Office Administrator, Expanded Education

The New England Conservatory, an independent not-for-profit institution, is recognized internationally as a leader among music schools, educating and training musicians of all ages from around the world. With approximately 750 music students representing more than 40 countries, NEC cultivates a diverse, dynamic community for students, providing them with performance opportunities and high-caliber training by 225 internationally esteemed artist-teachers and scholars. NEC pushes the boundaries of making and teaching music through college-level musical training in classical, jazz, and Contemporary Improvisation. It offers unique interdisciplinary programs such as Entrepreneurial Musicianship and Community Performances & Partnerships that empower students to create their own musical opportunities. As part of NEC's mission to make lifelong music education available to everyone, the Division of Expanded Education delivers training and performance opportunities for children, pre-college students, and adults.

Job Summary

The Office Administrator for Expanded Education is a core operations partner supporting the New England Conservatory's non-degree programs, including NEC Prep, Adult Education, and Summer Programs. This role ensures the smooth functioning of financial and administrative systems across Expanded Education, serving as a hub for internal coordination and high-level customer service.

Reporting to the Chief Growth Officer, this position manages key business operations, including payroll, invoicing, contract tracking, and internal budget monitoring. The Office Administrator also provides calendar support to the CGO and plays a lead role in maintaining smooth communication with faculty, staff, students, and families.

This is a strategic administrative role with broad institutional visibility and responsibility. The ideal candidate will bring business acumen, a service-oriented approach, strong communication skills, and the ability to manage complex workflows independently.

Responsibilities

Business Operations & Financial Administration

• Process faculty payroll in partnership with the Payroll and HR teams; manage monthly reconciliation in ASAP and ADP, including substitute and training payments.

• Monitor faculty compliance with required training for payroll eligibility.

• Manage invoice processing and vendor payments; track expenses and provide timely reconciliation against internal budgets.

• Serve as EE liaison with the NEC Business Office to coordinate financial/enrollment reporting, invoicing, and collection on student accounts

• Issue and track faculty contracts; maintain accurate records of receipt, exceptions, and changes.

• Prepare financial and enrollment reports to support division-wide planning and analysis.

Administrative & Calendaring Support

• Provide professional administrative support to the Chief Growth Officer: manage calendars, coordinate meetings and events, maintain documentation, and draft communications.

• Coordinate internal meetings and support communications with the EE faculty council and program leadership.

• Maintain accurate records for contracts, payroll, registration, and internal procedures to support smooth operations.

Community & Faculty Engagement

• Serve as a point of contact for faculty, staff, students, and families; respond promptly and professionally to inquiries.

• Respond to phone calls, emails, voicemails, and inquiries submitted through the Expanded Education ticketing system; assign or escalate as appropriate to ensure timely service.

• Provide support to the Expanded Education Enrollment Team; serve as the primary processor for Expanded Education private lesson registrations.

• Partner with program and enrollment teams to ensure a consistent, high-quality experience for all students and families.

• Contribute to a positive office culture centered on service, integrity, and community care.

Other Duties

• Serve as an operational liaison between Expanded Education and internal departments (Business Office, HR, Payroll, Enrollment, etc.).

• Contribute to ongoing systems improvements and documentation of business processes.

• Support special projects and initiatives at the discretion of the CGO.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent experience in business operations, administration, higher education, or arts management.

• 2-4 years of experience in payroll, finance, or operational administration (higher education or nonprofit strongly preferred).

• Familiarity with business systems, including ASAP, ADP, and CRM tools such as Slate, as well as strong proficiency in Excel and Google Workspace.

• Exceptional organizational skills and attention to detail.

• Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently in a fast-paced environment.

• Professional, warm, and responsive communication skills.

• High level of discretion and ability to manage confidential information.

• Commitment to inclusive, student-centered service practices.

• A good sense of humor is a plus.

NEC is an Equal Opportunity Employer that recruits and hires qualified candidates without regard to race, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, age, national origin, ancestry, citizenship, disability, or veteran status.

Annual Clery Report

In accordance with the federal Clery and Campus SaVE Acts, New England Conservatory of Music (NEC) commits to providing all current and prospective students and employees with access to the annual Campus Security and Fire Safety Report. This report will provide the reader with a record of statistics regarding crimes that were reported in the NEC community during the previous three years as well as College policies and procedures, in compliance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act. This report may be accessed here. A paper copy can be requested by contacting NEC's Director of Public Safety at 290 Huntington Ave, Boston, MA 02115.