Program Administrator

Paving the future of cancer research requires creative and driven individuals who think differently about solutions to fundamental challenges blocking progress for cancer patients. Break Through Cancer (BTC) is a new type of foundation that empowers outstanding researchers and physicians to intercept, as well as find cures for the deadliest cancers by stimulating radical collaboration. BTC began in 2021 as a collaboration between five participating institutions (Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, Johns Hopkins Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center, MIT’s Koch Institute for Integrative Cancer Research, The University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, and Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center). Over the last five years, BTC-supported teams have grown to include scientists and clinicians from more than 15 institutions.

Focused on several of the deadliest cancers initially glioblastoma, acute myelogenous leukemia, ovarian cancer, and pancreatic cancer, BTC-funded project teams are creating new approaches to revolutionize cancer interception, accelerating the pace of drug approval by bringing the worlds of preclinical and clinical science together to support learning in patients, incentivizing radical collaboration between academia and industry, and investing in software and technologies that will enhance data sharing and analysis between institutions.

Break Through Cancer seeks an organized and enthusiastic Program Administrator to report to the Chief Operating Officer. The Program Administrator will be an integral member of a collaborative, committed Science Team (e.g., Science Programs and Data Science teams). The position is based in Cambridge, MA. Employees are expected to be onsite a minimum of 3-4 days per week.

Primary Responsibilities

·        Provide administrative support to the Chief Science and Chief Operating Officers (CSO, COO), which may include proactive calendar management, meetings, meeting preparation, drafting/editing correspondence, following-up on meeting-related actional items to ensure appropriate follow-through is in place, etc.

·        Lead the planning, coordination, and execution of executive-level scientific governance meetings and committees (e.g., Scientific Advisory Board, Technology Review Committee, and other cross-functional leadership forums), including agenda development, stakeholder communication, logistics management, preparation of presentation materials, meeting facilitation support, documentation of key decisions, and tracking of post-meeting action items to drive accountability and informed decision-making.

·        Serve as a key operational partner for Salesforce implementation and optimization across the Science Portfolio, supporting the Foundation’s use of Salesforce as the central system of record for grant and portfolio management. Partner with internal stakeholders to improve data integrity, reporting capabilities, workflow efficiency, grant lifecycle tracking, and operational transparency across funded initiatives.

·        Support the Science Team in the coordination and execution of pre-award activities for new and emerging TeamLab initiatives, including organizing scientific workshops, brainstorming sessions, investigator engagement activities, and cross-functional planning efforts that advance program development and collaboration.

·        Partner closely with cross-functional teams including Development, Finance, Events, Communications, and external stakeholders to coordinate complex scheduling needs, ensure seamless execution of virtual and in-person meetings and events, and support organizational priorities across the Foundation.

• Attend and help support the planning and execution of the annual Break Through Cancer Summit, including coordination with researchers, institutional partners, and invited guests to help foster radical collaboration across the Break Through Cancer community.

·        Other duties and responsibilities as assigned.

Qualifications

A minimum of 4 years of administrative experience or equivalent for a Program Administrator; bachelor’s degree; ability to anticipate, prioritize, organize, and manage multiple projects simultaneously; a proactive approach to problem solving; excellent interpersonal, written, and oral communication skills; accuracy and keen attention to detail; ability to function efficiently despite frequent interruptions and deadline pressures; discretion, tact, and ability to manage confidential information; ability to work independently and as part of a team.

Must be proficient with Mac OS, Microsoft Office Suite including MS Teams, Slack, and Adobe Suite; willing to learn new applications as necessary. Experience with Salesforce is strongly preferred. The ideal candidate will be flexible, comfortable with ambiguity, and have a strong interest in cancer research.