Student Services Assistant, ILR Graduate Office

Cornell University; City of Ithaca (NY); On-site; USD 36,000 - 42,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health benefits

Tuition assistance

Job summary

Cornell University is seeking a Student Services Assistant for the ILR Graduate Office in Ithaca, NY. You will support graduate admissions, student services, events, and day-to-day operations in a fast-paced environment.

You will be the first point of contact for students and visitors, coordinating appointments, managing records, and assisting with program administration while upholding confidentiality and compliance standards.

Qualifications

• Associate degree or equivalent experience in an office setting.
• Experience providing professional, confidential customer service.
• Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Support graduate admissions, recruitment, and student services activities.
• Coordinate events, orientations, and campus visits.
• Maintain office systems, calendars, and records with discretion.
• Assist with forms, degree planning, and independent study requests.
• Ensure timely processing of purchases and reimbursements.

Skills

Customer service

Written communication

Verbal communication

Interpersonal skills

Organization

Microsoft Office

Discretion with confidential material

Meeting deadlines

Education

Associate degree or equivalent experience

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

Job description

Student Services Assistant, ILR Graduate Office

About The ILR School

Since our founding in 1945, the ILR School has advanced labor, employment, and management studies nationally and internationally through teaching, research, and outreach. As the leading institution for the social sciences of work, we examine both organizational effectiveness and the human experience in the workplace, addressing the critical global challenges of our time. Our expertise spans emerging workforce issues including arbitration and dispute resolution, collective bargaining, global labor supply chains, fair pay and equity at work, workplace safety and HR analytics, climate change and green jobs, compensation, and artificial intelligence and the future of work. Our students learn about labor-management relations, conflict resolution, labor law and policy, economics, human resource management, and organizational behavior through our undergraduate, graduate, and professional programs.

The Opportunity

Are you passionate about helping students succeed? Do you enjoy building relationships, solving problems, and keeping complex operations running smoothly?

The ILR Graduate Programs Office is seeking a highly organized, service-oriented, and collaborative Student Services Assistant to support graduate students, prospective students, faculty, and staff across a broad range of program administration and student support functions . This role is ideal for someone who thrives in a fast-paced environment, excels at balancing multiple priorities, embraces opportunities to learn and grow, and takes pride in creating a welcoming, supportive, and positive experience for others.

As a key member of our Graduate Programs team, you will serve as one of the first points of contact for students and visitors, helping to shape the experience of prospective applicants, admitted students, and current graduate students. You will support admissions, student services, events, academic programs, and day-to-day office operations while working closely with colleagues across the university.

Support Graduate Admissions and Recruitment:

• Serving as a primary point of contact for applicants and prospective students across ILR graduate programs
• Responding to inquiries regarding admissions requirements, deadlines, application processes, and program offerings
• Reviewing applications for completeness and following up regarding missing materials
• Completing admissions system processes, including application tracking, reviewer assignments, and status updates
• Assisting with recruitment activities, open houses, student visits, graduate fairs, and yield events
• Monitoring application progress and providing admissions updates to the Graduate Programs team
• Supporting compliance with university policies related to admissions, privacy, and student records
• Serving as the primary contact for student, faculty, staff, alumni, visitor, and vendor inquiries
• Assisting students with academic and administrative processes, including forms, degree planning, course waivers, and independent study requests
• Coordinating appointments, meetings, agendas, and team communications
• Coordinating processes related to student spaces such as locker assignments, mail distribution, and space ordering needs
• Maintaining office systems, listservs, shared inboxes, Canvas sites, and student records
• Handling confidential information with discretion and professionalism

Coordinate Programs and Events:

• Coordinating logistics for orientations, residential sessions, commencement activities, student events, professional development programs, and campus visits
• Coordinating event scheduling, room reservations, catering, materials, and vendor coordination
• Communicating program and event information through multiple channels
• Supporting student appointment and hiring processes
• Processing purchases, reimbursements, purchasing transactions, contracts, and related documentation
• Managing relationships with office vendors and service providers
• Contributing to special projects and initiatives as needed

Professional Development and Continuous Improvement:

• Stay informed about best practices in student services, graduate admissions, and student engagement
• Learn and adapt to new technologies, systems, and university processes
• Participate in professional development opportunities and required compliance training

Join us in creating an outstanding experience for graduate students and helping them succeed from admission through graduation!

What We Need

• A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.
• Experience in and/or demonstrated commitment to supporting diversity, equity, access, inclusion, and wellbeing.
• Associate’s Degree with 2-4 years of relevant experience in an office or service setting; or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• Ability to cultivate and develop inclusive and equitable working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and community members.
• Excellent professional office skills, including: written and verbal communication, interpersonal and customer service, organization, Microsoft Suite (Outlook, Outlook Calendar, Word, PowerPoint, Excel, and others), meeting expected deadlines, exercising discretion and making judgments independently of direct supervision, management of highly sensitive, confidential material, attention to detail in order to plan, organize, and coordinate a high volume of projects, events, and special assignments.
• Must be available to work Memorial Day weekend to participate in, and support, commencement activities, as well as a commencement each July, also occurring on a weekend.

It Would Be a Bonus if You Have Any of the Following

• Event planning or project coordination experience.
• Prior experience in a high-traffic academic setting working with students and faculty.
• Prior experience working with web-based editing tools for website management.
• Knowledge of and- experience working with- social media platforms.
• Prior experience working with Salesforce and CollegeNet or other customer relationships management (CRM) system
• Familiarity with managing small scale budgets (such as event budgets), financial accounts, financial transition forms such as voucher, travel reimbursements, and financial reports.
• Knowledge of- or strong confidence in learning- Cornell on-line systems: KFS Dashboards, I Want Doc, Purchase Order, e-SHOP, Concur, PeopleSoft, and 25Live.
• Demonstrated history and continued commitment to Cornell University’s ideals and “Staff Skills for Success”.

Important Notes About Applying

• A cover letter and resume outlining your interest and how your experience and goals align with the potential for mutual success in the role are required for consideration.
• This position is fully onsite and located on Cornell’s campus in Ithaca, NY.
• There is no relocation assistance available for this position.
• There is no visa sponsorship available for this position.

Rewards and Benefits

• This position is fully onsite and located on Cornell’s campus in Ithaca, NY.
• Cornell receives national recognition as an award-winning workplace for our health, wellbeing, and sustainability.
• Our benefits programs include comprehensive health care options, generous retirement contributions, access to wellness programs, and employee discounts with local and national retail brands. We invite you to follow this link to get more information about our benefits: Understand Your Benefits | Working at Cornell .
• Our leave provisions include health and personal leave, three weeks of vacation and 13 holidays: Martin Luther King, Jr. Day, Memorial Day, Juneteenth, Independence Day, Labor Day, Thanksgiving and the day after, and an end of the year winter break from December 25-January 1. To offer greater flexibility for observing faiths and traditions we also offer two additional floating holidays. Learn more about our generous leave provisions: Holiday and Accrued Time Off | Working at Cornell
• Cornell's impressive educational benefits include tuition-free Extramural Study and Employee Degree Program, tuition aid for external education, and Cornell Children's Tuition Assistance Program. Learn more about our extensive educational benefits: Education Benefits | Working at Cornell
• Follow this link to learn more about the Total Rewards of Working at Cornell:

Visa sponsorship is not available for this position.

Relocation assistance is not available for this position.

University Job Title: Student Services Asst IV

Job Family: Student Services

Level: D

Pay Rate Type: Hourly

Pay Range: $26.09 - $30.32

Remote Option Availability: Onsite

Company: Contract College

Contact Name: Brad Stock

Contact Email: [e-mail]

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience

• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator .

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement . To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates .

EEO Statement:

Cornellwelcomes students, faculty, and staff with diverse backgrounds from across the globe to pursue world-class education and career opportunities, to further the founding principle of “... any person ... any study.” No person shall be denied employment on the basis of any legally protected status or subjected to prohibited discrimination involving, but not limited to, such factors as race, ethnic or national origin, citizenship and immigration status, color, sex, pregnancy or pregnancy-related conditions, age, creed, religion, actual or perceived disability (including persons associated with such a person), arrest and/or conviction record, military or veteran status, sexual orientation, gender expression and/or identity, an individual’s genetic information, domestic violence victim status, familial status, marital status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable federal, state, or local law.

Cornell University embraces diversity in its workforce and seeksjob candidates who will contribute to a climate that supports students, faculty, and staff of all identities and backgrounds. Wehire based on merit, andencourage people from historically underrepresented and/or marginalized identities to apply.Consistent with federal law, Cornell engages in affirmative action in employment for qualified protected veterans as defined in the Vietnam Era Veterans’ Readjustment Assistance Act (VEVRAA) and qualified individuals with disabilities under Section 503 of the Rehabilitation Act. We also recognize a lawful preference in employment practices for Native Americans living on or near Indian reservations in accordance with applicable law.

About Us

Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.