CBL Community Planning Grant

Job no:
Position type: Staff Part Time
Benefit Status: Non-Benefited – Non-Union
Campus: UMass Lowell
Department: Kennedy College of Sciences
Salary: Anticipate $30-$35/hour
Applications Open: Jan

Applications Close:

General Summary of the Position:

UMass Lowell is leading a community planning project to strengthen the local STEM ecosystem for girls and women in Lowell. In partnership with Lowell High School, Greater Lowell Technical High School, and the Boys & Girls Club of Greater Lowell, the planning period will build a shared understanding of barriers to girls' math readiness and STEM persistence; gather local input through listening sessions, focus groups, and surveys; co-design a pilot pathway that couples math skill development with engaging STEM experiences; and develop a full proposal for a larger community STEM grant.

The Project Coordinator is responsible for day-to-day coordination of the planning grant, including scheduling and logistics, partner communication, documentation, and draft deliverable development. The Coordinator will help keep the work on-track across multiple partners and workstreams, support ethical and organized data-collection processes, and ensure timely preparation of planning outputs (e.g., meeting notes, draft pilot framework, draft evaluation/metrics framework, and proposal components).

Duties include:

1. Project Coordination & Governance Support

• Maintain the overall project plan and timeline for the grant planning period; track tasks, owners, and deadlines.
• Coordinate governance and accountability structures (meeting cadence, agendas, decision logs, roles/responsibilities).
• Prepare and circulate agendas, pre-reads, and follow-ups; capture action items and ensure timely completion.
• Maintain organized shared drives/folders and version control for key documents, drafts, and data instruments.

2. Convenings, Workshops, and Community Engagement Logistics

• Plan and coordinate up to four convenings (workshops, focus groups, or mini-retreats) including scheduling, room setup, materials, and accessibility needs.
• Coordinate participant logistics across partners participants per convening), including calendars, reminders, sign-in processes, and feedback collection.
• Support recruitment and coordination for listening sessions and focus groups with girls, families, educators, and youth staff (in collaboration with partners).
• Support culturally responsive and multilingual engagement logistics (e.g., interpretation/translation coordination as available).

3. Data Discovery & Evaluation Coordination

• Coordinate with the data collection and analysis consultant/graduate research assistant to support survey and focus group implementation.
• Support partner data coordination and basic data governance workflows (e.g., secure storage, de-identification practices, disaggregated reporting needs).
• Compile inputs and draft summaries to support two feedback sessions reviewing findings with partners.
• Assist in building a shared metrics framework (diagnostics, confidence measures, participation indicators) aligned to planning goals.

4. Proposal & Pilot Framework Development Support

• Support development of a ready-to-launch pilot framework that aligns evidence-based student success practices with school and community contexts.
• Draft and/or coordinate inputs for proposal components (narrative sections, work plan, roles, improvement cycle, and reporting routines).
• Coordinate partner review cycles and consolidate edits; maintain up-to-date working drafts and templates.
• Support preparation of presentation materials for internal and partner-facing reviews.

5. Communications, Administrative, and General Grant Support

• Serve as a point of contact for scheduling and routine communications with partner representatives and internal stakeholders.
• Support procurement/ordering and tracking of approved supplies and materials within grant guidelines (in coordination with supervisor).
• Maintain documentation for participation, convenings, and project outputs; support end-of-grant reporting preparation.
• Perform other related duties as assigned consistent with the scope of the planning grant.

Minimum Qualifications (Required):

Education:

• Bachelor's degree required; degree in education, public policy, social sciences, STEM, business, or related field preferred.

Experience:

• 2+ years of relevant experience coordinating projects or programs in higher education, K-12, youth development, community-based organizations, or a related setting.
• Experience working with cross-sector partners and coordinating meetings, events, and deliverables across multiple stakeholders.
• Experience supporting community-engaged work with attention to equity, culturally responsive practice, and accessibility.

Skills:

• Strong project management skills: planning, prioritization, documentation, follow-through, and deadline management.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to translate complex information into clear agendas, notes, and draft materials.
• Ability to manage sensitive information with discretion and maintain organized records and secure files.
• Comfort working with data collection logistics (e.g., surveys, focus group scheduling, basic data hygiene) and coordinating with evaluation staff/consultants.
• Proficiency with collaboration and productivity tools (e.g., Microsoft Teams/Outlook/Office; shared drives; spreadsheet and presentation software).

Additional Considerations: (If applicable)

• Master's degree preferred.
• Bilingual/multilingual ability (spoken and/or written) preferred; experience coordinating interpretation/translation is a plus.
• Experience with survey tools (e.g., Qualtrics) and/or qualitative data collection support preferred.
• Knowledge of STEM pathway programs, math readiness interventions, mentoring models, or student success practices is a plus.

Special Instructions to Applicants:

Initial review of applications will begin immediately and continue until the position is filled. However, the position may close when an adequate number of qualified applicants is received.

This is a part-time, temporary, non-unit, non-benefited position anticipated until May 2026. Position has the option to be extended annually until 2029, pending successful first term evaluation.

Please include a resume and cover letter with your application. Names and contact information of three references will be required during the application process.