Program Assistant 3, Counseling and Psychological Services

Department: Counseling & Psych Serv
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Department Overview:
CAPS is a unit within the Division of Student Affairs at NU and is highly utilized by students and other campus community members seeking consultation. CAPS has offices on both the Evanston and Chicago campuses. NU has a total student population of approximately 21,000 students across both campuses, with approximately 18,500 of these students attending classes on the Evanston campus. The Chicago office serves primarily graduate and professional students while Evanston office serves both undergraduate and graduate students. In addition to our clinical services, CAPS reaches over 10,000 NU community members through outreach and educational programming on both campuses. CAPS also has a training program, including an APA-accredited Doctoral Internship in Psychology at our Evanston office and a Post-Doctoral Fellowship in Sport Psychology. CAPS is a learning organization, in that our strategic planning, priority setting, clinical services, and professional development are informed by local data collection as well as benchmarking with national trends and peer institutions. We have made a commitment to engaging in ongoing anti-racism work. This commitment is realized through our efforts to identify and disrupt aspects of white dominant culture embedded in our practices, processes, and structures. CAPS also identifies very closely with the vision, values and guiding principles of our umbrella organization, the Division of Student Affairs.

Department Website:

About Student Affairs: By pursuing justice, equity, and belonging, Student Affairs cultivates student programs, services, and skills; disrupts barriers; and partners across Northwestern and neighboring communities to create an inclusive culture in which all students can thrive. Learn more about the Division of Student Affairs here:

Job Summary:

The Program Assistant coordinates administrative functions and processes for Northwestern University's Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS) for both the Evanston and Chicago campus offices. They are responsible for handling incoming calls from students, faculty/staff, and parents. The Program Assistant coordinates internal and external appointment calendars for clinical staff, assists students with crisis and initial appointments, and contacts on-call counselors as necessary.

Some remote work may be available and will be determined based on departmental needs each academic quarter. This position will primarily work out of the Chicago CAPS office.

Pay: The pay range for the Program Assistant 3 position is $ $23.00 per hour depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.

Specific Responsibilities:

Coordination 35%

• Manages calendar - supervisor's and/or department
• Coordinates travel arrangements
• Organizes and coordinates events which may include creating timelines
• Manages calendar of Executive Director
• Management of both internal and external online appointment scheduling for >30 clinical staff; making sure both match, requiring high attention to detail.
• Answers multi-line phone and coordinates flow of information to Director of Clinical Services, on-call counselors, staff as needed
• Uses discretion and tact to handle crisis calls from students, faculty, parents and contacts on-call counselor/schedules appointments, as necessary
• Greets visitors, responds to inquiries, requests, and provides routine information.
• Assists Director of Outreach with preparing program materials, registrations, marketing
• Contacts and coordinates with the Student Affairs IT team regarding department IT issues
• Daily input of after-hours on-call contact information; notifies after-hours counseling service of on-call schedule changes
• Contacts Facilities management for department work orders
• Makes recommendations for improving processes and efficiency

Student Services 30%

• Provides a variety of administrative support for student services, such as:

Contacts 25%

• Screens and prioritizes incoming calls for Evanston and Chicago CAPS
• Responds to inquiries
• Provides basic interpretation of policies and procedures
• Researches information to resolve problems or issues

Documents and Databases 5%

• Independently responds to and composes correspondence
• Prepares queries, reports, statistics, tables, charts, etc. based on information compiled from various sources
• Digital scanning and filing of confidential documents to client charts; maintains confidentiality of sensitive documents; ROIs, healthcare provider reports; DOS documents
• Prepares weekly staffing disposition reports
• Distribute incoming mail, faxes and other documents
• Assists students with required documents, paperwork.

Website 2.5%

• Maintains websites and/or blogs
• Updates standard information/data within the application's content management program

Accounting 2.5%

• 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
• Monitors supplies - uses iBuy NU as a shopper to maintain department supplies

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's degree
• Experience working in a clinical office or setting

Preferred Competencies:

• Commitment to providing a high level of service and working in a team environment
• High degree of professionalism with excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills
• Familiarity with general business practices
• Attention to detail
• Ability to handle confidential information with utmost discretion
• Ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and under tight deadlines
• Ability to be flexible and adjust to the changing priorities of the office
• Project management skills and organizational skills
• Decision-making skill and critical thinking skills
• Efficiency; dependability; initiative-taking

Benefits: At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more Visit us at 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 to learn more.

Professional Growth and 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 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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