Overview
NIU’s Student Support Services Program works with 140 students each year. The program provides them with comprehensive academic, career, and financial literacy counseling services as well as cultural enrichment activities designed to enhance the participants’ persistence and graduation from the university and their next steps into graduate school or full-time employment.
Position Summary
The Northern Illinois University (NIU) Student Support Services Program is a federally funded grant program designed to support 140 NIU students who are from low-income families or are first generation college students. One of the goals of the program is to facilitate the retention of student participants, as well as admission into, and graduation from limited admissions, limited access and other targeted majors. The program provides these students with comprehensive academic, career, and financial literacy counseling services as well as cultural enrichment activities designed to enhance their persistence and graduation from NIU and help them to transition to graduate school or full-time employment. The Assistant Director under the supervision of the Executive Director is responsible for the day to day operations of the TRIO Student Support Services Program.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Duties include but are not limited to:
- small group retention coaching
- developing and operationalizing student academic success plan(s)
- documenting outcomes and conducting assessments assessment of the program, including collection of appropriate student participation and achievement data; and generating reports monthly, each semester and annually
- supervision of SI Leaders and tutors
- work in collaboration with the Executive Director to develop new and improve existing services based on program assessment;
- Coordinate with selected academic units and other departments to enhance student services to SSS students; and
- assisting the Director with Annual Performance Report (APR)
Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)
CREDENTIALS TO BE VERIFIED BY PLACEMENT OFFICER
- Master’s degree in education, student personnel services, counseling or related field adherent to the position.
- Two (2) years full-time work experience with high school or college students.
- Candidates must have a minimum of two (2) years of full-time experience as an instructor, Program Coordinator, or administrator.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs)
1. Customer and Personal Service — Knowledge of principles and processes for providing quality educational guidance. This includes student needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of student satisfaction.
2. Administration and Management — Knowledge of business and management principles involved in the presentation and delivery of academic programs, strategic planning, resource allocation, leadership techniques, recruitment methods, and coordination of people and resources.
3. Active Listening — Giving full attention to what other people are saying, taking time to understand the points being made, asking questions as appropriate, and not interrupting at inappropriate times.
4. Critical Thinking — Using logic and reasoning to identify the strengths and weaknesses of alternative solutions, conclusions or approaches to problems.
5. Knowledge of educational, evaluation, and measurement principles, practices, methods, and techniques, university policies and procedures.
6. Speaking — Talking to others to convey information effectively; ability to develop a rapport with students.
7. Written Expression — The ability to communicate information and ideas in writing so others will understand.
8. Ability to establish effective working relationships with students, faculty, and staff.
Specialty Factors (Civil Service)
Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)
- Professional work experience within TRIO or similar programs; work experience that relates directly to the providing services to culturally and academically diverse college students.
- Background similar to student population to be served including from low-income family or first in immediate family to attend college.
- Bilingual – English/Spanish.
