Job DescriptionJob Summary: The Registrar provides strategic, operational, and service leadership for all registrar functions at the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health. The Registrar oversees academic records, registration and enrollment, course and classroom scheduling, grading, degree certification, and compliance with University, School, and external regulations. Working within a decentralized academic environment, the Registrar serves as a key connector across academic departments, central University partners, and offices within the Student Services division.
Reporting to the Associate Dean for Student Services, the Registrar is a key member of the Student Services leadership team and a critical partner to faculty, departmental administrators, and colleagues across the School and University. This role is responsible for managing a skilled and experienced team, including direct supervision of two Senior Associate Registrars and seven total professional and administrative staff, through significant transition and change; leading the implementation and refinement of robust degree auditing infrastructures within My.Harvard; enhancing enrollment management tracking and analytics; and nurturing a student-centered service culture that prioritizes equity, clarity, and responsiveness at every point of contact. The successful candidate will be a collaborative, systems-oriented leader who is energized by complexity and change, committed to excellent day-to-day service delivery and a culture of continuous improvement.
Job-Specific Responsibilities: - Team Leadership and Change Management
- Lead, mentor, and develop a team of professionals, fostering a culture of accountability, collaboration, professional growth, and adaptability. Guide the office through significant operational and technological change, including new system implementations and evolving service delivery methods, while maintaining team morale, clarity of purpose, and high performance. Establish clear roles, responsibilities, and professional development pathways for all staff; conduct regular performance planning, goal setting, and review. Build team capacity through cross-training and documentation, ensuring operational continuity and resilience.
- Partnership with Departmental Academic Administrators
- Build strong, trust-based partnerships with departmental and program-level academic administrators who manage program-specific academic oversight. Convene regular meetings or working groups with departmental partners to coordinate on registration, degree progress, course planning, and policy implementation. Ensure the Registrar's Office serves as a reliable, accessible, and consistent resource for students, faculty, and departmental administrators navigating registrar processes and policy questions. Participate in onboarding and ongoing training for departmental academic administrators, ensuring they have the knowledge and system access needed to serve students effectively within the decentralized model.
- Enrollment Management and Data Analytics
- Lead efforts to enhance the Registrar's Office contribution to enrollment management by developing and maintaining robust, accurate, and timely reporting on student enrollment, registration, retention, and degree progress. Build and maintain enrollment dashboards and standard reports that support decision-making by the Dean's Office, Student Services leadership, and departmental administrators. Partner with the Directors of Admissions and Financial Aid, and other Student Services colleagues to support enrollment planning, yield analysis, and early intervention for students showing signs of academic difficulty. Ensure that enrollment data submitted to external parties, accreditors, and federal and state agencies, is complete, accurate, and timely. Proactively identify opportunities to use data to improve student outcomes, streamline operations, and inform policy development.
- Student-Centered Service Culture
- Serve as an informed, empathetic resource for students navigating complex academic situations, including medical leaves, program transfers, academic standing concerns, and degree completion challenges. Standardize and continuously improve service practices, including communication protocols, response times, FAQs, self-service tools, and front-line staff training. Review and refine student-facing processes, including registration, grading, and records requests, to improve clarity and expand self-service options where appropriate. This includes continuous review and improvement on online content, forms, and resources. Collaborate on integrated student communications, orientations, and information sessions related to registration, academic progress, and graduation. Establish feedback mechanisms to regularly assess student satisfaction with registrar services and identify opportunities for improvement.
- Strategic Planning and Cross-Office Collaboration
- Serve as an active member of the Student Services leadership team, contributing to division-wide strategic planning, problem-solving, and cross-functional initiatives. Collaborate closely with Student Services colleagues in Financial Aid, Student Affairs, Harvard International Office, and Harvard University Health Services, to coordinate processes and provide a seamless student experience during challenging enrollment transitions. Partner with the Dean's Office and Finance on matters relating to enrollment reporting and revenue, student fees, and academic calendar.
- Academic Records, Registration, and Policy Administration
- Oversee the integrity, accuracy, and security of student academic records in compliance with FERPA, University policy, and other applicable regulations. Direct all registration and enrollment processes (e.g., term setup, add/drop, withdrawals, leaves, cross-registration), ensuring clear communication and high-quality service to students, faculty, and staff. Serve as the School's lead for implementing, maintaining, and optimizing a comprehensive degree audit infrastructure within My.Harvard; partner with HUIT and departments to design audit rules, test functionalities, and resolve issues. Develop documentation, training, and communication strategies to support effective use. Manage all academic record functions, including grading, incomplete grades, leaves of absence, withdrawals, and transfer and waiver credit; ensure timely preparation and certification of official transcripts, enrollment verifications, and degree certifications; coordinate calendarized reviews of satisfactory academic progress. Serve as the School's primary authority on academic policies related to registration, records, grading, academic standing, and degree requirements; ensure FERPA compliance and provide guidance and training to colleagues. Partner with Academic Affairs, the Dean's Office, and faculty committees to support the review, development, and communication of academic policy; manage academic calendar development in coordination with relevant University offices. Represent the Chan School in University-wide registrar communities of practice, including the Harvard Registrar Council and relevant my.Harvard user groups.
QualificationsBasic Qualifications: - Bachelor's degree or equivalent work experience required
- Minimum of 8 years' relevant work experience
- Supervisory experience
Additional Qualifications and Skills: - Master's degree in relevant field preferred
- Minimum of 8 years of progressively responsible experience in registrar or related academic administration roles, with at least 3 years in a supervisory capacity.
- Working knowledge of student information systems; direct experience with my.Harvard, PeopleSoft Campus Solutions, or a comparable enterprise system is strongly preferred.
- Deep knowledge of FERPA and best practices in student records management and academic policy administration.
- MS Excel, data visualization tools, such as Tableau, Oracle
- PeopleSoft Campus Solutions
- Vision and Strategic Thinking: Anticipate emerging needs for the School, leading the team through ambiguity, competing priorities, and evolving expectations. Collaborative Partnership: Enthusiasm for working across organizational boundaries and building relationships grounded in trust, respect, and shared purpose.
- Student Centeredness: An authentic commitment to the well-being and success of students, reflected in every aspect of service design and delivery.
- Systems Thinking: Ability to understand how workflows, policies, processes, data, and people interact, and to design thoughtful solutions that serve students. Equity Lens: Consistent attention to whether policies and practices serve all students equitably, with willingness to examine and address barriers.
Additional Information- Standard Hours/Schedule: 35 hours per week
- Visa Sponsorship Information: Harvard University is unable to provide visa sponsorship for this position
- Pre-Employment Screening: Identity, Education, Criminal
Join the Harvard T.H. Chan School of Public Health to support our mission of health research and education, and to be a part of the oldest institution of higher learning in the country!
Work Format DetailsThis position has been determined by school or unit leaders that some of the duties and responsibilities can be effectively performed at a non-Harvard location. The work schedule and location will be set by the department at its discretion and based upon operational needs. When not working at a Harvard or Harvard-designated location, employees in hybrid positions must work in a Harvard registered state in compliance with the University's Policy on Employment Outside of Massachusetts. Additional details will be discussed during the interview process. Certain visa types and funding sources may limit work location. Individuals must meet work location sponsorship requirements prior to employment.
Salary Grade and RangesThis position is salary grade level 059. Please visit Harvard's Salary Ranges to view the corresponding salary range and related information.
BenefitsHarvard offers a comprehensive benefits package that is designed to support a healthy work-life balance and your physical, mental and financial wellbeing. Because here, you are what matters. Our benefits include, but are not limited to:
- Generous paid time off including parental leave
- Medical, dental, and vision health insurance coverage starting on day one
- Retirement plans with university contributions
- Wellbeing and mental health resources
- Support for families and caregivers
- Professional development opportunities including tuition assistance and reimbursement
- Commuter benefits, discounts and campus perks
Learn more about these and additional benefits on our Benefits & Wellbeing Page.
