The Liu Institute for Asia and Asian Studies, a part of the Keough School of Global Affairs, provides a forum for integrated and multidisciplinary research and teaching on Asia. It supports innovative projects that actively combine teaching, research, and social engagement, creating a unique model of rounded education on Asia. The Institute also promotes general awareness, understanding, and knowledge of Asia through organizing public events and supporting student and faculty scholarship and engagement with partners in Asia.

The Program Manager for Research and Strategic Initiatives is a professional who will oversee all activities related to the Institute’s research programming, including research themes and working groups. The Program Manager for Research and Strategic Initiatives will work with Notre Dame faculty, external research collaborators, and administrative and communications staff to implement and promote programming.

Key Responsibilities:

WORKING GROUPS LEAD: This position is responsible for working with faculty leads for all working groups to convene events and private meetings for the working groups, approximately four meetings/events per semester per working group. This includes overseeing travel, itineraries, food, student meetings, and other details. This role is responsible for using the Emma platform to effectively communicate between the working group leaders and working group members and occasional public communications. The Program Manager is responsible for developing and managing the plans and budgets for convenings related to the working groups. Current working groups are the Chinese Working Group, South Asia Working Group, Southwest Asia and North Africa Working Group, and Graduate Asia Working Group. It is important for this role to fully understand nuances related to these regions as well as have an understanding of how the regions and working groups fit into the larger scope of Asian studies, Liu Institute programming, and University themes and programming.

RESEARCH THEMES LEAD: Manage all activities related to the Institute’s current organizing theme of Justice and Asia, as well as themes in development. Organizing themes are meant to strengthen individual and interdisciplinary research and build the Institute’s reputation. Activities related to each theme include, but are not limited to, evaluating and monitoring research grants and corresponding reports; coordinating postdoctoral fellows and visiting professors whose research aligns with a theme; providing strategic direction for events related to a theme, such as the Justice and Asia Distinguished Lecture, research presentations, workshops, individual lectures, and book discussions; working with the Institute’s Senior Communications Specialist on relevant publicity and other communications; maintaining records of internal and external researchers, projects, events, and related data to be used in reports and presentations; generating activities to strengthen and support each theme, as well as performing related duties that are not covered here. The position requires creativity and self-direction, especially in finding opportunities to expand the thematic clusters and related activities.

STRATEGIC RELATIONSHIPS: A critical aspect of this role is cultivating and managing strategic relationships with key institutional partners in Asia. The Liu Institute is working toward strengthening and/or establishing stable partnerships with institutes and centers in Asia in order to increase exchange among faculty and students. This includes fostering strong connections with Notre Dame Global representatives across the region. Occasional travel to Asia is expected, especially in conjunction with faculty fellows and/or alumni who are connected to institutions of higher education in Asia.

GRANT EVALUATION: The Program Manager will assist in evaluating student, faculty, and theme-related grant applications. In collaboration with the Senior Program Manager for Finance and Administration, this position will assist in the collection of application materials, answering questions, preparing decision letters, ensuring post-grant reports are received, and maintaining compliance throughout the award cycles. In addition, the Program Manager will actively engage with updating and building Liu Institute project management systems to ensure internal access to programming data. The Program Manager will build and maintain an international database of scholars researching and publishing in Asian studies fields, and create and maintain an archive of Liu Institute research programming activities and participants past and present.

OFFICE SUPPORT AND TEAMWORK: As part of a growing team, the Program Manager for Research and Strategic Initiatives will support team members and collaborate on projects outside those listed here. The Program Manager will gain comprehensive knowledge of the administrative processes that underpin program implementation at the Liu Institute and Keough School, build professional relationships across the School, and make contributions to process improvement. In particular, the role will assist and serve as the primary backup to the Senior Office Coordinator in office management duties. The Program Manager will attend and contribute regularly in staff meetings. The Institute has been mindful to build an environment that thrives on collaboration and respect whose team members thrive on supporting each other, and the position will contribute to that environment.

The Program Manager reports to the Associate Director of the Institute. This position will follow the Keough Schools policy in regards to remote work which allows for one remote day per week during the academic year and two days per week during the summer break.

Education: Bachelor’s degree (4 years)

Experience: 1 to 2 years

Skills: