Senior Program Assistant Jobs in Colorado (NOW HIRING)

Graduate Program Management and Administration

• Independently manages the day-to-day operations of the graduate program, coordinating procedural, academic, and policy matters between the department, the Graduate School, the College of Arts & Sciences, and other campus partners to ensure program effectiveness and compliance.
• Serves as a primary resource for graduate students throughout their academic lifecycle, providing expert guidance on admissions, degree achievements, academic policies, funding, and university regulations.
• Maintains and analyzes student records and academic progress; prepares reports and data summaries for departmental leadership, college administration, and the Graduate School to support planning, compliance, and student success initiatives.
• Proactively identifies award and fellowship opportunities; collaborates with faculty to match students to awards, communicates application procedures, and ensures all submission materials meet eligibility and institutional requirements.
• Partners with the Department Chair and Associate Chair to inform annual teaching assignment planning, advising on appointment logistics, enrollment needs, and funding considerations.
• Oversees the hiring process for graduate student appointments (e.g., TAs, RAs, GPTIs), ensuring timely, accurate submission of materials, communicating policies to students, and resolving complex or non-standard HR/payroll issues in coordination with campus offices.
• Develop and collaborate with the Department Chair and Associate Chairs on academic year teaching assignments. Draft and route semesterly offer letters for Teaching Assistants, Graduate Research Assistants and Graduate Program Teaching Instructors, etc., for signatures.
• Implement all hiring processes, inform students about processes and procedures, and work closely with the Campus HR Payroll Office to ensure a smooth hiring process and resolve questions.
• Collaborate with the Manager of Finance and Business Operations to nominate faculty and outside authorities for Graduate Faculty Appointments, which enables them to teach graduate-level courses, sponsor Independent Study at the graduate level, and be committee members of defenses and examinations of individual students in the department. Proactively correct errors that are identified on the register with the HRSC. Revise/implement payroll procedures as new requirements are mandated.
• Tracks and reconciles student funding across sources (e.g., work-study, hourly, fellowships); manages time reporting approvals; and supports Graduate Faculty Appointment processes to maintain compliance with Graduate School instructional eligibility standards.
• Leads planning and implementation of key program events, including new graduate student orientation and TA training; ensures timely and accurate communication of academic, professional development, and funding opportunities to students and faculty.
• Works closely with the Office Manager and Associate Chair to monitor and manage graduate program budgets, including operating funds, gift accounts, fellowships, and recruitment awards; prepares transactions related to travel, stipends, and reimbursements in compliance with university policy.
• Provides comprehensive support to students nearing degree completion, coordinating dissertation/thesis defense logistics, Graduate School requirements, and clearance for graduation; may also assist with department-specific recognition or commencement events.
• Works closely with the Undergraduate Program Administrator (UPA), Associate Chairs of Undergraduate and Graduate Studies, and Academic Advisors to facilitate the Bachelor's Accelerated Masters (BAM) program.

Graduate Recruiting & Admissions

• Manages the full lifecycle of graduate student recruitment and admissions, coordinating with the faculty admissions committee, Associate Chair, and departmental staff to ensure a cohesive, strategic process aligned with program goals.
• Advises the admissions committee chair and Graduate Program Director on procedural or policy challenges during the admissions cycle and proposes actionable improvements to enhance recruitment effectiveness, candidate experience, and compliance.
• Develops, implements, and evaluates systems for reviewing, tracking, and reporting on application data to support comprehensive faculty evaluation and inform admissions strategy; interprets trends and prepares summaries for departmental leadership.
• Oversees the electronic workflow of graduate applications through all review and decision stages, ensuring integrity, accuracy, and confidentiality of applicant materials and records.
• Designs and manages the planning of prospective student campus visits, ensuring schedules meet departmental objectives, align with budget constraints, and align with university travel and hosting policies.
• Coordinates and communicates visit itineraries with faculty, current graduate students, and administrative partners; anticipates logistical challenges and adapts plans accordingly to ensure a professional and welcoming experience for candidates.
• Ensures timely and accurate submission of official admissions documentation and maintains consistent, professional correspondence with applicants regarding requirements, decisions, and next steps; serves as the primary departmental contact for prospective students navigating the admissions process.

Advising

• Serves as administrative advisor to graduate students from initial inquiry through graduation, offering ongoing support across academic, procedural, and administrative areas to ensure a positive and successful student experience while supporting the Associate Chair in broader program oversight.
• Monitors graduate student enrollment each semester and provides detailed reports and analysis for the College of Arts & Sciences' Student Request Analysis process and other enrollment-related needs.
• Provides expert-level advising to students and faculty on university, Graduate School, and departmental rules, regulations, timelines, and academic policies, often resolving nuanced or non-standard scenarios that require sound professional judgment.
• Independently analyzes complex student issues-such as financial aid concerns, enrollment anomalies, ineligible appointments, and graduation clearance-and implements strategies to resolve them; collaborates with campus offices and, when appropriate, petitions on behalf of students to address exceptional circumstances.
• Acts as a lead resource on academic processes such as special action forms, grade changes, course drops/adds, and degree audits; ensures accuracy and compliance in all documentation and advises faculty and students on appropriate procedures.
• Engages regularly with students and faculty-both individually and in groups-to interpret and communicate academic and administrative policies from the Graduate School, college, Financial Aid, and ISSS, ensuring consistency and clarity across all touch points.
• Collaborates with campus partners including ISSS, Counseling Services, and Student Affairs to connect students to appropriate support resources and provides timely, individualized follow-up to confirm that guidance is clear, accessible, and actionable.

Assessment and Information Management

• Generates, analyzes, and interprets data reports related to graduate enrollment, student progress, and program assessment to support strategic decision-making by the Associate Chair and department leadership.
• Uses tools such as CU-SIS , Microsoft Excel, Google Suite, and Microsoft Forms to manage longitudinal tracking, prepare data for University Fellowship applications , and contribute to institutional reporting and accreditation efforts.
• Proactively identifies data trends or anomalies, offering insight and recommendations to guide program improvements, resource planning, and graduate student support strategies.
• Maintain department graduate program email address which fields all graduate program related questions. Send routine communications to the graduate student listserv with job opportunities, funding opportunities, or upcoming events. Direct incoming requests to the correct staff or faculty member to respond to questions and concerns. Liaises with University offices on behalf of the Geological Sciences department graduate program.

Process Improvement

• Position works to expand information about program resources by collecting, interpreting and reporting data to evaluate admissions, recruiting, and funding processes and awards. Recommends modifications or improvements, based on analysis of operations, demographics, and other research information. This requires continuous development of new perspectives and skills to improve processes.
• The position will undertake a review of the webpages, compare with other departments on campus and across peer institutions, and evaluate for features such as scope of content, ease of use by domestic and international students, etc. Will require evaluative skills as well as ability to work closely with department personnel to better define objectives and goals.

Other Admin Support/Projects

• Organizes and oversees graduate student week-long onboarding event which includes general orientation, Teaching Assistant (TA) training, and CPR/First Aid training.
• Oversees grad student functions, including department graduation ceremony, Grad Talks, Colloquiums, Department Barbeques, and Coffee Socials.
• Prepares the annual University Fellowship applications for the Graduate School.
• Provides backup for administrative roles in the department, including (but not limited to) transportation, room and course scheduling, procurement.
• Other duties as assigned that support the department's graduate program operations and expansion.
• Contribute to other departmental projects or initiatives as assigned to advance departmental goals and student success.

• Hybrid Schedule: At least 3 days a week on campus per campus and college policies and guidelines.
• This can be subject to change based on the business needs of the department.
• Standard Business Hours: 8:00 AM - 5:00 PM | Monday - Friday
• Employee may be expected to be on campus Monday-Friday during onboarding, training, and/or professional development events/meetings.

• The annual salary range for this position is $62,400-$65,000.
• Onboarding assistance may be available per the Geological Sciences guidelines.