Operations & Engagement Coordinator

About the role

Facilitate operations, administration, communication, and engagement for the Nature Lab by performing a variety of functions, including workshop and event logistics coordination, budget monitoring, calendar, task, and agenda management, project coordination, financial transactions, data tracking, and annual reporting. Responsible for layout and transmission of Nature Lab communications and outreach using a range of platforms including social media, email, newsletters, and website, to document, publicize, and promote the Nature Lab’s collections, services, and activities.

Responsibilities

• Coordination of Workshops and Events
  • Work with input from the Director and on-campus stakeholders to coordinate and organize an ongoing schedule of workshops and events relevant to the Nature Lab mission, balanced with other NL activities throughout the year.
  • Oversee logistics: scheduling of meeting rooms and venues, catering arrangements, setting up and paying contracts, arranging sign-ups, and obtaining necessary supplies, equipment, and/or materials in collaboration with the Director and Nature Lab staff.
  • Correspond with speakers/organizations and other RISD departments to facilitate speaker schedules, payment, and travel arrangements as needed.
  • Coordinate with and incorporate the work of the Regenerative Earth Collective Workshop Assistant in semester and yearly workshop and event planning.
• Communications and Outreach
  • Stay up-to-date on Nature Lab activities and document classes, projects, research, and daily occurrences within the Nature Lab spaces.
  • Gather information from Nature Lab staff to publicize, with Director input and approval, notable Nature Lab advances, events, and workshops by facilitating postings to institutional media channels when appropriate.
  • Create and schedule social media posts.
  • Organize newsletter content and submit for posting to newsletter constituency.
  • Coordinate the posting of on-campus flyers for events and workshops.
  • Hire and supervise graduate student(s) engaged in designing and creating print and online media for the Nature Lab, to be circulated among internal and external audiences.
  • Attend and represent the Nature Lab at RISD Communicator Network meetings.
  • Maintain the Nature Lab website; ensure content is up to date and presented clearly, consistent with other Nature Lab communications materials.
  • Coordinate with Marketing and Communications on incorporation of RISD branding and style guide into Nature Lab communications.
  • Regularly communicate with Marketing and Communications on Nature Lab stories for RISD News.
• Budget and Finance
  • With detailed knowledge of Nature Lab fiscal operations, track departmental and project expenses; create and track purchase orders; prepare check requests; submit expense reports; process payments and invoices; monitor budgets and identify areas of concern and/or opportunity; identify and resolve discrepancies; and maintain subscriptions and renewals.
  • Serve as liaison to the Academic Budgets office on budget monitoring, purchasing, and accounting issues as needed.
  • Process major purchases, payments, and expense approvals.
  • Set up contracts for new vendors and suppliers.
• Operations and Administration
  • Organize calendar for full team meetings and retreats, including agenda framing with the director.