Friends Program Administrator

Overview

OVERVIEW:

The Friends of Dana-Farber Cancer Institute (DFCI) were founded in 1976 and have raised and donated more than $59 million to fund powerful cancer research and patient care programs at Dana-Farber. We exemplify the Power of Friends through our dual mission: raising funds to support research, patient services, women’s cancer programs, and oncology fellowships and providing services that enhance Dana-Farber’s healing environment, including gift bags for patients undergoing treatment, administration of our world-class art collection, and programs to brighten the holidays for patients and families.

POSITION SUMMARY:

The Program Assistant serves as the Friends’ office manager and receptionist and provides administrative support to the Program Manager, Program Director, Board members, and general membership of the Friends of Dana-Farber. The Friends office consists of a small team working regularly with more than 40 Board members and hundreds of other donors and volunteers to raise funds in support of research and patient care and provide volunteer services that enhance Dana-Farber’s healing environment. The successful candidate will be self-motivated, customer-service-oriented, driven to create efficiencies, able to set firm professional boundaries, and patient with various personalities. Daily activities include: providing administrative support for all Friends programs and events (Patient Services programs, including Art, Patient Gift Bag and Holiday programs; fundraising events, including Friends’ 2026 50th Birthday Year activities; and holiday and general card sales), responding to calls and requests from volunteers and supporters, general bookkeeping, processing gifts, and creating acknowledgement letters and other communications. This position does require occasional evening and weekend hours, in support of fundraising events and patient services activities.

Located in Boston and the surrounding communities, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is a leader in life changing breakthroughs in cancer research and patient care. We are united in our mission of conquering cancer, HIV/AIDS and related diseases. We strive to create an inclusive, diverse, and equitable environment where we provide compassionate and comprehensive care to patients of all backgrounds, and design programs to promote public health particularly among high-risk and underserved populations. We conduct groundbreaking research that advances treatment, we educate tomorrow's physician/researchers, and we work with amazing partners, including other Harvard Medical School-affiliated hospitals.

Responsibilities

• Provides operational and administrative support in the development and implementation of program functions.
• Staffs program meetings including preparing agendas, generating minutes, following up on action items and supporting related program initiatives and projects.
• May be responsible for maintaining program databases, collecting, and analyzing data, and preparing reports to track program progress and outcome.
• Serves as a central point of contact between staff, other departments, and/or external constituencies on day-to-day programmatic, operational, and administrative matters.
• Assists with planning and execution of seminars, meetings, and special projects.
• Triage inquiries and provide general problem resolution related to program with appropriate level of urgency.
• Maintains and manages processes associated with varied programs, projects, and events.
• Prepares documents such as correspondence, reports, presentations, packets.
• May be responsible for promoting the program through various channels such as social media, email newsletters or community outreach efforts.
• Keeps all members of the team up to date with relevant program information.
• May monitor budget, track expenditures/transactions, and handle financial administration projects as it pertains to the program.
• May work on special assignments and projects as needed.

Qualifications

Minimum Education:

High School Diploma required. Bachelor’s degree preferred.

Minimum Experience:

3 years of experience working in a medical or scientific research setting or comparable technology-oriented business environment required.

License/Certification/Registration:

N/A

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, AND ABILITIES REQUIRED:

• Strong written and oral communication skills.
• Proficient knowledge of computer applications including Microsoft Office Suite, Google Suite, Zoom, Adobe.
• Knowledge of trends, issues, and accepted practices relevant to the position.
• Excellent attention to detail skills.
• Exceptional customer service skills and the ability to interact professionally with peers, leadership, and external contacts.
• Must possess the ability to problem solve with minimal guidance, maintain confidentiality, and pay attention to detail.
• Excellent ability to organize, prioritize and follow-through.
• Ability to apply independently a wide variety of policies/ procedures where specified guidelines may not exist.

At Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, we work every day to create an innovative, caring, and inclusive environment where every patient, family, and staff member feels they belong. As relentless as we are in our mission to reduce the burden of cancer for all, we are equally committed to diversifying our faculty and staff. Cancer knows no boundaries and when it comes to hiring the most dedicated and diverse professionals, neither do we. If working in this kind of organization inspires you, we encourage you to apply.

Dana-Farber Cancer Institute is an equal opportunity employer and affirms the right of every qualified applicant to receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, gender identity or expression, national origin, sexual orientation, genetic information, disability, age, ancestry, military service, protected veteran status, or other characteristics protected by law.