Department: MED-Center for Food Allergy & Asthma
Salary/Grade: NEX/11

Job Summary:

The Center for Food Allergy and Asthma Research (CFAAR), directed by Dr. Ruchi Gupta, aims to find answers and shape policies surrounding food allergy, asthma and other allergic conditions.  CFAAR is part of the Institute for Public Health and Medicine (IPHAM) at Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine and Ann & Robert H. Lurie Children’s Hospital of Chicago, and has a dynamic and collaborative team comprised of about 40 people total including faculty and staff. The CFAAR team is internationally recognized for research in its three core areas - public health data repository; clinical research; and community/school outreach.

This position will support two CFAAR programs – the summer internship program and the student health leaders program.  The summer internship program is open to high school, undergraduate, graduate, and medical students. High school students participate in one week of intensive learning as part of the Ambassador Program track; undergraduate, graduate, and medical students participate in the Summer Scholar track, a multi-week program allowing students to strengthen their skills in epidemiological, clinical, and community-based food allergy and asthma research. These students also attend weekly didactic sessions to learn from our team members on various research and medicine topics. The student health leaders program consists of several half-day or full-day workshops (sometimes meeting on weekends) with a goal of helping students become empowered health advocates who educate their peers on issues seen in their school and greater neighborhood communities.

Additionally, this position will provide administrative support to CFAAR generally including CFAAR faculty.  Responsibilities include assisting with student inquiries, processing applications, managing correspondence, event and meeting planning, ordering supplies and SWAG, processing expense reimbursement requests, submitting invoices for payment, managing faculty & center calendars, making travel plans, drafting faculty profiles, bio sketches, and updating CVs.   

This position will work out of Northwestern’s Chicago campus. Occasional evening and weekend work required.

Please note: Occasional evening and weekend work required.

Specific Responsibilities:

Documents & Databases

• Independently responds to and composes correspondence. 
• Creates and maintains standard spreadsheets and/or databases.
• Prepares queries, reports, statistics, tables, charts, etc. based on information compiled from various sources.
• Determines format, elements, trends, etc.
• Drafts and updates faculty profiles and bio sketches, and updates CVs.
• Assists faculty with managing letter of recommendation requests.

Accounting

• 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.
• Processes expense reimbursement requests, payment of invoices, and other financial transactions as needed.

Coordinations

• Manages supervisor's and/or dept calendar.
• Manages registration and travel. 
• Organizes and coordinates events and meetings  which may include creating timelines.
• Collects agenda items and background materials.
• Creates registrant profiles.
• Coordinates complex itineraries involving domestic and/or international travel, etc. 
• Ensures that all logistics such as advertising, registration, speakers, international travel arrangements, venues, catering, technology, etc. have been completed.
• Prepares annual event, conference and/or meeting budget.
• Verifies invoices and expense reports; and/or reconciles to budget.

Contacts

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

Student Services

• Provides a variety of administrative support for student services such as recruitment; admissions; applications; curriculum; program evaluation.
• Recommends alternatives for course requirements. 
• Reviews administrative processes and procedures regarding student services and recommends changes.

Miscellaneous

• Performs other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications:

• A high school diploma or its equivalent along with 4 years of administrative support experience is required.

Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)

• Intermediate knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet, email, and database software programs is required.
• Excellent proficiency in MS Office Suite.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with strong attention to detail.
• Ability to effectively manage multiple priorities with competing deadlines in a dynamic environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and a commitment to delivering best in class customer service.
• Eager team player with demonstrated ability to build and maintain positive working relationships with people at all levels of the organization
• Ability to work independently and is a strong self-motivator who takes initiative and ownership
• Strong writing, editing, and proofreading skills
• Committed to developing oneself professionally by growing one’s skills and knowledge in response to new technologies and work demands.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree in a health-related field is preferred.

Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)

• Experience working with faculty or senior leaders within an organization
• Experience working with students in an education or research-based organization
• Demonstrated commitment to supporting a diverse and inclusive work environment
• Prior experience with NU Financials a plus.

Northwestern requires all staff and faculty to be vaccinated against COVID-19, subject to limited exceptions. For more information, please visit our COVID-19 and Campus Updates website.

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.