Microsoft 365 preferred.
Interest in documentary film, news, journalism, technology, public policy, and the ways these intersect is a plus. Prior experience is not required, but a curiosity in the subject matter is.
Commitment to diversity, inclusion, and belonging.
Specific experience planning conferences within Harvard University preferred.
Working Conditions
This role will require in-person work for some planning meetings and logistics, and intensive on-site work in the lead-up to and days-of the convening. In-person work happens in an office setting (a combination of individual offices and desks/cubicles) one block from the main Harvard Kennedy School campus, and events are usually held on or near the HKS campus.
Additional Information
This part-time position is a fully benefits-eligible term appointment ending 9 months from date of hire, with possibility of renewal.
We regret that the Harvard Kennedy School does not provide visa sponsorship.
Harvard University requires pre-employment reference and background checks.
Harvard University is committed to supporting a healthy, sustainable learning and working environment.
This is a hybrid position based on our campus in Cambridge, MA. As a campus-based institution, we place a high value on the in-person experience, cross-team collaboration, and strong community building in order to create a vibrant campus for our students, faculty, staff, and research fellows. The position is required to work in-person on campus a minimum of three days per week during the academic year. Specific days and schedule will be determined between you and your manager.
The health of our workforce is a priority for Harvard University. With that in mind, we strongly encourage all employees to be up-to-date on CDC-recommended vaccines.
Note: Starting salaries typically fall in the lower half of the salary range; however, they are ultimately determined by the scope of the position, the candidate's relevant experience, and internal equity.
About Us
The Shorenstein Center on Media, Politics and Public Policy is a research center that strives to increase understanding of how people access, create, and process information, particularly as it relates to news and societal issues, and to describe potential solutions to the problems facing this information ecosystem. Among the Center's several initiatives, the Documentary Film in the Public Interest Initiative seeks to inspire a documentary film practice and infrastructure that can contribute to strong societies. The initiative's activities are designed to cross bridges between thinking and acting, by bringing together practitioners and researchers, journalists and documentary filmmakers, in a shared project to build a stronger, more resilient field that can serve the needs of a democratic public by design.
Benefits
We invite you to visit Harvard's Total Rewards website (https://hr.harvard.edu/totalrewards) to learn more about our outstanding benefits package, which may include:
Paid Time Off: 3-4 weeks of accrued vacation time per year (3 weeks for support staff and 4 weeks for administrative/professional staff), 12 accrued sick days per year, 12.5 holidays plus a Winter Recess in December/January, 3 personal days per year (prorated based on date of hire), and up to 12 weeks of paid leave for new parents who are primary care givers.
Health and Welfare: Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision benefits, disability and life insurance programs, along with voluntary benefits. Most coverage begins as of your start date.
Work/Life and Wellness: Child and elder/adult care resources including on campus childcare centers, Employee Assistance Program, and wellness programs related to stress management, nutrition, meditation, and more.
Retirement: University-funded retirement plan with contributions from 5% to 15% of eligible compensation, based on age and earnings with full vesting after 3 years of service.
Tuition Assistance Program: Competitive program including $40 per class at the Harvard Extension School and reduced tuition through other participating Harvard graduate schools.
Tuition Reimbursement: Program that provides 75% to 90% reimbursement up to $5,250 per calendar year for eligible courses taken at other accredited institutions.
Professional Development: Programs and classes at little or no cost, including through the Harvard Center for Workplace Development and LinkedIn Learning.
Commuting and Transportation: Various commuter options handled through the Parking Office, including discounted parking, half-priced public transportation passes and pre-tax transit passes, biking benefits, and more.
Harvard Facilities Access, Discounts and Perks: Access to Harvard athletic and fitness facilities, libraries, campus events, credit union, and more, as well as discounts to various types of services (legal, financial, etc.) and cultural and leisure activities throughout metro-Boston.
LinkedIn Recruiter Tag (for internal use only)
#LI-DS1
Department Office Location: USA - MA - Cambridge
Job Code: 403134 Coordinator I
Job Function: General Administration
Work Format: Hybrid (partially on-site, partially remote)
Sub Unit: ------------
Salary Grade: 054
Department: Shorenstein Center on the Media, Politics and Public Policy
Union: 55 - Hvd Union Cler & Tech Workers
Time Status: Part-time
Pre-Employment Screening: Identity
Schedule: 20 hours per week Monday through Friday
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At Harvard Kennedy School, fostering a diverse and inclusive community where everyone feels they belong is a matter of basic fairness consistent with our core values as an institution. It is also essential to our mission of improving public policy and leadership-because recruiting the best people and creating an environment where they can thrive make us better at what we do, because we learn more from people with different perspectives, and because we work in diverse groups and serve diverse societies. Learn more about Harvard Kennedy School's commitment to Diversity Equity, and Anti-Racism.
EOE Statement: We are an equal opportunity employer and all qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, national origin, disability status, protected veteran status, gender identity, sexual orientation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related conditions, or any other characteristic protected by law.
