Program Assistant for Student Training & Development (2788)

Position Information

Posting Detail Information

Working Position Title Program Assistant for Student Training & Development (2788) Classification Program Assistant - CUSTOM CLASSIFICATION Position Number 00002788 Open Date 06/16/2026 Close Date 06/23/2026 Priority Review Date Employee Class Staff Full-Time/Part Time Full-Time FTE 1.00 Position Status Regular FLSA Non-Exempt Job code 5001 Union Representation Union Union Code AFC - AFSCME C, Local #1890 Unit/Department Orientation&Family Connections College/Unit Undergraduate Affairs Division Academic Division Location WI 334 Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page https://www.niu.edu/orientation/

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications

Overview

The Office of Orientation and First Year Programs welcomes and introduces new undergraduate students and their family members to the NIU community. We partner with areas across the university to deliver orientation programs for first year and transfer students that set up our new Huskies for a successful career at NIU.

We also support incoming students throughout their first year as an NIU Huskie. In addition to orientation, our office coordinates Week of Welcome (WOW) and support programs such as the First-Year Success Series.

Position Summary

The Program Assistant is responsible for assisting with the coordination of NIU's Orientation programs, the recruitment, hiring and training of Orientation Leaders, and assist with the Week of Welcome (WOW) and first year programming. The Program Assistant, along with the rest of the team, also assists with the day-to-day operations of the office. The Program Assistant reports to the Associate Director of Orientation and First Year Programs.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

Supervision, Staffing, & Training

• Responsible for hiring, training, supervising, and supporting all undergraduate orientation student staff
• Interview and assess the needs of incoming students and hire undergraduate student staff who attend and lead the student orientation programming
• Schedule, assign, review and/or provide recommendations regarding student work within orientation and first year programs
• Assist with development and oversight of opportunities for undergraduate staff beyond the summer including supporting retention-related efforts centrally and in the colleges

Administrative Work

• Serve as a liaison to the Office of Undergraduate Admissions to inform and learn to create leadership opportunities to support new student transition
• Partner with appropriate office staff to coordinate support before, during and after events, including but not limited to on-site registration, communication, confirmation of university services and resources
• Develop materials and techniques for training program staff in such areas as academic and self-efficacy, information literacy, financial literacy, physical and mental health and well-being, Huskie pride, cultural competence, sense of belonging, engagement, and interpersonal relationships
• Along with Associate Director, manage day-to-day operations of the office including serving as a proxy when the Director is unavailable
• Assist with the submission of timely and informative reports regarding programmatic goals, trends, statistics, and direction
• Remain abreast of university policies and procedures and ensures that they are implemented accurately and in a manner that best support orientation, transition, and retention efforts.
• Assist with scheduling, assigning, reviewing and/or providing recommendations regarding professional and student support within Week of Welcome
• Assist with hiring, training, supervising, and supporting all volunteers for Week of Welcome.

Marketing

• Collaborate with appropriate University partners to update marketing materials (printed, electronic, etc.) related to orientation and first year programming

Other

• Assist with other details related to orientation and first year programs as needed
• Perform other related duties as assigned

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

• Bachelor's degree.
• Based on position requirements, additional education, training, and/or work experience in the area of specialization inherent to the position, may be required.

See Required Specialty Factors Below

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

• Knowledge of general office practices and procedures
• Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
• Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects
• Skill in oral and written communication
• Ability to work effectively with staff, the public, and outside constituency groups
• Ability to organize and multi-task
• Ability to supervise and knowledge of administrative concepts and methods.
• Ability to utilize various computer software packages
• Ability to work independently and exercise judgment in order to be able to analyze and investigate a variety of questions or problems

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

• At least one (1) year of graduate or professional experience working with undergraduate students as a supervisor, advisor, and/or mentor.
• Experience working with students in transition during their first year of college.

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

• A master's degree in higher education, counseling, or closely related field preferred.
• Experience with first-year programs on a college campus.
• Experience with supervision of student staff.
• Experience with PeopleSoft and Blackboard preferred.
• Experience with or fluency with the Spanish language preferred, but not required.

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

N/A

Additional Requirements (SPS)

N/A

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

N/A

Physical demands/requirements

• This position requires occasional lifting of office supplies, training materials and computer equipment.
• Frequent travel between campus buildings and across campus facilities will be required and may requires occasional out of district travel.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date 07/01/2026 Anticipated Appointment End Date Percent of Staff Year 1.00 Standard Hours Per Week 37.50 Working Hours Monday - Friday, 8:00am - 4:30pm, some evenings & weekends as needed. Salary $46,507.50 - $48,126.00/annually; NIU offers a robust benefits package. Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range $23.85 - $24.68/hourly Earn Type Hourly

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Required Procedures

• Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Important: Please upload any unofficial transcript(s) and/or documentation that verifies any education, experience, and/or training you have received.

• If eligible for Veteran's Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination.

• After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this position. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register.

• Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from jobs@niu.edu and CivilServiceTesting@niu.edu. Please add these emails to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication.

• Illinois residency required within 180 days of the hire date.

Credentials Assessment Examination:

• The examination for this position is a Credentials Assessment and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. A Credential Assessment is a rating by the Human Resources Office of an applicant's/employee's education, experience, and special credentials/qualifications (licenses, etc.). Applicants are required to upload documentation to verify the minimum qualifications for this position has been met.
• Required documentation noted in the posting, such as a driver's license, licensures, or certifications MUST be uploaded with your application materials.
• After assessment of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three (3) scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.

Additional Details:

• Click on Program Assistant for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.
• Please click on Human Resource Services - Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University's benefits package.
• Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Special Instructions Quick Link to Applicant https://employment.niu.edu/postings/93078 Is Background Check Required? Yes EEO Statement Summary

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator

Health Services Building Room 230

TitleIXCoordinator@niu.edu

815-753-5560

Visa Policy

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person's disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form. For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) at ada@niu.edu.

Safety Information

NIU provides annual reports on campus security and fire safety.

Read the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report.

Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-9364 for a hard copy.

Applicant Documents

Required Documents

• Resume/Curriculum Vitae
• Cover Letter
• Transcripts (unofficial with official required at hire)
• List of at least 3 Professional References

Optional Documents

• Military Discharge Documents ONLY (DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256)
• Other

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• • Are you currently a citizen or resident of the State of Illinois?

• Yes

• No

• • What is the highest level of education attained?

• GED

• High School Diploma

• Associates Degree

• Bachelors Degree

• Masters Degree

• PHD

• • Have you attached all transcripts to support the degrees you are submitting for consideration?

• Yes

• No

• • How many years of experience do you have in this type of position?

• 0-1

• 1-3

• 3-5

• 5-7

• 7+

• • Please provide the name of the employer and the dates of employment where you gained this experience. Please note that this information must be verified on an NIU application and/or résumé. ("See Résumé" is not an acceptable response.)

(Open Ended Question)

• • If applicable, have you attached a copy of your DD214, DD215, NGB22, or DD256 for consideration of Veterans Preference Points? The copy submitted should reflect the status of discharge in order to be considered.
• Yes
• No
• Not Applicable