Program Assistant 3

Department: MED-Psych & Behavioral Science
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

The Health Disparities and Public Policy program in the Department of Psychiatry & Behavioral Sciences is conducting the Northwestern Juvenile Project (a longitudinal research study of the needs and outcomes of participants originally sampled from juvenile detention, now median age 43) and Next Generation (an intergenerational component of the study examining factors that promote resilience in children). As we enter a new phase of our research, we are seeking a meticulous and proactive problem solver to join our dynamic team.

Key responsibilities include:

• Document preparation and maintenance: Prepare correspondence and summary reports using Microsoft Word, Excel, and other relevant software; maintain essential administrative and personnel documents, including contact lists, emergency contact forms, confidentiality agreements, computer inventory file, phone and port maps, organization charts, kitchen duty schedules, mail logs, packages, and the program assistant manual
• Purchases & Payables: Handle supplier registration and reimbursements, and department p-card requests; Process monthly department supply orders and project-specific purchases; Maintain and update financial shadow system files, making adjustments as necessary (e.g., adding/removing chart strings, updating simple formulas)
• Human Resources: Assist the Senior Program Coordinator with drafting job descriptions and other HR tasks; schedule interviews, prepare paperwork, and manage onboarding activities for new hires (e.g., update documents, add to listservs, process paperwork, schedule IT onboarding, review policies and procedures.)
• Banking: Travel (costs reimbursed) to main branch of Chase Bank (Chase Tower) and to the Skokie Post Office to purchase money orders and obtain cash for participant payments. Cancel and replace lost money orders and process returned money orders at both locations, and maintain accurate documentation
• Bookkeeping: Process electronic payments through Western Union and electronic payment companies for incarcerated persons for both interview payments and for biannual mass mailings to participants. Maintain participant payment records using QuickBooks, handle banking transactions, and draft monthly banking reconciliations submitted to Accounting Services for Sponsored Research
• Expense reporting: Organize, submit, and reconcile expense reports for faculty, students, and 12 field staff to ensure accurate and reproducible tracking and reporting of program expenditures
• Reconcile accounts: Reconcile university accounting records, including salary and non-salary expenses for 8 accounts against the shadow system maintained by our program
• Please include a cover letter to be considered for this position. This position will work standard business hours Monday through Friday, with 3 days in-office on our Streeterville (Chicago) campus office required, and 2 days work from home optional.

Coordinates administrative processes and prioritizes, directs, and responds to business matters involving administrative functions associated with education, research, and/or operations. Creates and maintains associated documents, spreadsheets, databases, meetings, special events, etc. and alerts supervisor of critical issues and upcoming events.

Specific Responsibilities:

Documents & Databases

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

Website

• Maintains websites and/or blogs.
• Creates new web pages
• Updates standard information/data within the application's content management program.

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 calendar - supervisors &/or dept.
• Coordinates travel arrangements.
• Organizes & coordinates events which may include creating timelines.
• Collects agenda items & background materials.
• Creates registrant profiles.
• Coordinates complex itineraries involving domestic and/or international travel, etc.
• Prepares annual event, conference &/or meeting budget.
• Verifies invoices and expense reports; and/or reconciles to budget.

Contacts

• Screens and prioritizes incoming calls.
• Responds to inquiries.
• Provides basic interpretation of policies and procedures.
• Researches 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

• Coordinates 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.

Target hiring range for this position will be between $19.89 - 27.97 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.

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 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.

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.

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