Program assistant Jobs in Chicago, IL

Department

Harris International Partnerships & Executive Education Temp and Student Workers

About the Department

Why policy? For a better world. Why Harris Public Policy? Because when it comes to better policymaking, evidence matters. We work at the frontiers of data collection and analysis, using the latest technology and social science methods to design policies that work for society. We conduct rigorous inquiry in an environment of innovation and risk taking, fearlessly questioning the status quo. We collaborate across the private, public, and nonprofit sectors, adopting new methodologies to drive better solutions. We engage with our city, our world, and our leaders every day to evaluate and test our ideas. And we lead with our passion for driving social change, knowing that passion alone does not equal impact. With passion and precision, we figure out what’s best for society—and get it done. This is Harris Public Policy: Social impact, down to a science.

Job Information

Job Summary:

The Program Assistant serves as the central, go-to resource for recruitment support and program administration across the unit's portfolio of non-degree and credential programs at the Harris School of Public Policy. The position will report to Lingyang Zhang, Associate Director of Credential Programs, and working closely with program staff, faculty and teaching assistants, graduate assistants, partner and employer organizations, and Harris and University offices supporting finance, procurement, travel, enrollment, and marketing.

The position is structured approximately 60% recruitment and enrollment support for two new credential programs (AI and Increasing Government Effectiveness) and 40% program and event administration. Because programs operate in cycles, the emphasis shifts throughout the year: recruitment intensifies ahead of enrollment deadlines, while program-implementation and event-logistics tasks take precedence during delivery periods.

Responsibilities:

• Own mid-funnel recruitment and prospective-participant conversion, complementing graduate assistants, who concentrate on higher-volume, top-of-funnel outreach.
• Plan and coordinate recruitment and informational events, enabling the unit to rebuild an events calendar that has contracted in recent cycles.
• Manage event operations in Slate, including participant and prospect registration, communications, and tracking.
• Support alumni engagement and ongoing relationship management to strengthen referrals, repeat enrollment, and B2B pipelines.
• Support business-to-business (B2B) follow-ups and support relationships with employers and partner organizations that drive enrollments.
• Conduct and compile market research reports to inform recruitment targeting and program positioning.
• Manage and grow the unit's credential-programs LinkedIn page as a channel for audience-building and engagement.
• Coordinate catering: ordering, setup, and management of food, drinks, and snacks.
• Secure teaching and meeting space.
• Manage participant registration for in-person sessions.
• Reserve lodging for participants and visitors as needed.
• Book flight reservations.
• Negotiate and manage hotel contracts and bookings.
• Arrange ad hoc services as needed (e.g., translation/interpretation services).
• Create invoices, including invoices to partners and to open enrollment participants funded by their employers.
• Make and track payments in Oracle.
• Track program revenue and expenses on a continuous basis.
• Prepare regular financial reporting.
• Initiate and track faculty payments.
• Initiate and track teaching assistant (TA) hiring and payments.
• Process and reconcile travel and expense reimbursements through GEMS.
• Manage procurement and cultivate ongoing vendor relationships.
• Coordinate contracts and related documentation — including partner agreements and vendor, data, and AI related contract — working with University legal as appropriate.
• Apply sound judgment on data privacy and student-data considerations when handling contracts, vendor agreements, and participant information.
• Help build and retain institutional knowledge of these process-heavy systems to reduce disruption from staff and GA turnover.
• Manage scheduling across programs and stakeholders.
• Issue proof of enrollment and program certificates.
• Coordinate with the Bursar's Office when a payment does not remain in Slate.
• Track participant satisfaction through post-program feedback and surveys, and compile results for reporting and program improvement.
• Maintain and regularly update recurring administrative records and trackers.

Competencies:

• Reliability & continuity — provides consistent, dependable coverage across program cycles.
• Adaptability — reallocates effort fluidly between recruitment and implementation as cycles demand.
• Collaboration — coordinates smoothly with program leadership, faculty, GAs/TAs, partners, and campus offices.
• Ownership — acts as the clear point of accountability for shared administrative tasks.
• Stewardship — handles financial and confidential data with accuracy and integrity.

Additional Responsibilities

Education, Experience, or Certifications:

Education:

• Bachelor's degree, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant experience required.

Experience:

• One year of experience in administrative coordination, program/event operations, recruitment, or a comparable role required.
• Experience with Slate CRM, Oracle financials, and/or GEMS, or demonstrated ability to learn enterprise systems quickly preferred.
• Experience in higher education, executive education, or professional/continuing education preferred.
• Event-planning and logistics experience, including travel booking and vendor coordination preferred.
• Familiarity with procurement and university financial and enrollment processes preferred.

Technical Knowledge or Skills:

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple concurrent priorities and shifting cyclical workloads.
• High attention to detail and accuracy, particularly with financial and enrollment records.
• Excellent written and verbal communication and a service-oriented approach with internal and external stakeholders.
• Proficiency with standard productivity and communication tools (e.g., Microsoft Office / Google Workspace).
• Discretion and sound judgment in handling confidential participant, personnel, and financial information.
  

Required Documents:

• Resume

The University of Chicago uses AI-assisted tools to streamline and augment some recruitment processes; however, AI is not used to make hiring decisions.

When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application.

Job Family

Temporary Staff

Scheduled Weekly Hours

20

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Frequency

Hourly

Pay Rate Type

Hourly

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt

Pay Range

$20.00

The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting.

Benefits Eligible

This position is not eligible for benefits.

Posting Statement

The University of Chicago is an equal employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination.

Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form.

All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history.A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment.Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position.

The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.