Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation’s finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are:

The Eugene M. Lang Center for Civic and Social Responsibility facilitates Swarthmore College’s commitment to intellectual rigor, ethical engagement, and social responsibility by connecting the curriculum, campus, and communities, including proximate communities of Chester and Philadelphia; more distant community partners around the country and globe; and the community of scholars and practitioners who share knowledge and best practices regarding ethical action and civic engagement. The Lang Center connects the College’s curricular excellence with engagement in all of those communities using an approach that we identify as Engaged Scholarship.

The opportunity:

The Lang Center for Civic & Social Responsibility is an international leader in “engaged scholarship” and citizenship education, housed within internationally recognized Swarthmore College and home to over 20 signature citizenship education programs. The Lang Center seeks an organized, detail-oriented, and flexible team player to provide operational and program support for our many established programs. This position will work to broaden the Lang Center’s reach and usefulness among Swarthmore College students, faculty, and staff, and to develop the Lang Center’s mission in accordance with higher education best-practices. The position requires collaborative work with the Lang Center Directors and Executive Director to support faculty, staff, students, and community partners in three major areas: 1) general administrative support; 2) coordination of and support for the Lang Center’s multiple programs; and 3) operations and budget coordination.

Essential Responsibilities

• Budget Management: Oversees budget preparation, tracks expenditures, and provides quarterly financial reports to the Executive Director. As needed, processes financial transactions including reimbursements, honoraria, funding transfers, and vendor payments (20%)
• Program Support: Provides support for a variety of Lang Center programs, including the Lang Opportunity Scholarship program, Civic Scholars, Faculty-Led Programs, CoLab and others. Support includes outreach to students, hosting information sessions, communications and publicity, and other duties as assigned in collaboration with program administrators. (20%)
• Student Mentorship/Oversight/Advising: Hires and helps to train and mentor a large group of student workers for multiple programs (Lang Center Associates, Dare2Soar, Chester Semester, Social Innovation Lab Associates), and approves those student workers’ timesheets. (20%)
• General Office Duties: Manages mail distribution, office supplies, equipment, and facility maintenance and repair requests. (10%)
• Data and Systems Management: Maintains Lang Center funding database, Engaged Scholarship Map, Lang Opportunity Scholars program database, assists with digital content updates on the Lang Center’s website, liaises with ITS to optimize program delivery, and assembles data annually to track student and faculty engagement). (10%)
• Staff Support: Schedules regular staff meetings, books space, and generally helps coordinate staff schedules. (10%)
• Event Planning and Coordination: Manages event logistics and coordinates space reservation requests, catering, transportation, and AV needs for all Lang Center events in collaboration with other staff. (10%)

Who you are:

• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills, with the ability to engage diverse groups.
• Willingness to adapt and learn new tools and processes;
• A positive, can-do, “Yes, and” attitude.

What you bring:

Required Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree from an accredited institution of higher education with 3-5 years of relevant experience in an academic administrative environment, or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities independently with strong organizational and time-management skills.
• Proficiency with Google Suite, Excel, and other standard office software.

Preferred Qualifications

• Background in higher education, engaged scholarship, community engagement, or a related field.
• Experience with digital design tools such as Adobe Suite, Constant Contact, and Canva.
• Familiarity with database management and website updating platforms like Drupal.
• Knowledge of specialized software such as Chrome River, Workday, Access, or Banner.

What You Will Get:

You’ll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.

We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).

The market range for this position is $29.00-$36.00 per hour, which represents the College’s good faith and reasonable estimate of the range at the time of posting. The salary offered is determined based on factors including, but not limited to, experience and education of the final selected candidate, departmental budget availability, internal salary equity considerations, and available market information.

PA Criminal Clearance Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.

Education Verification Required by Position

An education verification is required for this position because a college degree is a required qualification for this position.

Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee’s salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.

2026 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook

Retirement Plans

Tuition Grant Program

Tuition Reimbursement Program

Paid Time Off (Staff)

Holiday Schedule

Swarthmore College is committed to creating a culture of respect and inclusion so that every member of our community feels a sense of belonging. We actively seek and welcome candidates with diverse perspectives and experiences, exceptional qualifications, and a demonstrable commitment to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate based on any identity or characteristic protected by law or College Policy.