Assistant Director, African Studies Program - Walsh School of Foreign Service

Located in a historic neighborhood in the nation's capital, Georgetown offers rigorous academic programs, a global perspective, exciting ways to take advantage of Washington, D.C., and a commitment to social justice. Our community is a tight knit group of remarkable individuals interested in intellectual inquiry and making a difference in the world.

Requirements

The Walsh School of Foreign Service (SFS), founded in 1919, is a premier school of international affairs. SFS provides a rigorous education grounded in both theory and practice while instilling the Jesuit value of service. Father Edmund A. Walsh, S.J.’s vision was a school that would prepare students for all major forms of foreign representation — official and unofficial, governmental and private sector, whether commercial, financial, consular or diplomatic.

The Assistant Director manages administrative operations, financial transactions, events, and communications for the African Studies Program (AFSP), and provides academic support to AFSP faculty. Additional duties include, but are not limited to:

Events Management

• Manage AFSP events, including, but not limited to, conferences, lectures, VIP visits, book talks, recognition ceremonies, receptions, and lunches.

• Negotiate contracts with vendors, working with the SFS Procurement Analyst to ensure timely submission and approval of contracts.

• Reserve venues that are appropriate for the size and type of event, and in a timely manner.

• Generate advertisements, invitations, and associated correspondence, creating/updating mailing lists.

• Manage events from setup to cleanup, coordinating with media, student groups, or any other organization involved in the event.

• Coordinate with SFS Communications on media for events, and coordinate with the University Office of Communications on protocol and security.

• Arrange all aspects of visitor’s needs, including transportation and lodging and honorarium payment, as appropriate.

• Coordinate with other departments or external groups for events in which AFSP is a partner or participant, handling any other duties as related to the planning of an event.

Communications and Outreach

• Create, maintain, and promote content on the AFSP website and update social media on a daily, weekly and/or monthly basis, working closely with SFS Communications on technical issues.

• Assist the Director with building a content marketing strategy for AFSP.

• Prepare and publish various promotional materials, newsletters, and annual reports for AFSP.

• Work closely with the SFS Communications team on visual identity, branding, and events that will generate media coverage. 

• Collect data on AFSP activities across different units at Georgetown University for reporting purposes and in preparation for grant opportunities.

• Work closely with the Director and the SFS Director of Alumni Engagement on alumni initiatives.

• Manage communications with AFSP board members and serve as primary board contact for administrative matters.

Program Administration

• Manage student employee(s), serving as Timekeeper in GMS and monitor student hours to ensure they remain within budget.

• Work with the SFS Finance team on AFSP financial transactions, including requisitions, contracts, reimbursements, expense reports, ProCard reconciliation, and related payments and transactions.

• Participate in budget preparation and expense tracking, initiating pre-approval steps for purchasing requests as directed by SFS policy.

• Prepare supporting documentation for all AFSP academic appointments for adjuncts, visiting, and regular faculty, as well as post-docs, working with the SFS Manager of Faculty Affairs.

• Assist the Director in fundraising activities and program representation.

• Serve as the Departmental Technology Representative, recommending changes to departmental technology and informing staff and faculty about issues as appropriate. 

Academic Program Administration and Faculty Support

• Coordinate all aspects of relevant study abroad in Africa for students and faculty, including, when appropriate, program preparation, student recruitment, orientations, budget planning and management (as appropriate), and faculty support.

• Advise students on course selection, conduct audits of transcripts (in consultation with academic deans), and lead recruiting and outreach events for the Under