Assistant Director, Graduate Studies (HR Title: Advisor II)

About the role

The Assistant Director of Graduate Studies (Master’s and PhD Programs) plays a central role in supporting the Department of Economics’ graduate programs and advancing their continued growth and success.

Responsibilities

• Advise 75–100 students on academic planning and course selection to ensure degree requirements are met.
  • Coordinates with the Undergraduate Advisor, Department Administrator, and the Moody School of Graduate and International Students Office to support timely graduation and address administrative and visa matters.
• Collaborates with the Directors of Doctoral and Master’s Studies to recruit and retain high-quality graduate students, enhancing the academic excellence of the department and university.
  • Responds to applicant inquiries regarding admissions and degree requirements and develops and updates recruitment materials, including web and social media content, to promote graduate programs.
• Works closely with the Director of Doctoral Studies to facilitate the PhD job market process.
  • Manages letters of recommendation for PhD job market candidates, including alumni, updates candidate information on the departmental website, organizes mock interviews, and designs systems to maintain a historical record of PhD job placements.
• Cultivates and maintains relationships with potential employers to support both Master’s and PhD student employment opportunities.
  • Develops and expands the Master’s and/or PhD internship programs, organizes and hosts employer information sessions, alumni lectures, and creates a web and social media presence to engage and attract prospective employers for graduate students.
• Manages departmental website content, working closely with the Directors of Doctoral and Master’s Studies to ensure graduate program information is current and accurate for prospective students.
  • Develops new content with an emphasis on showcasing students to potential employers.
• Works closely with the Department Administrator and Director of Doctoral Studies to project and manage the PhD stipend budget.
  • Prepares graduate student contracts, processes scholarships, stipends, and health insurance awards, and approves payroll for hourly student workers.
• Ensures all work authorizations and payroll request forms are submitted and approved in a timely manner.
  • Aids graduate students in meeting all deadlines and requirements related to dissertations and graduation by preparing and submitting necessary documentation.
• Serves as a key liaison among faculty, students, and university offices, including the Moody School of Graduate and Advanced Studies, Registrar, Payroll, and International Student and Scholar Services.
  • Supports graduate student orientation and transition into the program, meets with graduate students to provide guidance, gathers feedback from PhD students on program strengths and areas for improvement, and remains informed on research related to graduate student mental health to help support student well-being.
• Collaborates with the Directors of Doctoral and Master’s Studies to support program assessment and accreditation efforts.
  • Collects, records, and maintains assessment data throughout the academic year, uploads required information into assessment management systems, and ensures reports are completed and submitted in a timely manner.
• Develops and maintains systems to track PhD student publications, conference presentations, and job placements, while also managing a database of Master’s student employment outcomes.
  • Collects and analyzes graduate student data to support departmental reporting and program assessment.
• Maintains relationships with Master’s and PhD alumni to support ongoing engagement and track career outcomes.
  • Performs other miscellaneous duties such as organizing the Ph.D. alumni conference and the department’s brown bag seminar.

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s is required.
• A minimum of 4 years of experience is required.
• Prior experience includes: higher education, administrative support, advising, supervisory or leadership, budgeting, project management or website content management.