Special Instructions to Applicants:
All interested applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in the Supporting Documents section of the application, preferably in PDF format to avoid any formatting issues.

About Rice:
Boasting a 300-acre, tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system that supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in the way we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary:
The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Program Administrator reports to the Executive Director and serves as the operational lead for the program, guiding strategic growth, enrollment planning, and overall program development. Using data-informed decision-making, the role supports long-term sustainability by aligning enrollment strategy, marketing performance, and resource planning with institutional goals.

The position drives external engagement and growth through corporate relations, strategic partnerships, student recruitment, and targeted advertising initiatives. This includes managing and optimizing marketing campaigns through platforms such as Google Ads and Google Analytics to evaluate performance, monitor return on investment, and inform recruitment strategies. The incumbent represents the program at industry conferences, recruitment fairs, and external events, requiring occasional travel and strong outward-facing engagement skills.

In addition, the PSM Program Administrator oversees fiscal management to maintain the program’s financial health, including budgeting, forecasting, expense tracking, ledger reconciliation, and financial reporting, ensuring compliance with institutional policies.

The role also manages core administrative functions such as seminar coordination, event planning and execution, student lifecycle management (from recruitment through graduation), application review coordination, and oversight of lecturer hiring and compensation processes. The position requires fluency in application management and CRM systems, along with the ability to translate enrollment and marketing data into actionable strategies.

Ideal Candidate Statement:
The ideal candidate for the Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Program Administrator role is a strategic, growth-oriented leader who combines the mindset of a program builder with strong operational execution. Serving as the operational lead and key partner to the Executive Director, the individual drives enrollment strategy, marketing performance, and long-term program sustainability through data-informed decision-making. They bring fluency in CRM systems and Slate (application management platform), along with experience managing digital and print advertising, leveraging analytics to optimize campaigns, evaluate return on investment, and strengthen recruitment outcomes. They are equally comfortable representing the PSM program to corporate partners, prospective students, and industry stakeholders, building strategic partnerships that enhance visibility and experiential learning opportunities.

In addition to their strategic and outward-facing strengths, the ideal candidate possesses strong financial and administrative acumen. They confidently manage budgeting, forecasting, Oracle (iO) ledger reconciliations, expense tracking, and financial reporting to ensure program sustainability and compliance with institutional policies. At the same time, they seamlessly oversee core operations including event planning, seminar coordination, admissions workflow management, lecturer hiring and compensation processes, and comprehensive student lifecycle management—from recruitment through graduation and alumni engagement—balancing big-picture vision with detailed, day-to-day execution.

Workplace Requirements:
This position is exclusively on-site, necessitating all duties to be performed in person at Rice University’s Keck Hall from 8 AM–5 PM, Monday–Friday. May require occasional evening availability for program-related events. Hybrid/remote work opportunities may be possible on a limited basis outside of the academic year following the completion of the probationary period. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range: $65,000 minimum, with the hiring salary commensurate with experience.

*Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime.

Minimum Requirements:

• Bachelor’s Degree

  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

• 3+ years of related experience

  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis

Skills:

• Ability to develop and initiate new strategies

• Advanced problem-solving skills

• Strong verbal and written communication skills

• Ability to work well under pressure and manage projects simultaneously

• Strong organizational and time management skills

• Advanced knowledge of the Microsoft Office suite

• Strong data analysis skills

• Knowledge of CRM systems and application management platforms

• Ability to manage marketing campaigns

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team to meet expected deadlines and schedules

• Adept at problem-solving, creating contingency plans, and handling issues when necessary

• Strong client service orientation and attention to detail

• Ability to develop complex or multiple program partnerships and funding sources

• Knowledge of managing budgets and developing financial plans

• Ability to coordinate events, seminars, and professional development programming

Preferences:

• Master’s Degree

• 5+ years of related experience

Essential Functions:

• Serves as the central point of contact for faculty, students, corporate partners, and visitors, providing accurate and timely information and ensuring effective communication across stakeholders

• Develops, implements, administers, and evaluates programs by conducting research activities within the program, analyzing data, creating reports, reviewing trends, and making program improvement recommendations

• Leads graduate student recruitment strategy and enrollment management for academic programs, overseeing pipeline development, marketing alignment, application workflow coordination, enrollment forecasting, recruitment event coordination, and representation of the program at industry conferences and external engagements to achieve program growth targets

• Coordinates advertising and marketing efforts, managing digital and print recruitment campaigns, monitoring performance metrics, and evaluating return on investment to inform enrollment strategy

• Oversees the full student lifecycle from prospect through graduation, including admissions processing, enrollment tracking, advising coordination, retention monitoring, internship placement support, and degree certification to ensure student success and program completion

• Develops and implements strategies related to outreach, events, communications, development, partnerships, and fundraising/funding, with a strong concentration on corporate relations

• Develops strategies to strengthen alumni and employer engagement to support internships, placements, and program visibility

• Coordinates and plans weekly seminars and program events, including speaker engagement, logistics management, event execution, and post-event assessment. Creates short-term and long-term plans to achieve mission and objectives for the program; collaborates with the Executive Director on financial modeling and enrollment forecasting to ensure long-term program sustainability

• Devises and manages financial and budgetary plans for the program(s); approves and monitors expenditures, specifically managing and tracking all PSM financial operations, revenue reconciliation from tuition and partnerships, and budget execution in iO

• Serves as primary departmental contact for financial operations, ensuring adherence to University Policy 201 and 214-03, managing personnel budgeting for staff and faculty instructors, and coordinating with the PSM Faculty Director, PSM Executive Director, and the Assistant Dean on fund availability

• May supervise small staff (up to three full-time staff), providing functional supervision for administrative or student workers supporting financial or recruitment tasks

• May teach a course, seminar, or workshop, as requested by the Executive Director or Department Chair

• Performs all other duties as assigned

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please get in touch with Rice University’s Human Resources Office via email at facstaffada@rice.edu for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at jobs@rice.edu. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.

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Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio, and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lectures series, courses and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities.

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The Professional Science Master’s (PSM) Program Administrator reports to the Executive Director and serves as the operational lead for the program, guiding strategic growth, enrollment planning, and overall program development. Using data-informed decision-making, the role supports long-term sustainability by aligning enrollment strategy, marketing performance, and resource planning with institutional goals.