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Our team is growing! We are looking for mission-driven people who want to make a difference in the humanitarian field globally.

We are currently hiring for the following positions. Application instructions are found at the bottom of each individual posting.

Professional Opportunities

Student Opportunities

Event Office Assistant

About the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative

The Harvard Humanitarian Initiative (HHI) is a university-wide academic and research center in humanitarian crisis and leadership. HHI is an affiliated program with the Division of Global Emergency Care and Humanitarian Studies at the Brigham Health Emergency Department and based at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health (HSPH) Department of Global Health and Population. As an Inter-Faculty Initiative, HHI collaborates closely with all Harvard Schools and Harvard Teaching Hospitals and is the primary humanitarian outreach arm of Harvard University. The mission of the Harvard Humanitarian Initiative is to create new knowledge and advance evidence-based leadership in disasters and humanitarian crisis. HHI was founded in 2005, with the aim to promote interdisciplinary dialogue in pressing humanitarian issues, advance the science and practice of humanitarian response worldwide, and improve the lives of communities in war, conflict, and natural disasters.

About the Position

HHI has an opening for a student to serve as an Event Office Assistant to support event planning for HHI’s anniversary in 2025. The student will report to the HHI Executive Director and Manager of Administration, and work closely with HHI faculty, staff, and other Harvard-wide offices.

This position is responsible for general communications and event coordination duties, including, but not limited to the following:

  • Provide event logistical support for HHI-wide communication activities related to HHI’s 20th Anniversary in 2025 such as webinars, conferences, seminars, award ceremonies, student activities, etc.
  • Coordinate anniversary event logistics such as book rooms, schedule meetings, take notes, contact vendors, order catering, organize prep calls, greet guests, issuing guest passes, etc.
  • Organize meetings and travel logistics
  • Assist in maintaining content for HHI’s social media and other communication outlets such as website, flyers, brochures, videos, etc.
  • Update databases, filing systems, and listserves
  • Perform other duties as assigned

Basic Qualifications

  • Work-study student preferred
  • Experience supporting faculty and staff within a fast-paced office setting preferred
  • Experience planning events and handling communications
  • Comfortable multi-tasking and working independently with little supervision
  • Excellent oral and writing skills
  • Strong computer and technical skills, experience using MS Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint), AI, Adobe Creative Cloud, Zoom, and Dropbox preferred
  • Detail oriented, self-motivated, and excellent interpersonal and organizational skills

Compensation: $18-$21/hour

Number of Hours per Week: 5-10 hours per week

Job Start date: As soon as possible, applications will be reviewed on a rolling basis.

Time Frame: May 2024-December 2024 with the possibility of extending to December 2025. Students must be available through spring, summer, and fall 2024 semesters.

Location of Job

This is a hybrid position, with a few required hours a week on Thursdays at the HHI office on 14 Story Street, in Cambridge, Massachusetts, depending on class schedule, and other possible hours on other days in the office as needed.

How to apply: Please send your CV/resume to Matilda Matovu, HHI Manager of Administration at mmatovu@hsph.harvard.edu.