The program coordinator job description is one of the most complex in the industry. From organizing, communicating, planning and executing, including budgeting and other financial responsibilities, this professional has to do it all.
If you enjoy billing, building business relationships, and scheduling, then becoming a program coordinator may be something that you want to look in to.
The aspiring candidate for the program coordinator job must possess numerous specific personal qualities and skill sets. He/she must also fulfill the necessary educational requirements and some mandates related to experience also have to be met.
Job Overview: What Does a Program Coordinator Do?
In short, a program coordinator oversees the staff members, budget, and procedures to make sure the program is implemented correctly and successfully.
The program coordinator job description usually involves a lot of billing and scheduling. Building business relationships with other groups is also a part of the job. Working primarily in the field of healthcare and universities, the program coordinator job description for non-profit activities involves a wide array of Human Resources (HR) and administrative tasks.
This professional’s duties include tasks from monitoring the working hours, workloads, and vacation times of staff members to tracking billing payments and raising the necessary funds for the program. Duties also include making sure the project remains on track, both time-wise and money-wise. This job description is an extended one, with a variety of tasks to be completed.
Program Coordinator Job Description Overview
Required Education: Bachelor’s degree
Necessary Skills: Problem-solving, critical thinking, detail-oriented, organized, clear-spoken, leadership, listening, written communication, social
Work Environment: In-office traditional hours. Some travel may be required
Similar Jobs: General/operations manager, account manager, office manager, marketing coordinator, program manager
Program Coordinator Job Duties
Depending on the type of setting in which the job takes place, the usual responsibilities that befall anyone with the program coordinator job description change drastically. Primary responsibilities for this job vary greatly depending on the type of project the professional is handling.
General
- Implement policies and practices
- Support planning and coordination of program and its activities
- Manage communications (media relations, social media)
- Maintain budget and track expenses
- Schedule and organize meetings/events
- Help build positive relationships within team
- Prepare paperwork
- Order supplies
- Ensure technology is utilized properly
- Support growth and program development
- Keep updated records
Healthcare
- Scheduling and caring for patients
- Mentoring the staff and organizing paperwork
- Monitoring staff workloads and productivity
- Communicating with administrators and other higher-ups
Non-Profit
- Rallying the members and raising funds
- Spreading information about the organization and forming collaborative partnerships
- Implementing new curriculum programs and coming up with long-term and short-term plans
- Being the link between all members of the organization and initiating talks with other organizations
University
- Managing university policies and performing outreach tasks
- Organizing and coordinating fundraisers
- Making sure that the goals and curricula are met
- Recruiting faculty and students
- Communicating and collaborating with alumni and with outside professionals: other universities, community businesses
Program Coordinator Job Essential Skills
There are several personal skills and qualities everyone aspiring for the program coordinator job description should have and include in their program coordinator resume.
Leadership Skills. A great program coordinator must have excellent leadership skills to manage his projects and team properly. Being adaptable when working with different types of people is also essential. He/she must have social grace and self-motivation to fulfill all tasks.
Organizational Skills. A well-organized program coordinator must always pay attention to details and think ahead. Being a critical thinker and being able to work under stress are also crucial for this profession.
Administrative Skills. This professional must be good with numbers and must have good office and clerical skills. Also, being a problem solver is vital.
Interpersonal Skills. It is mandatory to have active listening skills, as well as the ability to relate to the people they interact with. Excellent verbal and written communication skills are equally important for the job.
Becoming a Program Coordinator
Officially speaking, a high school diploma is the minimum amount of education which one needs to get the program coordinator job. However, in the current job market, most employers want more from their future employees than just to have graduated high school.
Most people working in the field, whether they have the youth program coordinator, the residency program coordinator, the education program coordinator, or the academic program coordinator job description, have to manage budgets, track schedules, and implement the programs.
Qualifications and Training
In most cases, it’s normal for the program coordinator job description to require a bachelor’s degree or at least a technical specification in a certain discipline. These disciplines usually vary depending on the type of setting the aspiring program coordinator is going for.
While it’s still optional, any candidate with one of these specialties and certifications has a far better chance of getting the job after an interview compared with a junior that has no experience in the field. However, most Universities offer related classes, which any new high-school graduate can take.
Work Experience
Most employers prefer their candidates to have at least some experience in the industry in which they want to get hired. So, usually a candidate with any amount of experience in an industry has a better chance of getting a job than a candidate that worked as a program coordinator before, but in a different sector.
It is not all that difficult to get experience relevant for the position. Many internships offer potential employees the possibility of getting their necessary job experience. For example, somebody can start off having some clerical duties, thus gaining enough skills and knowledge to become a program coordinator.
Working Hours
Since program coordinators are the ones that are responsible for the entire team’s schedule, they can usually dictate their own working hours – to a certain degree, at least. The program coordinator work week is often around 30 or 40 hours long. Although, it can change depending on the state of each project.
The 30 or 40 hour work week can be far shorter during the off-season. Also, particularly intense period of large workloads can even yield a 50-hour work week. There usually are no working weekends or holidays, and overtime depends on how well the program is being coordinated.
Salary: Program Coordinator, Non-Profit
According to Payscale, the average salary for a program coordinator of a non-profit is $42,043. Salaries range from $32,000 to $59,000. Of course, your salary will depend on your experience, skills, and how long you’ve been working there.
Salary: Program Coordinator, Education
According to Payscale, the average salary for a program coordinator in the education field is $45,498. Salaries for this range from $34,000 to $63,000. Again, salary will depend upon experience, skills, and years with the company.
Job Outlook & Advancement Opportunities
Being in the age of innovation, more and more people are developing their entrepreneurship skills. Therefore, more program coordinators are needed to manage newly implemented projects.
In fact, the projections are so good that the rate of employment will go up 21% by 2022. And with the low levels of education required for the program coordinator job description and the ability to get experience on the job, the prospects for this job are favorable for the future.
Conclusion
With one of the most versatile positions in management, anyone with the program coordinator job description can expect a lot of responsibilities and hard work to go into their day-to-day tasks. With a positive career outlook and great job opportunities, getting a job as a program coordinator has never been so easy and lucrative. For future promotions, this professional can aim to become a program manager or a project manager.
Leave a Reply