Optica is recruiting for a Student Outreach Coordinator. This position is part of a team specializing in providing unique and impactful mentorship, training and professional development programming, as well as topic-focused schools, grants, prizes, and recognitions for students and early-career members of a science and engineering society. 

Main responsibilities focus on ensuring a high level of customer service and problem-solving related to our programs, primarily as associated with the facilitation of any application screening, acceptance and notification process; financial processing and tracking; maintenance of program websites and event travel and logistics coordination.

This position requires an organized, deadline-driven, self-directed, energetic, solution-orientated and entrepreneurial-minded individual. Our team moves fast, shifts directions to meet priorities, and takes and advantage of unanticipated opportunities.

RESPONSIBILITIES:

1. Serves as a central point of contact between students, faculty, staff, other departments, and/or external constituencies on day-to-day programmatic, operational, and administrative matters related to student and early-career opportunities.
2. Provides specialized administrative support in the development, implementation, and marketing of programs/projects.
3. Supports grant documentation and distribution for various programs via our grants database.
4. Maintains program/project records, researches information and gathers data; prepares special and/or one-time reports, summaries, or replies to inquiries, selecting relevant data from various sources.
5. Management of an annual auditing process to ensure applicants comply with minimum membership and activity requirements and regular communication.
6. Manages all program data within various databases. Data management includes overseeing the annual process of updating member records through reporting and maintaining backup records on the shared drives.
7. May perform specialized activities of a programmatic nature in direct support of the accomplishment of program objectives.
8. Audit and manage internal and external program-focused websites for accuracy and adherence to brand guidelines and policies.
9. Assists in the development and maintenance of information on Optica.org related to areas of responsibility.
10. Responds to requests for information and provides guidance and problem resolution.
11. May travel to major Optica meetings in support of member and student-focused programs.

SKILLS AND ABILITIES:

• Customer service first approach to job duties and functions.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Strong project management and problem-solving skills.
• Strong organizational skills with keen attention to detail.
• Ability to reprioritize and maintain workload balance as part of a dynamic and innovative team.
• Excellent ability to establish and build relationships and comfort with interacting with all levels of the organization—including the executive team, member volunteers, and external vendors.
• Technical: Grants Database (Survey Monkey Apply), Microsoft Office Suite (in particular Excel, and PowerPoint) and HTML preferred.
• Some travel required (up to three trips annually)

EDUCATION AND EXPERIENCE:

• Four-year college degree required.
• Minimum of two years of professional experience with knowledge of project management, data management and financial processing.
• Experience at a professional society or trade association preferred.
• Customer or member service-oriented experience required; association membership experience preferred.
• Experience with meetings or event planning, especially operations, budget, and programming preferred.

Located in the Dupont Circle neighborhood of Washington, DC, Optica, formerly OSA, offers a competitive salary and excellent benefits. Send resume, cover letter, and salary requirements to resumes@optica.org.