Program Assistant 3

The Program Assistant for the Baxter Center for Science Education (BCSE) will join a highly skilled team of educators and program coordinators. They will provide essential support in a variety of ways including event planning, documentation and record keeping, materials management and delivery, and financials. Key job duties also include calendar management, elevating and managing communications to appropriate team members, and social media updates. This is a 1 year renewable term, contingent on funding and performance.

The BCSE is a collaborative partnership between the Office of Community Education Partnerships (OCEP) at Northwestern University, Lindblom Math & Science Academy (LMSA), Round Lake Area Schools, and the Baxter International Foundation, with evolving and responsive expansions to our communities of Cook and Lake Counties more broadly. The BCSE provides impactful educator professional development programs and student experiences and catalyzes mutually beneficial collaborations, focused on the specific needs of communities in Chicago and the greater region, to promote student success and equity in STEM education and career pathways. Specifically, we seek to increase: 1) access, opportunity, engagement, and empowerment of youth in STEM primarily youth from communities traditionally underrepresented in STEM, and 2) representation of Black, Indigenous, and People of Color (BIPOC) in STEM fields and leadership roles.

Please note: Local travel throughout Cook and Lake Counties will be required, so this position requires a valid drivers license and access to personal transportation. This position also requires the ability to lift 40 pounds and to move objects up and down stairs unassisted.

Interested but not sure if this is you? Please apply! All qualified applicants will be considered!

Most of this position will take place in-person in the Baxter Centers office in Evanston, with occasional work-from-home options as discussed. Local travel throughout Cook and Lake Counties will be required, so this position requires a valid drivers license and access to personal transportation. This position also requires the ability to lift 40 pounds and to move objects up and down stairs unassisted.

Specific Responsibilities:

Documents & Databases

• Independently responds to and composes correspondence.
• Creates and maintains standard spreadsheets and/or databases.
• Prepares queries, reports, statistics, tables, charts, etc. based on information compiled from various sources.
• Determines format, elements, trends, etc.

Website & Communications

• Maintains websites and/or blogs.
• Creates new web pages and/or updates standard information/data within the applications content management program.
• Manages the Baxter Centers newsletter and social media communications.

Accounting

• Approves appropriate expenses, purchases and reimbursements per budget.
• Creates and maintains financial records.
• Prepares forms.
• Verifies appropriateness and accuracy of charges.
• Processes and reconciles expenses, accounting transfers, and/or appropriation changes.
• Updates financial transaction spreadsheets and databases.
• Generates summary reports and statistics.
• Processes routine payroll actions.
• Maintains accounting balances for grants/contracts.

Human Resources

• Initiates full range of HR actions such as new employee dept orientation.
• Resolves hiring, termination, etc. processing problems.
• Drafts job descriptions.
• Explains HR procedures.

Coordination

• Manages the Baxter Centers calendar.
• Manages registration and travel.
• Supports events which may include creating timelines, managing tasks, and implementing processes.
• Supports day-to-day operations of the Baxter Center.
• Transports lab supplies and equipment to and from local schools.
• Collects agenda items and background materials.
• Creates registrant profiles.
• Coordinates complex itineraries involving domestic and/or international travel, etc.
• Prepares annual event, conference and/or meeting budget.
• Verifies invoices and expense reports; and/or reconciles to budget.

Contacts

• Screens and prioritizes incoming communications.
• Responds to inquiries.
• Provides basic interpretation of policies and procedures.
• Researchs information to resolve problems or issues.

Student Services

• Provides a variety of administrative support for student services such as recruitment; admissions; applications; curriculum; program evaluation.
• Recommends alternatives for course requirements.
• Reviews administrative processes and procedures regarding student services and recommends changes.

Supervision

• Supports work of receptionists, program assts, temporary/work-study students, secretaries, research/clerical assts, interns, etc.

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: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Intermediate knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs is required.
• Ability to work as an effective team member and independently.
• Willingness to travel locally using personal transportation.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelors or higher degree.
• Experience in programmatic or administrative support in a university setting.
• Experience managing financial records and/or reconciling expenses and processing invoice payments.
• Experience interacting with public K-12 schools.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Strong project management and organizational skills, with close attention to detail.
• Excellent written and oral communication and interpersonal skills.
• Enthusiasm for engaging and working with partners, students, teachers, and community members with diverse backgrounds.
• Ability to adapt quickly to new situations and improve solutions to new challenges.
• Knowledge of and facility with social media platforms like LinkedIn.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $24-$26 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicants education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data.

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 lifes 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 youre 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 strongly recommends COVID-19 vaccinations and boosters for people who can obtain them as a critical tool for minimizing severe illness. More information can be found on the COVID-19 and Campus Updates webpage.

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.