Program Assistant , Alumni Engagement

Job Information

Job

Location:

Evanston, Illinois

Department: Alumni Relations & Development

Salary/Grade: NEX/11
Target hiring range: $22.00-$23.00 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.

The Program Assistant 3 provides comprehensive administrative support to the Northwestern Alumni Association (NAA) Communities team. Reporting to the Director, Alumni Engagement, this role advances the NAA's mission by supporting volunteer‑led programming, deepening alumni engagement, and fostering strong, sustainable relationships across the alumni community. This position is eligible for a hybrid work schedule.

• Data Management:
  Oversee data input, maintenance, and reporting for club finances, volunteer onboarding, and other administrative functions that support team operations.
• Communications:
  Create and copy‑edit emails, event pages, and other communication materials.
• Events:
  Coordinate logistics, reconcile event data, and provide on‑site staffing support, as needed.
• Customer Service:
  Serve as first point of contact for alumni inquiries and manage shared inboxes.
• Special Projects:
  Assist with developing presentations, benchmarking, and engaging with alumni volunteers on various initiatives.

• Supports the Communities team programming including but not limited to marketing creation and editing, preparing reports, proofreading and editing, speaker research and recruitment, coordinating event logistics, and data reconciliation.
• Coordinates content maintenance of websites & marketing materials & may train & or assist staff in updating their websites & marketing materials.
• Processes accounts payables & receivables; verifies income & expense; resolves discrepancies & over/under budget problems. May enter, track, and maintain documentation & logs of financial transactions ensuring that charges have posted to appropriate accounts. May assist with reconciliation of accounts; reviewing budget statements, investigating & resolving discrepancies & preparation of budget reports & spreadsheets.
• Enters information into spreadsheets & databases & may create equations & compile routine reports, statistics, tables, charts, etc. from readily available information.
• Provides information via phone, e‑mail, mail, etc. May represent supervisor in routine/standard situations with various levels of personnel both internally & externally.
• Coordinates events which may include scheduling rooms & guest speaker & arranging for routine materials, technology & refreshments.

• Educational background and/or professional experience that demonstrates the ability to provide administrative support, manage data, and coordinate projects, typically gained through at least two years of relevant work experience.

• Administrative Support:
  Provides reliable, detail‑oriented support to ensure smooth daily operations and efficient workflow. Demonstrates skill in coordinating meetings, preparing materials, and handling inquiries with professionalism. Anticipates needs, prioritizes tasks, and delivers timely assistance to staff, volunteers, and stakeholders.
• Technical Proficiency:
  Intermediate knowledge of standard office software (Microsoft Office Suite, email, virtual meeting platforms) and ability to learn new tools quickly.
• Communication
  
  Skills:
  
  Clear and professional verbal and written communication, with the ability to convey information effectively with all stakeholders.

• Experience providing customer service in a professional setting.
• Familiarity with expense tracking or supporting budget‑related tasks.

• Collaboration and Teamwork:
  Works effectively with colleagues across teams and levels; strong listener; able to connect people and be customer service focused.
• Critical Thinking and Problem‑Solving:
  Demonstrates the ability to generate new ideas, contribute constructively to discussions, and proactively move projects forward. Seeks out information independently, applies sound…