Program Coordinator

Department: WCAS Administration
Salary/Grade: EXS/5

Job Summary:

The program coordinator provides administrative support to the academic operations and programs of the Weinberg College Office of Undergraduate Studies and Advising (OUSA). In particular, this position supports the Assistant Dean for Academic Standing and the standing processes, including academic probation, enrollment transactions, petitions for incomplete grades, and student re-entry after time away.

The program coordinator independently creates timelines and benchmarks to meet deadlines based on the academic calendar and the portfolio of the assistant dean; advise students, faculty, and advisers on administrative processes and status of requests; critically evaluates student enrollment-related requests, approves standard requests, and escalates non-standard or complex requests to the assistant dean as appropriate.

The program coordinator 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.

The ideal candidate will have experience tracking complex information in Excel and other software; have demonstrated communication and technical skills; be proactive in creating administrative processes to meet department goals and identifying areas for improvement in existing processes; and demonstrate close attention to detail while handling complex and sensitive student records and communications.

This full-time position offers an 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 $51,346 - $72,532 per year. "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.

For full consideration, please include a cover letter.

Specific Responsibilities:

Academic Standing

• Manages student re-entry process after time away, including: tracks each step of the process, reactivates student in systems, and communicates with students.
• Coordinates quarterly academic standing process: prepares lists of students identified by Registrar queries for evaluation by the academic standing committee; tracks decisions; prepares approximately 100 letters to students based on categories of current academic standing; accurately communicates committee decisions to student and advisers; ensures academic standing status is correctly entered on student records; answers questions from students and advisers about standing; communicates lists to various offices; prepares lists of students currently on academic probation for advisers to provide feedback; and contacts and follows up with the students on probation who are required to meet with the assistant dean.
• Coordinates all administrative aspects of process for quarterly student requests for incomplete grades, including: tracks status of requests and communicates with students, instructors, and advisers; does initial evaluation of petitions and follows up on missing information/documentation; maintains tracking database and file system; communicates with instructors regarding decisions of the assistant dean and guides them on next steps; understands timelines related to academic calendar and creates process for timely evaluation by the assistant dean for academic standing.
• Creates &/or maintains complex spreadsheets &/or databases &/or reports, queries, charts, etc. related to academic standing, student records, and student success information.

Student Records

• 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.

Enrollment Transactions

• Triages student requests submitted via online forms to add, drop, or change classes; take courses pass/fail; and withdraw from courses. Evaluates requests against Weinberg and University policies and processes and the student's records, providing approval for standard requests, and escalating non-standard or complex requests to the assistant dean for a determination. Communicates with students, advisers, and the Office of the Registrar as needed regarding enrollment-related requests and their status.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• Successful completion of a full 4-year course of study in an accredited college or university leading to a bachelor's or higher degree; OR appropriate combination of education and experience
• Prior experience processing transactions or managing information in an enterprise system
• Ability to manage and thoughtfully communicate about sensitive information

Minimum Competencies:

• Advanced knowledge of Adobe Acrobat and Microsoft Office, especially Microsoft Excel and Word. Skilled in utilizing Microsoft Excel for tracking information and Outlook for scheduling.
• Prior experience updating websites through content management system.
• Strong oral and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated ability to take initiative and be proactive in problem solving.
• Ability to prioritize, multitask, and meet deadlines with excellent attention to detail.
• Demonstrated excellence in customer service.
• Demonstrated ability to work self-directed and manage long term processes and projects while meeting key deadlines.

Preferred Qualifications: (Education and experience)

• Previous experience in higher education administration.
• Experience in administrative support for senior leader(s).

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.

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