Career Center

Department: REC-Res Academic Initiatives
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Job Summary:

Residential Services delivers a uniquely Northwestern residential experience for undergraduates, all of whom live on campus for at least their first two years. The Office of Residential Academic Initiatives (ORAI) supports development of the residential areas and oversees the residential college program. Reporting to the ORAI Director, the ORAI Program Assistant is a vital player in implementation of the residential experience, especially aspects involving faculty and academic programs.

The Program Assistant in the Office of Residential Academic Initiatives coordinates administrative processes and prioritizes, directs, and responds to business matters involving administrative functions associated with education and/or operations. 

The Program Assistant creates and maintains associated documents, spreadsheets, databases, meetings, special events, etc. and alerts their supervisor of critical issues and upcoming events. The Program Assistant acts as the administrative lead for the Director of Residential Academic Initiatives. They will effectively and efficiently manage the director’s calendar, travel arrangements, and workflow requirements. They will also create and cultivate internal and external relationships to ensure that all associated activities are completed diplomatically and on time.

Specific Responsibilities:

Budgets

• Collaborate with Director on management of individual Faculty Chairs.
• Collaborate with Assistant/Associate Director on management for individual. Faculty Chair budgets and encumbrances related to excursions.
• Process reimbursements for operations of 11 Residential Colleges into reimbursement workflow.
• Monitor charges in Cognos to ensure charges are properly linked to individual budgets (monthly reconciliation).

Communications

• Maintain webpages related to residential college program.
• Translate Cognos reports for Faculty Chairs so they understand their budgetary bottom lines.
• Report monthly meal pool usage by fellows to Faculty Chairs.
• Take, revise, and disseminate minutes of Council of Chairs meetings.
• Field general faculty and student inquiries to office.
• Manage non-resident affiliation process: process ~120 student applications annually; confirm appointments with residential college executive boards; notify Operations & Services about Wildcard access credentials.
• Orient residential college Assistant Chairs to office procedures for expenditures.
• Produce invitations and solicitations to faculty for involvement in residential academic initiatives.
• Generate appointment letters for college staffs, FIRs, and residential college fellows. 

Human Resources and Payroll

• Process all appointments for 33 members of college staffs and 5 FIRs for fall.
• Handle payroll for residential seminar instructors throughout year.
• Manage hours and payroll for 2 student employees throughout year.

Office and Program Records 

• Maintain office operations records.
• Collate data for annual reporting and regular program reviews.
• Maintain ephemera and photos for archives.

Procurement

• Office supplies
• Merchandise for students, fellows, and programming volunteers
• iBuyNU acquisitions on behalf of college staffs

Course Administration

• Create permission numbers for residential seminars each year after Registrar creates course and section numbers. 

Campus event planning

• Handle space reservations, catering contracts, name badges, and logistics (e.g., AV needs) for major office events.
• On-campus receptions associated with cross-college excursions
• Residential College system end-of-year receptions
• Fellows’ reception hosted by Provost and Vice President for Student Affairs
• Arrange room set-up and catering for small office events.
• Recruitment lunches for faculty
• Council of Chairs meetings

Supervision

• Supervise the work of two undergraduate student employees throughout academic year to support routine clerical operations and event logistics, including set-up and photography.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or equivalent required.
• 4 years of administrative support or other relevant experience required.

Minimum Competencies:

• • Intermediate knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs is required.

Preferred Qualifications:

• • Bachelor degree preferred.
  • Previous experience with office management in a corporate or collegiate environment
  • Demonstrated experience managing multiple projects
  • Direct experience with Microsoft Outlook
  • Direct experience with budget tracking and management in an office setting
  • Previous customer service training or demonstrated direct experience with customer service in an office setting

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Familiarity with confidentiality and privacy laws (or experience working in environments subject to confidentiality and/or privacy laws)

Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at 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 us at 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 us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more.

Northwestern requires all staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to limited exceptions. For more information, please visit our COVID-19 and Campus Updates website.

The Northwestern campus sits on the traditional homelands of the people of the Council of Three Fires, the Ojibwe, Potawatomi, and Odawa as well as the Menominee, Miami and Ho-Chunk nations. We acknowledge and honor the original people of the land upon which Northwestern University stands, and the Native people who remain on this land today.

Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity, Affirmative Action Employer of all protected classes, including veterans and individuals with disabilities. Women, racial and ethnic minorities, individuals with disabilities, and veterans are encouraged to apply. Click for information on EEO is the Law.