Assistant Director, One Stop Student Service Center

The New School; Chicago (IL); On-site; USD 74,000 - 75,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

EAP

Retirement plan

Transit benefits

Paid vacation & sick leave

Tuition waiver

Employee discounts

Job summary

The New School is seeking an Assistant Director for the One Stop Student Service Center to lead student-facing support across billing, financial aid, enrollment verification, transcripts, and forms, delivering high-quality service and driving process improvements.

You will supervise student assistants, manage knowledge-base and AI tools, coordinate counselor schedules, and partner with Financial Aid, Registrar, and Student Accounts to ensure accurate, timely, and friendly assistance.

Qualifications

• Education: Bachelor's Degree required.
• Experience: At least four years in higher education with frontline student support.
• Skills: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; attention to detail; proofreading.

Responsibilities

• Provide student service via email, phone, and in-person meetings regarding billing, financial aid, student records, and housing.
• Troubleshoot and resolve a wide variety of student issues to point of resolution.
• Supervise the student assistant team; create schedules and provide ongoing feedback.
• Maintain and update policies in Guru and the AI platform; ensure accuracy of student-facing information.
• Coordinate counselor schedules and assist Director with training materials and resource guides.

Skills

Interpersonal skills

Communication skills

Attention to detail

Proofreading

Problem-solving

Leadership

Education

Bachelor's Degree

Tools

Banner

Google Workspace

Microsoft Office

TouchNet

Slate

Call center systems

Job description

Join The New School At The New School, we redefine the boundaries of education, creativity, and innovation. Founded in 1919 and located in the heart of New York City, we are home to over 9,000 students from over 100 countries, offering more than 135 degree and diploma programs across our renowned colleges, including Parsons School of Design, The New School for Social Research, Eugene Lang college of Liberal Arts, Parsons Paris, and the College of Performing Arts. Our progressive, interdisciplinary approach has earned us recognition as one of the most forward-thinking institutions in the world.

The One Stop Student Service Center team provides high quality customer service to support students' academic and financial objectives. The team's partners are Financial Aid, the Registrar's Office, the university Retention Initiative, and Student Accounts. One Stop Counselors are cross-trained to assist with questions and requests regarding billing, payment, financial aid, enrollment verification, transcript ordering, and completion of forms. The team provides assistance in-person, by phone, and by email. The Assistant Director reports to the Director in delivering exceptional service while driving operational improvement. This role balances student-facing support, leadership, knowledge management, and process innovation. The ideal candidate is comfortable assisting students directly, supervising Student Assistants, and streamlining workflows. Success in the role requires a student service orientation, kindness, accuracy, meticulous attention to detail, and enthusiasm for system improvement.

CORE CAPABILITIES, PRIMARY DUTIES, AND RESPONSIBILITIES

Student Service & Coverage

• Provide support to students via email, phone, and in-person meetings regarding billing, payment, financial aid, student records, and housing.
• Troubleshoot and resolve a wide variety of student issues to point of resolution.
• Develop and maintain a comprehensive understanding of the University's policies and procedures in relation to financial aid, billing, payment, registration, and student records, and demonstrates strong ability to explain and effectively counsel students on navigating these processes.
• Document history of each student service interaction in Banner or Stellic.
• Provide outstanding customer service to students and families, approaching every encounter professionally and with a welcoming and caring attitude.
• Serve as primary backup to the Director; assume Director responsibilities during Director's absences, including decision-making on urgent escalations and team coordination.

Student Assistant Supervision & Development

• Recruit, hire, train, and manage the student assistant team; create schedules in collaboration with campus partners.
• Assign tasks, set performance expectations, provide ongoing feedback, and conduct regular one-to-one meetings.

Knowledge Base & AI Student Service Platform Management

• Assist Director in revising, and updating policies and procedures in Guru, our knowledge base, and also in our AI platform to ensure accuracy and completeness.
• Collaborate with Director, Counselors, and partner offices to maintain current, student-facing information.
• Monitor AI agent responses for accuracy and thoroughness; identify gaps or errors requiring correction.
• Ensure that information in knowledge base is accurate, relevant, and reflective of current institutional practices and regulations.
• Maintain documentation of changes and version control.

Counselor Training & Development in Coordination with Director

• Assist Director in developing training materials, resource guides, and tip sheets for Counselor team.
• Assist Director with the coordination and management of counselor schedules to ensure appropriate coverage, operational efficiency, and effective student support.

Workflow Improvement & Process Automation

• Identify inefficiencies in current workflows and recommend improvements.
• Explore opportunities to automate routine tasks using Google Workspace tools (Forms, Sheets, Flow) and other automation tools to reduce manual work and improve accuracy.
• Document processes and create standard operating procedures.
• Assist Director with data analysis on service metrics (volume, response time, resolution rate, escalation rate, student satisfaction).

QUALIFICATIONS

• Education: Bachelor's Degree required.
• Experience: At least four years in higher education, and supervisory experience in a fast-paced, data-driven frontline student support team with multiple service channels is a plus.
• Skills: Exceptional interpersonal and communication skills; attention to detail; strong proofreading skills.
• Customer service orientation: Genuine commitment to helping students solve problems with kindness and efficiency.
• Excellent problem-solving skills.
• Technology proficiency: Interest in learning new platforms and tools.
• Strong facility with Banner, Google Workspace, Microsoft Office, and experience with TouchNet, Slate, and call center systems is preferred.
• Mentor and Leadership; Demonstrated ability to manage, develop, and provide feedback to Student Assistants.

WORK MODE

This position is primarily in-person and is based on campus to support effective in-person collaboration and engagement. Hybrid work arrangements may be considered on a case-by-case basis, depending on the nature of the role and operational needs. Any such arrangement must be discussed and approved in advance by the appropriate division lead or their designee.

SALARY RANGE

$74,300 - $75,300 per annum

WHY JOIN US?

This is an extraordinary opportunity to work closely with a visionary leader and contribute meaningfully to a forward-thinking institution that's reshaping the future of higher education. You'll be at the nexus of strategy, operations, and innovation in a role that grows with your impact.

BENEFITS AT THE NEW SCHOOL

The New School is committed to supporting the well-being and success of our faculty and staff. We offer a comprehensive benefits package designed to meet the diverse needs of our employees and their eligible dependents. Highlights include:

• Health & Wellness Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage
• Employee Assistance Program (EAP)
• Financial Wellness
• Retirement plan administered by TIAA
• Qualified Transportation Expense Plan
• Work-Life Balance Paid vacation and sick leave, with accruals starting on your first day
• Paid holidays and floating holidays
• Workmode & Telework Policy (if applicable)
• Professional Growth Career advancement and professional development opportunities
• Access to university programs, lectures, and events featuring world-renowned speakers and organizations
• Tuition waiver benefit for eligible employees and dependents
• Additional Perks Employee discounts with local vendors and service providers

Since our founding in 1919, The New School has redrawn and redefined the boundaries of intellectual and creative thought as a preeminent academic center. At our university, students have the academic freedom to shape their unique, individual paths for a complex and rapidly changing world. As a New School employee, you will be a part of the university's mission to prepare and inspire students to bring about positive change in the world.

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

The New School recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce. We look forward to receiving your application!

We are an equal opportunity employer and do not discriminate in hiring or employment on the basis of race, color, creed, religion or belief, national or ethnic origin, citizenship status, marital or domestic partnership status, sexual orientation, sex, gender identity or expression, age, disability, military or veteran status, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state, or local law.

The New School recognizes and values the benefits of a diverse workforce.