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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 425acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The Swarthmore Office of Advancement manages the College's relationship with its alumni, families, and friends to further Swarthmore's commitment to intellectual rigor and creativity, nurturing of student confidence and curiosity, production of new knowledge, and inclusive excellence, among other goals. Advancement works closely with the President, faculty, and senior colleagues to foster positive and productive relationships that not only accelerate the objectives of the College but also represent meaningful and beneficial engagement for the Swarthmore community.

The Office of Advancement manages and maintains alumni, family, and friend records; engages constituents in the life of the College in a variety of ways, contexts, and over time; provides and supports meaningful volunteering opportunities; and partners with the President and Board of Managers to share information about the College and raise critical philanthropic support for the College's priorities and new initiatives. Advancement ensures that alumni and donors are appropriately recognized and informed about the impact of their service and contributions, and manages all gift acceptance and stewardship.

The opportunity:

The Program Coordinator reports to the Associate Vice President, Alumni & Family Programs (AVP) and supports vital alumni engagement initiatives and presidential transition activities. This position is integral to the work of the Associate Vice President and three of their teams (Alumni Engagement, Advancement Events, and Advancement Marketing) in monitoring work flow across multiple programs. The position will also help ensure timely progress updates and alignment of deliverables for the Executive Committee of the Alumni Council and assist with administrative tasks and support projects like nominations and alumni awards. The coordinator will provide operational support for the Swarthmore Discussion Group and manage the coordination and work assignment of student workers within the Alumni Engagement, Reunion Giving, Advancement Events, and Advancement Marketing teams. The successful candidate will be organized, communicative, and committed to enhancing alumni and student engagement.

Essential Responsibilities

 Department Coordination and AVP Support

• Work with the AVP to streamline operations within Alumni Engagement, Reunion Giving, Advancement Events, and Marketing teams.
• Coordinate team calendars to ensure efficient scheduling and minimize conflicts.
• Coordinate communication and updates on projects across departments.
• Assist the AVP with preparation of meeting materials and reports.
• Suggest and implement process improvements for better efficiency and team collaboration.

Alumni Council

• Collaborate with the AVP and the Alumni Council Executive Committee to execute administrative needs, such as organizing meetings, preparing agendas, and maintaining accurate records.
• Manage tasks related to nominations and alumni awards, including coordinating communications, nomination forms, and bios.
• Execute the Alumni Council's new member ratification process.

Presidential Transition

• Coordinate project workflows for celebration events for the presidential transition period.
• Serve as a key point of contact for project coordination and status updates, ensuring colleagues and partners have clear information about progress, responsibilities, and next steps.
• Assist with coordinating briefing materials.

Swarthmore Discussion Group

• Serve as the primary liaison to the Swarthmore Discussion Group volunteer board.
• Provide administrative and financial support, including processing payments and maintaining records.
• Coordinate digital communications for the program including marketing and survey emails as well as website updates.
• Collaborate with College Communications on printed marketing materials.
• Track event attendance and registration.

Student Workers

• Manage the hiring and supervision of student workers, including handling timesheets.
• Coordinate training and work assignments for student workers according to the needs of the department.
• Ensure effective integration of student contributions across various projects and initiatives, fostering a meaningful experience.

 Supervisory Responsibilities

• 4-6 Student Workers

Who you are:

The following character traits will make the candidate a great asset for the team and successful in this role:

• Diplomatic confidence
• Systems mindset
• Proactive problem-finding
• Adaptability and resilience under pressure
• Facilitation and consensus-building
• Boundary-setting with grace
• Stakeholder communication across styles
• Initiative and self-direction

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree with at least three years of relevant professional experience in project coordination, program management, alumni relations, or a related field.
• Demonstrated ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously while maintaining attention to detail and competing priorities.
• Strong organizational and project management skills, including experience coordinating projects involving multiple stakeholders.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and proactively identify opportunities or challenges that may affect project progress.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to work collaboratively across teams while independently managing responsibilities and follow-through.
• Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build effective working relationships with colleagues and volunteers.
• Provide on-site support for Alumni Council weekend meetings (twice per year), Garnet Weekend, Alumni Weekend, and presidential events as needed.
• On occasion, may be required to work outside of normal office hours, including nights and weekends, for such tasks as staffing events, meeting with constituents, or completing tasks required to meet deadlines. These responsibilities may require travel off-campus nationally and internationally.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience in higher education advancement, alumni relations, or nonprofit program management.
• Familiarity with higher education CRM platforms and event registration systems.
• Experience supporting data tracking or program reporting.
• Proficiency with G Suite (especially Google Docs and Sheets), PowerPoint, and Adobe Acrobat.

What You Will Get:

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.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration and priority review, submit applications with pay expectations, including a resume and cover letter, and the application materials will be reviewed immediately and on a rolling basis until the position is filled. We expect the person starting this position to begin by the end of July. However, the successful candidate may be able to start earlier, subject to the interview process and availability.

The market range for this position is $27.00-$31.00 per hour, which represents the College's good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

PA Criminal Clearance Required

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

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

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.