What is a Project Manager at Amherst College?

A Project Manager—often designated as a Program Coordinator within specific departments like the Center for Humanistic Inquiry (CHI) or the Queer Resource Center (QRC)—serves as the operational backbone of Amherst College’s specialized academic and student-life hubs. These roles are not merely administrative; they are strategic execution positions that ensure the College’s mission of intellectual engagement and radical inclusivity is translated into daily reality. You will be responsible for the lifecycle of programs that define the Amherst experience, from high-level academic conferences to critical student support initiatives.

In this role, your impact is measured by the seamless delivery of complex events and the efficient management of departmental resources. Whether you are coordinating a national search for research fellows or managing the digital presence of a resource center, you are the primary point of contact for faculty, students, and external partners. Your work allows the College to maintain its leadership role among elite liberal arts institutions by fostering a culture where diverse perspectives and rigorous inquiry can thrive without operational friction.

Success in this position requires a unique blend of logistical precision and high-level emotional intelligence. You will navigate a decentralized environment, collaborating with the Controller’s Office, Human Resources, and various academic departments. For a candidate who thrives on variety—moving from budget reconciliation to event publicity and student mentorship in a single afternoon—this role offers the opportunity to drive meaningful change within one of the most prestigious educational environments in the United States.

Common Interview Questions

The following questions are representative of what you may encounter. They are designed to test your operational readiness and your ability to navigate the unique cultural landscape of a liberal arts college.

Operational and Situational

These questions test your ability to execute the core functions of the role under pressure.

• "Describe a time you had to manage a project with many moving parts and a tight deadline. How did you stay organized?"
• "If a guest speaker’s travel is delayed two hours before an event, what steps do you take?"
• "How do you prioritize your tasks when you have a budget report due and a student group needs immediate event support?"
• "Tell us about a time you identified an error in a financial document. How did you resolve it?"

Behavioral and Collaboration

Amherst values how you work with others, especially across different campus demographics.

• "Give an example of how you have collaborated with someone whose working style was very different from your own."
• "How do you handle feedback from a supervisor when it conflicts with your own perspective on a project?"
• "Describe a situation where you had to lead a meeting or a project without having formal authority over the participants."

Mission and Inclusion

These questions assess your alignment with the College's commitment to diversity.

• "What does 'inclusive programming' mean to you in the context of a resource center?"
• "How do you ensure that the communications you create (newsletters, flyers) reach a diverse audience?"
• "Tell us about a time you advocated for an inclusive practice in your workplace."

Getting Ready for Your Interviews

Preparation for the Project Manager interview at Amherst College requires a dual focus on your technical operational skills and your alignment with the institution's core values. You should approach your preparation by reflecting on how your past experiences demonstrate both "hard" project management results and "soft" community-building outcomes.

Operational Stewardship – This criterion focuses on your ability to manage the "nuts and bolts" of a department. Interviewers evaluate this by asking about your experience with budget maintenance, invoice processing, and facility scheduling. You can demonstrate strength here by providing specific examples of how you have improved a workflow or caught an error in a complex financial report.

Stakeholder Collaboration – At Amherst, nothing happens in a vacuum. You will be assessed on how you navigate relationships with faculty directors, student staff, and administrative offices. Demonstrate your ability to communicate effectively across hierarchies and build consensus when project goals overlap with other departments.

Commitment to Diversity and Inclusion – As a leader in diversifying its student body, Amherst College expects every staff member to contribute to an affirming environment. Interviewers look for more than just "awareness"; they want to see how you have integrated inclusive practices into event planning, communications, and resource distribution.

Adaptability and Initiative – Many of these roles are "casual" or fixed-term, requiring you to hit the ground running during periods of transition. Show that you are a self-starter who can manage a high volume of tasks—from social media updates to national fellow searches—with minimal supervision while maintaining a high degree of accuracy.

Interview Process Overview

The interview process at Amherst College is designed to be thorough and collaborative, reflecting the committee-based decision-making culture common in higher education. You can expect a process that values both your professional expertise and your potential "fit" within the specific center or department. The pace is generally steady, with a focus on ensuring that all key stakeholders—including faculty directors and sometimes student representatives—have an opportunity to weigh in on the selection.

Initially, you will likely engage in a screening conversation to verify your experience with the core administrative and financial requirements of the role. Following this, the process moves into more intensive interviews where the focus shifts toward situational judgment and mission alignment. Amherst values candidates who are not only task-oriented but also deeply curious about the College’s academic and social ecosystem.

The visual timeline above outlines the typical progression from the initial application review to the final offer. Candidates should use this to pace their preparation, focusing on broad experience in the early stages and shifting toward specific departmental problem-solving as they reach the committee interview.

Deep Dive into Evaluation Areas

Event and Logistics Management

Planning and execution are at the heart of the Program Coordinator role. You are expected to manage every detail of "salons," guest speaker series, and conferences.

Be ready to go over:

• Vendor Coordination – Managing outreach, travel logistics, and hospitality for external guests.
• Space Management – Navigating campus reservation systems and optimizing the use of departmental facilities.
• On-site Troubleshooting – Handling last-minute issues during live events, including evening and weekend support.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Walk us through your process for planning a multi-day guest speaker event with a $5,000 budget."
• "How do you handle a situation where two high-priority events are scheduled for the same space simultaneously?"

Financial and Administrative Stewardship

Accuracy in financial processing is a non-negotiable requirement. You will act as the liaison between your department and the Controller’s Office.

Be ready to go over:

• Budget Tracking – Maintaining operating budgets and special funds with high attention to detail.
• Invoice Processing – Ensuring timely payment and proper documentation for all departmental expenses.
• Recruitment Support – Coordinating administrative tasks for national searches, such as managing fellow applications.

Example questions or scenarios:

• "Describe your experience with accounting software and your method for ensuring 100% accuracy in budget reports."
• "How do you manage competing administrative deadlines, such as a payroll deadline coinciding with a major event?"

Digital Presence and Communication

You will be the "voice" of the center, responsible for both internal newsletters and external social media engagement.

Be ready to go over:

• Content Creation – Drafting newsletters (e.g., via Mailchimp or similar) and creating flyers for campus promotion.
• Website Maintenance – Using Content Management Systems (CMS) to keep departmental information current.
• Social Media Strategy – Leveraging platforms to increase engagement among students and faculty.

Advanced concepts (less common):

• Accessibility standards for digital communications (WCAG).
• Analyzing engagement metrics to pivot outreach strategies.
• Crisis communication protocols for identity-based centers.

Key Responsibilities

As a Project Manager at Amherst College, your day-to-day will be a blend of high-level coordination and hands-on execution. You are the primary engine behind the Center for Humanistic Inquiry (CHI) or the Queer Resource Center (QRC), ensuring that the Director’s vision is implemented effectively.

Your primary deliverable is the successful execution of the department’s calendar. This involves not just the "day of" logistics, but the months of preparation leading up to it: securing speakers, managing travel, and designing the publicity materials that drive attendance. You will also serve as a vital link for Registered Student Organizations, providing them with the logistical support and resource coordination they need to host their own initiatives.

Collaboration is a constant. On any given day, you might work with:

• Faculty and CHI Fellows to provide research and administrative support.
• Shared Services and the Controller to reconcile accounts and process invoices.
• Student Staff to facilitate meetings and ensure the daily operations of the resource centers (like the QRC Resource Cabinet) are maintained.

Beyond events, you drive the administrative lifecycle of the department. This includes maintaining the website, archiving event records through photography and documentation, and managing the physical office environment. In roles like the CHI Coordinator, you also play a critical role in the Folger Fellows Program and national searches, acting as the primary point of contact for high-level academic candidates.

Role Requirements & Qualifications

To be competitive for a Project Manager or Program Coordinator position at Amherst, you must demonstrate a balance of technical proficiency and the ability to work within a highly collaborative, mission-driven environment.

• Technical Skills: Proficiency in Microsoft Office (especially Excel for budgeting) is required. You must also show the ability to learn new software quickly, such as Workday for HR/finance and various CMS platforms for website management. Social media experience is highly valued for outreach roles.
• Experience Level: Most roles require 2–4 years of related experience. Experience in a higher education context or an identity-based center is a significant advantage, particularly for roles within the QRC.
• Soft Skills: Excellent interpersonal and written communication skills are essential. You must be able to work independently ("take initiative") while also being a seamless collaborator who can support student-led programming.

Must-have skills:

• High degree of accuracy and attention to detail in financial tasks.
• Proven organizational and time management skills.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive environment for LGBTQ+ and diverse communities.

Nice-to-have skills:

• Experience with national recruitment or search committee administration.
• Photography and digital archiving skills.
• Familiarity with the Amherst College campus and its specific administrative resources.

Frequently Asked Questions

Q: How much preparation time is typical for this role? A: Successful candidates usually spend 5–10 hours researching the specific center (CHI or QRC), reviewing Amherst’s recent strategic initiatives regarding diversity, and preparing "STAR" method stories for behavioral questions.

Q: What differentiates successful candidates in these "Casual" roles? A: The ability to show immediate "plug-and-play" capability. Since these are often fixed-term or part-time, the committee looks for someone who won't need extensive training on basic administrative or financial tasks.

Q: Is there a path to permanent employment from a "Casual" position? A: While these roles are officially fixed-term and do not guarantee a permanent spot, they are excellent ways to gain "inside" experience and visibility within the Amherst administration, which can be beneficial when permanent roles open up.

Q: What is the culture like at the Center for Humanistic Inquiry or the Queer Resource Center? A: These are high-engagement, mission-driven environments. The culture is intellectually rigorous but deeply supportive, with a strong emphasis on student agency and faculty collaboration.

Other General Tips

• Know the Center's Calendar: Before your interview, look at the current events listed for the CHI or QRC. Referencing a specific upcoming or past event shows you have done your homework and are genuinely interested in their work.
• Highlight "Soft" Project Management: In higher ed, "Project Management" often looks like "Relationship Management." Emphasize your ability to nudge busy faculty members for information or mentor student staff without being overbearing.
• Be Clear on the "Casual" Status: These roles often come without benefits and have specific hour caps (e.g., 15–19 hours or 35 hours). Confirm your understanding of this early to show you are aligned with the position's structure.

Summary & Next Steps

The Project Manager (Program Coordinator) role at Amherst College is a vital position that sits at the intersection of academic excellence and operational efficiency. By taking on this role, you become a facilitator of the College’s most important conversations, ensuring that the Center for Humanistic Inquiry or the Queer Resource Center remains a vibrant, well-oiled machine. Your ability to manage budgets, coordinate complex logistics, and communicate across a diverse campus community will directly impact the quality of the student and faculty experience.

As you prepare, focus on demonstrating your "operational heart"—the blend of meticulous detail-orientation and a passion for the College’s mission. Use the evaluation areas and example questions provided in this guide to refine your narrative. Candidates who can prove they are ready to handle the administrative rigors while contributing to an inclusive campus culture will stand out.

The salary range for these roles typically falls between $19.00 and$27.00 per hour, depending on the specific center and the "casual" vs. "fixed-term" nature of the contract. When discussing compensation, remember that these figures reflect the specialized, part-time nature of the work within the Amherst ecosystem. Focused preparation is your best tool for demonstrating that you bring the high-level skills necessary to justify the top end of the range. Good luck—your contribution to the Amherst College community starts with this preparation.