Department: Counseling & Psych Serv
Salary/Grade: EXS/5

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 in 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:
Serving as the Office Manager for Counseling and Psychological Services (CAPS), this position provides oversight of the day-to-day reception operations of the department across three locations. This includes direct supervision (includes overseeing recruitment efforts when vacancies on their team develop and annual Performance Excellence evaluations) of four Program Assistants. In this capacity, the position also facilitates and processes all financial transactions as well as facilities and IT support requests for the department. This position assists staff within the department with travel arrangements associated with their professional duties and processes and submits travel expenses in accordance with university policy and procedures. It serves as the departmental "safety officer" tasked with identifying and resolving threats to safety, providing initial and ongoing training to departmental staff about safety procedures and emergency management processes. This position also helps plan and implement various events and programs on behalf of the CAPS team. My step in to assist with reception duties in the absence of another team member or during high demand periods.

This position also serves as the primary administrative support for the Executive Director of CAPS. In this capacity, this position is responsible for prioritizing, managing, and at times responding to internal and external communications on behalf of the Executive Director, including, but not limited to calendaring. The position assists the Executive Director in coordinating and organizing logistics related to procedural changes, financial reporting, personnel on-boarding/off-boarding, and tracking departmental performance relative to established performance indicators as well divisional and institutional priorities.

Pay: The pay range for the Office Manager position is $55,000-62,000 depending on experience, skills, and internal equity.

Specific Responsibilities:

Administration 25%

• Manages day to day operations of the department.
• Manages design and development of program databases; compiles and analyzes data; prepares reports.
• Reviews processes and recommends changes to incorporate state-of-the-art technology as appropriate.
• Identifies service improvement opportunities that will better enable program to achieve its goals and objectives.
• Acts as liaison to IT to ensure technology systems are properly installed and maintained.
• Submit and monitor response to departmental facility requests.
• Serve as CAPS liaison to building safety/operational teams.

Executive Support 15%

• Assists Executive Director with internal and external departmental communications.
• Manages and prioritizes Executive Director's calendar with guidance from Executive Director.
• Advises director on fiscal decisions pertaining to the department.
• Coordinates staff recruitment, appointment and credentialing processes including placing ads, candidate communication and visit.
• Initiates appointment paperwork.
• Arranges and plans for staff travel.
• Supports staff in development of new programs.

Budgets and Financial 15%

• Maintains budget and associated analysis and reports.
• Enters individual and/or summary of transactions into journals and/or general ledger or other NU enterprise system.
• Ensures fiscal transactions for the department are compliant with institutional policy and procedures.
• Maintains departmental purchasing card and ensures use is compliant with institutional policy and procedures.
• Processes transfer and/or appropriation charges and may balance and/or close accounts.
• Troubleshoots problems; performs vendor/account research as needed; obtains additional information or provides instruction and guidance by phone, US- or e- mail from
• customers/vendors; corrects or escalates.

Supervision 15%

• Supervises team of four Program Assistants who serve as the primary reception and support staff for the department (includes onboarding, day-to-day supervision, and annual performance reviews).

Evaluation 5%

• Coordinates the collection, analysis and reporting of required information for surveys, review documents, public information documents, etc.
• Analyzes evaluation data from students, participants, partners, etc. to assist in program development and updates.
• Implements corrective actions required as a result of surveys or other indicators.

Events 5%

• Coordinates programming, educational, student, workshops, meetings, etc. including speakers, agendas, etc.
• Develops, plans, and arranges meetings, workshops, events, etc. in support of CAPS operations.
• Ensures that event details including communication, venues, presenters, travel arrangements, materials, refreshments, and technology are arranged and completed in an appropriate and timely manner.

Human Resources 3%

• Ensures human resources programs, policies, and procedures are implemented and consistently applied.
  Coordinates all or portions of the talent management lifecycle (sourcing, selecting, developing, coaching, rewarding, recognizing, managing information and optimizing talent.)
• In consultation with management and Central HR, administers HR solutions.
• Maintains excellent working relationship with Office of Human Resources.

Regulatory Compliance 3%

• Ensures compliance with all necessary organizations.
• Prepares documentation as required.
• Interfaces with accreditation bodies.

Strategic Planning 3%

• Administers and maintains existing strategic plans.
• Participates with area/unit senior staff in the conceptualization, development and presentation of materials used in functional operations.

Student Support 3%

• Serves as front-line reception staff in the absence of Program Assistants.
• Advises students and other constituents regarding CAPS services.
• Implements strategy regarding structure, process, and staff support of students.
• Communication, Outreach, and Recruitment 3%
• Develops coordinated and consistent marketing and brand messages.
• Creates state-of-the-art website.
• Incorporates social media and networking into program/project aspects as appropriate.
• Strengthens partnerships with external resources by defining, promoting, and marketing benefits of participation and involvement to the organization.

Communication, Outreach, Recruitment 3%

• Develops coordinated and consistent marketing and brand messages.
• Creates state-of-the-art website.
• Incorporates social media and networking into program/project aspects as appropriate.
• Strengthens partnerships with external resources by defining, promoting, and marketing benefits of participation and involvement to the organization.

Other duties as assigned 5%

• 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.
• 1 year program/project administration or other relevant experience.

Minimum Competencies:

• Proficient with Microsoft 365 applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Teams, etc.).
• Knowledgeable of social media platforms and strategies.
• Knowledgeable of basic accounting and fiscal management principles.

Preferred Competencies:

• Familiar with Northwestern University fiscal and HR procedures and processes.

Required Application Materials

• Cover letter outlining your interest in the position and that addresses how you meet the specific job requirements.
• A current CV.

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