Executive Director

The Department of Physics at Harvard is large and diverse in its research interests. With 10 Nobel Prize winners to its credit, the distinguished faculty of today engages in teaching and research that spans the discipline and defines its borders, and as a result Harvard is consistently one of the top-ranked physics departments in the nation.

The Department's greatest resources are the people that fill its classrooms, labs, and offices, as well as state-of-the-art facilities. For undergraduate concentrators, graduate students, and postdoctoral researchers, Harvard features a complete range of opportunities to engage in world-class physics from theoretical to the experimental.

Research in the Department seeks to explore and explain fundamental questions that range from understanding the origin of the universe, including string theory, cosmology, and astrophysics, to understanding the visible world of colloids and the world on an ever diminishing scale, from the mesoscale to the nanoscale, condensed matter, and atomic, molecular and particle physics.

With more than 40 affiliated faculty members, 34 staff, 150 undergraduates, 200 graduate students, and 120 postdoctoral fellows, the Physics Department has a lively intellectual environment, and emphasis is placed on teaching and preparing students to be at the forefront of the next generation of physicists.

The Executive Director reports directly to the Faculty Department Chair with a dotted line to the Administrative Dean for the Science Division and is a strategic partner to the Faculty Chair regarding staff operations and overall department management.

This position is critical and essential to the operations of the department providing leadership, direction and oversight of overall departmental administration functions and operations. This includes review of budget and expenses, continued review of expense reductions and management of remote sites. Oversees senior administrative leadership team responsible for local HR, finance, sponsored programs, graduate and undergraduate programs, faculty affairs, space planning, etc. Collaborates with Science Div. & FAS to ensure activities, projects and initiatives are in line with mission and policies. Supports the Chair with regard to renovation and allocation of office and lab space. Facilitates communication among the Chair, Physics faculty, administrative staff, FAS and university administration.

This position leads the department in the development and implementation of best practices, strategic and operational objectives and is responsible for all department functions including: budget and business operations, human resources, sponsored research administration (pre/post), faculty and academic affairs, student services, research policy and compliance, faculty support services, laboratory safety, liaises with IT support services. Will be instrumental in playing a key role on the Diversity Inclusion and Belonging (DIB) Committee as well as partnership, collaboration and facilitation in the implementation of DIB tools, resources, events, education for faculty, staff and students. This position will work closely with Physics faculty regarding any fiscal, operational and administrative items as needed and analyze and synthesize information, produce reports and make recommendations to the department chair and other division, school and university leaders as necessary. Contributes to committees and collaborative working groups. Liaises with other Harvard units, including the School of Engineering, and Applied Sciences and outside organizations and may coordinate joint ventures. Serves as Chief Safety Officer for the department.


Job-Specific Responsibilities

Research and Teaching: Support the overall mission of the physics department of producing the highest quality research and teaching through a vibrant collaboration of faculty, staff, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students, and undergraduate students.

Human Resources: Builds, develops and manages a highly effective, innovative, and diverse team which includes supervisory oversight either directly or indirectly for over 40 departmental staff consisting regular, term and temp employees. Also leads, communicates, and monitors Physics performance expectations. Provides staff development and mentorship. Communicates and monitors performance expectations. Ensures compliance with Harvard and FAS policies and procedures. Trains, develops and mentors staff and addresses performance and employee relations issues.

Finance/Sponsored Research Management: Working in collaboration with FAS Finance, oversee the overall financial management of Physics department, including: financial reporting, the annual budget process, system of internal control, implementation of University wide and FAS policies and procedures, stewardship of Physics restricted resources, and implementation of new financial and administrative systems and long term financial planning. Serves as Dean designate on grant applications.

Education: Oversees administrative support for faculty in all aspects of management of the graduate and undergraduate programs. Administrative liaison between the faculty, graduate students and leaders of the Graduate & Postdoc Council.

Faculty and Academic Affairs: Supports faculty decision making regarding searches, recruitment, offers, promotions, annual reviews, and mentoring within the tenure-track ranks; oversees appointments and management of non-tenure-track appointments.


Additional Information

FAS is committed to cultivating not only the diversity of our faculty, staff, and students but also in developing an inclusive culture that is vibrant, engaging and encouraging of innovation as well as intellectual debate. We believe creating and maintaining an inclusive workplace allows employees from all backgrounds and walks of life to achieve their fullest potential. We also believe an inclusive culture is one that accepts, values and views as strength the difference we all bring to the workplace.Basic Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree required, an academic degree in physics or related science field is preferred.
• A minimum of ten years of increasingly responsible experience in an academic or research environment.
• Financial, budgetary, management and supervisory experience.

Additional Qualifications and Skills


Established record of effective leadership in organizations with complex governance structures, with a proven record establishing innovative programs, practices and initiatives. Significant experience and responsibility developing and managing the administrative activities of a complex intellectually based organization within a university. Strong communication skills, both written and verbal are essential. Successful applicants must have excellent interpersonal skills, clear judgment, and the ability to work effectively in a group environment. Experience developing, coaching, and supervising a diverse staff to promote an environment of collaboration, inclusivity and belonging among teams and organizations. Previous experience having worked with students both at the undergraduate and graduate level as well as having knowledge of and familiarity with student issues and concerns.

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