Key Responsibilities and Required Skills for University Coordinator

🎯 Role Definition

The University Coordinator organizes and administers academic programs, student services, recruitment and retention initiatives, events, and administrative processes. This role serves as a key point of contact for students, faculty, external partners, and vendors, ensuring efficient program delivery, data-driven decision-making, and compliance with university policies and regulations. The Coordinator combines program management, stakeholder engagement, and operational support to advance institutional goals and enhance the student experience.

📈 Career Progression

Typical Career Path

Entry Point From:

Admissions Coordinator / Admissions Assistant
Administrative Assistant in academic departments
Student Services Representative or Student Affairs Assistant

Advancement To:

Senior University Coordinator or Program Manager
Assistant/Associate Director of Student Affairs or Academic Programs
Director of Academic Support, Outreach, or Student Success

Lateral Moves:

Academic Advisor
Events and Conference Manager
Recruitment & Outreach Specialist

Core Responsibilities

Primary Functions

Coordinate the daily operations of assigned undergraduate and/or graduate programs, including scheduling courses, managing room reservations, monitoring program budgets, and ensuring timely delivery of program materials and resources.
Serve as the primary point of contact for prospective and current students by providing comprehensive information and advising related to program requirements, admissions procedures, registration, academic policies, and student services, escalating complex issues to appropriate offices when necessary.
Plan, execute, and evaluate large- and small-scale campus events such as orientations, recruitment fairs, guest lectures, graduation ceremonies, and alumni engagement activities, managing logistics, vendor contracts, marketing, volunteer coordination, and on-site event staffing.
Manage student recruitment and retention activities by developing outreach strategies, coordinating campus visits, supporting admissions cycles, tracking applicant and enrollment metrics, and collaborating with marketing to optimize conversion rates.
Maintain and update student records and program databases using student information systems (Banner, PeopleSoft, Ellucian, or similar), ensuring accuracy, FERPA compliance, and timely reporting of enrollment, grades, and status changes.
Coordinate international student and scholar processes as applicable, including visa documentation support, orientation logistics, advising on immigration compliance, and coordination with campus international services and legal resources.
Oversee the creation of program communications and marketing content (web pages, email campaigns, social media posts, program brochures), ensuring messaging aligns with institutional brand guidelines, SEO best practices, and accessibility standards.
Facilitate cross-functional collaboration with academic departments, faculty committees, financial aid, registrar, housing, and external partners to streamline student services, resolve operational bottlenecks, and implement program improvements.
Administer program budgets and financial transactions including purchase orders, expense tracking, reconciliation, forecasting, and vendor invoicing while ensuring compliance with institutional procurement policies and internal controls.
Develop and manage program assessment processes by collecting, analyzing, and reporting qualitative and quantitative data (surveys, retention/graduation metrics, learning outcomes), using results to recommend and implement program enhancements.
Provide project management for special initiatives such as curriculum changes, accreditation support, grant-funded programs, and partnership development; create project plans, coordinate stakeholders, and monitor deliverables and timelines.
Conduct training and onboarding for student employees, graduate assistants, and temporary staff assigned to program activities, delivering clear SOPs, mentoring, performance feedback, and schedule oversight.
Coordinate scholarship, awards, and financial assistance workflows including application intake, vetting, committee coordination, notification, and disbursement in partnership with financial aid and advancement offices.
Support faculty needs for classroom technology, instructional materials, course scheduling, and guest approvals by serving as the administrative liaison and ensuring timely resolution of faculty service requests.
Ensure compliance with university policies, federal and state regulations, accreditation standards, and safety protocols by maintaining documentation, preparing compliance reports, and supporting audit and accreditation reviews.
Manage vendor relationships for catering, audio-visual services, campus facilities, and printing, negotiating agreements, monitoring service delivery, and ensuring cost-effectiveness and quality control.

Secondary Functions

Lead continuous improvement projects by identifying process inefficiencies, drafting revised workflows, testing proposed solutions, and documenting results to enhance operational effectiveness and student satisfaction.
Support scholarship committees and student award selection processes by coordinating application timelines, assembling review materials, scheduling committee meetings, and preparing award communication.
Maintain program web content and digital resource libraries, ensuring materials are current, SEO-friendly, accessible, and aligned with institutional messaging; collaborate with web/marketing teams on analytics.
Prepare and deliver periodic reports to department leadership, including enrollment dashboards, budget variance analyses, event ROI measurements, and KPI trends to inform strategic decisions.
Assist in grant administration and reporting for externally funded programs by tracking deliverables, maintaining grant documents, assisting with budgetary compliance, and submitting required progress reports.
Provide front-line crisis response support for student emergencies by triaging situations, coordinating referrals to counseling, housing, or public safety, and documenting incidents according to university protocols.
Coordinate internship, practicum, and clinical placements by identifying partner sites, managing agreements, liaising with supervisors, and monitoring student placement outcomes and compliance paperwork.
Support alumni relations and donor engagement activities by coordinating stewardship events, managing mailing lists, and preparing recognition materials in support of fundraising and community engagement goals.

Required Skills & Competencies

Hard Skills (Technical)

Student information systems (Banner, PeopleSoft, Slate, Workday Student) — advanced operational knowledge for record keeping, reporting, and registration tasks.
Learning management systems (Canvas, Blackboard, Moodle) — course setup, roster management, and basic troubleshooting.
CRM and recruitment tools (Slate, Salesforce for Higher Ed, HubSpot) — pipeline management, communications tracking, and event registration handling.
Microsoft Office Suite (Excel advanced functions, Word, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Sheets, Docs, Slides) for reporting, presentations, and collaborative documentation.
Event management platforms and ticketing systems (Handshake, Eventbrite, Evenium) and vendor contract management experience.
Basic budget administration and financial reconciliation, including purchase orders, billing approvals, and grant expense tracking.
Data collection and analysis tools for program assessment (Qualtrics, Google Forms, Tableau, Power BI) with experience producing dashboards and trend reports.
Knowledge of federal and state higher education regulations and compliance frameworks, including FERPA, Title IX awareness, and ADA/accessibility requirements.
Marketing and communications skills, including web content management systems (WordPress, Drupal), email campaign tools, and SEO basics for higher education outreach.
Records management, document control, and archival practices in line with institutional policies and privacy regulations.

Soft Skills

Exceptional written and verbal communication skills tailored to diverse audiences including students, faculty, families, and external partners.
Strong organizational and project-management abilities with proven capacity to manage multiple concurrent priorities and deadlines.
High emotional intelligence and cultural competency for working with diverse student populations and sensitive student issues.
Problem-solving orientation with proactive follow-through and comfort making operational decisions with limited supervision.
Collaboration and stakeholder management skills; ability to build relationships and influence across departments.
Attention to detail and accuracy, particularly in compliance, reporting, and financial documentation.
Customer-service mindset with patience, responsiveness, and conflict-resolution skills.
Flexibility and adaptability to shifting priorities in a dynamic academic environment (semester cycles, peak enrollment periods).
Initiative and continuous-improvement mindset to streamline processes and enhance the student experience.
Discretion and professionalism when handling confidential student records and sensitive situations.

Education & Experience

Educational Background

Minimum Education:

Bachelor's degree in Education, Higher Education Administration, Public Administration, Business, Communications, or a related field (or equivalent combination of education and relevant experience).

Preferred Education:

Bachelor’s degree in Higher Education Administration, Student Affairs, Education, or a master’s degree in Higher Education, M.Ed., MPA, or related graduate degree preferred for senior coordinator roles.

Relevant Fields of Study:

Higher Education Administration
Student Affairs / Student Services
Education Leadership
Public Administration
Business Administration
Communications / Marketing

Experience Requirements

Typical Experience Range: 2–5 years of progressively responsible experience in higher education, student services, program coordination, or academic administration.

Preferred: 3–5+ years in a university or college setting with demonstrated experience in program coordination, event management, student information systems (Banner/PeopleSoft/Slate), budget administration, and cross-departmental collaboration. Experience with international student processes, grant administration, or accreditation support is a plus.