Vandenberghe Lab at Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center

POSITION SUMMARY:

A position is available to support the activities of an academic research center administratively and organizationally at the Schepens Eye Research Institute (SERI) and Massachusetts Eye and Ear Infirmary (MEEI), a Harvard Medical School teaching-affiliate. The Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center seeks to develop gene therapies for diseases of unmet need, build enabling gene transfer technologies, and deepen our understanding of the biology of gene transfer.

The Program Coordinator will provide support to the Director of the Center and be the administrative liaison for the research laboratory and core facilities. This is a position with a high-level responsibility and requires flexibility, high energy, and eagerness to work in an energetic, fast paced, friendly, and academic environment.

The incumbent will work alongside Research Faculty to support all activities within their research program, including but not limited to collaborating with grant administrators for appropriate use of grant and research funds, Human Resources (HR) to successfully onboard new personnel, Development for potential funding opportunities, and providing administrative support via calendar management, purchase and expense reconciliation, travel planning, and updating curriculum vitae and biosketches.

ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS:

1. Facilitate various projects in coordination with internal team members and colleagues in departments within MEEI and Mass General Brigham (MGB) to further support initiatives within the faculty’s research programs at the Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center. Knowledge of development/donor proposals, grant administration, clinical research projects, and personnel management preferred.
2. Conducts routine data entry of weekly and monthly time reporting.
3. Assists the Department and Research Faculty with event and travel planning including hosted dinners or seminars.
   1. Following established event planning methods, is responsible for events hosted by the Grousbeck Gene Therapy Center and other events as requested.
   2. Makes travel arrangements, hotel accommodations, and other necessary arrangements for conferences and meeting attendance.  Monitors and resolves all financial arrangements.
4.  Assist Department and Research Faculty with travel to meetings and events.
   1. Provides as necessary administrative support for travel arrangements.
   2. Prepares travel reimbursement requests ensuring compliance with MEEI/MGB travel reimbursement policies.  Reviews travel reimbursement requests of research staff assisting staff in their completion of travel reimbursements that meet MEEI/MGB requirements.
   3. Processes travel reimbursement and check requests.
   4. Reconciles MGB corporate credit card charges and expense reports per MEEI/MGB policy, as needed.
5. Assist faculty with maintenance of curriculum vitae, biosketches, calendar, including scheduling meetings, appointments, and conference rooms.
6. Assist with updating lab website content.
7. Assist with recruiting and onboarding new employee, researchers, or sponsored staff with HR.
8. Liaison functions with facilities, HR, payroll and finance departments.
9. Improve workplace organization and communication.
10. Letter drafting
11. Responds to incoming telephone calls following department protocol, responds to questions that are appropriate and refers and/or takes complete messages.
12. Creates and maintains special project work files; keeps file documentation current, correct, and complete to facilitate workflow.
13. Additional duties as assigned.

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

1. Bachelor’s Degree required.
2. Strong demonstrated organizational skills, with proven experience prioritizing work and coordinating multiple projects simultaneously.
3. Meticulous, precise, efficient, and organized.
4. Excellent oral, written and interpersonal skills.
5. Experienced user of MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint). Preferred: Adobe Photoshop and/or Illustrator, nimble in learning additional software packages (e.g. Endnote, Scientific graphing)
6. Proven ability to work closely with faculty and laboratory staff.
7. Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with highly varied parallel tasks
8. Exceptional problem solving, critical thinking and customer service skills.
9. Ability to take on new tasks and adapt to different work assignments and personalities.
10. Ability to take initiative and work with minimal direction.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

20 Staniford Street, Boston, MA 02114

Onsite position, flexible up to one day weekly remote work after probation period

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

Mental and visual attention requiring a combination of alertness and manual dexterity, with a minimum of 40 words per minute typing speed using a PC.  Ability to lift 20 lbs. as needed to assist with supply delivery to laboratories.

HIPAA Privacy Training and Sanctions

All employees who have access to health information whose confidentiality is protected by the HIPAA Privacy Rule are required by the Rule to receive training so that they have an understanding and knowledge of the Privacy Rule that corresponds to their job responsibilities and of the group health plan’s policies and procedures that impact on their job duties.  Training on the requirements of the HIPAA Privacy Rule and the plan’s health information policies and procedures under the direction of the institution’s privacy officer is a pre-requisite for this position.

Employees who violate the requirements of the HIPAA Privacy Rule will be subject to discipline, up to and including termination.