Program Assistant 2

Northwestern University; Evanston (IL); On-site; USD 36,057 - 50,699; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health, dental, and vision insurance

Paid vacation and holidays

Retirement savings options

Job summary

Northwestern University seeks a Program Assistant to provide administrative support in the Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising in Evanston, Illinois. The role includes scheduling advising appointments and supporting academic processes. Ideal candidates will have 2 years of administrative experience and a high school diploma. Excellent communication skills and attentiveness to detail are vital. Opportunities for remote work are available. Comprehensive benefits package offered.

Qualifications

• Requires 2 years of administrative support experience.
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines with attention to detail.
• Prior experience in higher education administration is a plus.

Responsibilities

• Schedule student advising appointments in centralised online system.
• Provide front-line reception for students and faculty.
• Compile routine reports for advisers and deans.

Skills

Intermediate knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs

Strong oral and written communication skills

Excellent attention to detail

Demonstrated excellence in customer service

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Bachelor’s degree or equivalent (preferred)

Tools

Excel

Access

Outlook calendaring

Acrobat Pro

Job description

Job ID: 53714

Location: Evanston, Illinois

Department

WCAS Administration

Salary/Grade

NEX/10

Job Summary

This position provides administrative support to the academic operations and programs of the Weinberg College Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising ("OUSA"). In particular, it supports 21 faculty College advisors and the Assistant Dean for Academic Advising and is responsible for scheduling student advising appointments, scheduling adviser coverage for daily drop‑in advising shifts and supplemental advising related to key academic deadlines, and providing administrative support for academic processes and procedures.

The program assistant is part of the staff team that handles frontline reception across the OUSA’s two buildings. As a primary point of contact for students, faculty, staff, parents, and others who call or visit the Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising, the ability to problem‑solve, multi‑task, and attend to detail‑oriented administrative work while also providing a positive customer service experience is vital to this role. Additional responsibilities may include serving as backup for other staff within the unit and providing extra support for OUSA‑run events, particularly during new student orientation and end‑of‑year celebrations.

This is a full‑time, 37.5 hours per week position with the opportunity to work remotely 1–2 days per week. The schedule is subject to change during some weeks depending on the business needs of the office. Occasional evening and weekend hours may be required for special events.

The target hiring range for this position will be between $36,057 – $50,699 per year, which is $18.42 – $25.90 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant’s education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

Specific Responsibilities

Documents & Databases

• Compiles routine reports such as transcripts and other reports to the Advisers, Deans and Assistant Director of OUSA based on their needs
• Train and assist Advisers in ConnectNU
• Updates student records when students declare a major or minor, including coordinating with faculty and staff in departments and following up with students and advisers on issues
• Schedules and tracks Interschool Transfer requests, as well as fielding adviser and student questions about the process
• Tracks Dual Degree add/drops requests, as well as fielding adviser and student questions about the process
• Logging Time Conflicts
• Point person for International Test Credit petitions, both logging and answering questions
• Responsible for electronically filing student forms on a monthly basis

Scheduling

• Schedules individual student advising appointments in centralised online advising system
• Schedules adviser coverage for daily drop‑in appointments and expanded advising prior to key academic deadlines

Communications

• Provides front‑line reception in person and by phone to students, faculty, and others; answers questions and/or guides students and others to the correct office.
• Triages student emails to general department accounts, follows up with students as needed, and answers standard inquiries.
• Understands and interprets Weinberg and University policies and processes to provide guidance to students and others.
• Forwarding language requirement exception petitions to the appropriate person, and fielding questions about the process and timeline.
• Makes edits and updates to the Weinberg website per staff request.

Miscellaneous

• Provide support to student and faculty events like Phi Beta Kappa Ceremony and faculty meetings.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• A high school diploma or its equivalent along with 2 years of administrative support experience is required.

Minimum Competencies

• Intermediate knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs is required, in particular: Excel, Access, Outlook calendaring, and Acrobat Pro.
• Prior experience updating websites through content management system.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Ability to prioritize and work successfully in a busy open office environment.
• Ability to multitask and meet deadlines with excellent attention to detail.
• Demonstrated excellence in customer service.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree or its equivalent.
• Previous experience in higher education administration.

Benefits

At Northwestern, we provide health, dental, vision, disability, and life insurance; paid vacation and holidays; paid medical/sick and parental leave; tuition benefits for the employee and dependents; pre‑tax and flex spending accounts for commuting and dependent care; generous retirement savings options; and wellness programs. For a comprehensive overview of available benefits, visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more.

Work-Life and Wellness

Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life’s challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles. We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more.

Professional Growth & Development

Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you’re interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. For additional information on the accommodations process, visit https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/accommodations.html.