Department

EPIC - Adminstration and Operations

About the Department

The University of Chicago Institute for Climate and Sustainable Growth (ICSG) is a groundbreaking effort uniting faculty from across the university to advance society’s understanding of our energy and climate future. The Institute combines faculty insights in energy markets and policy, climate systems engineering, and energy technology to produce world-changing ideas while also investing in the next generation of energy and climate thinkers, leaders, and innovators through novel educational programs.

Job Summary

This position offers a rare opportunity to shape a new academic program from the ground up while playing a pivotal role in student advising, faculty support, and program development. The Student Affairs Administrator provides administrative support for senior instructional professor(s) and works closely with Director of Undergraduate Studies to manage and allocate teaching resources, oversee teaching quality, conduct program evaluation and development, and disseminate information related to the undergraduate program. Guides undergraduate students per cohort in fulfilling program requirements and advises students on course-related problems and career goals. If you are passionate about innovation in education, we encourage you to apply.

Responsibilities

Serves as the central administrative lead and contact for Institute education programs for students and faculty.Works closely with the director(s) of undergraduate studies to coordinate all administrative aspects of the undergraduate major in Climate and Sustainable Growth and eventually master’s programs.Assists students with academic difficulties, employs counseling skills for dealing with troubled students, and responds to queries about students from faculty, parents, and staff. Allocates teaching resources to different tracks and components of the undergraduate curriculum and for the MA programs. Manages the process for hiring instructional professors, visitors, and graduate instructors to staff courses. Monitors classroom enrollment numbers and determines Teaching Assistant and Grader hiring needs. Hires teaching assistants and graders from different programs and expands the pool of applicants and allocates TAs and graders to different courses. Manages course schedules. Identifies sequences, avoids overlaps with other course work inside and outside the department, such as math and stats, and schedule the courses accordingly. Works closely with faculty members to avoid over clustering of electives in any given quarter. Works with the Registrar’s office as well as department staff members to secure large classrooms for over-sized lectures. Collects data and identifies supply-demand balances in different components of the undergraduate curriculum and in different courses and sections. Maintains and develops a list of pre-approved courses from other departments and units of the University for electives. Provides training, guidance, and mentoring in pedagogy, classroom management, and assessment to instructors (new assistant professors, instructional professors, visitors, and graduate instructors). Compiles information for the evaluation of the undergraduate teaching. Acts as the department liaison with the Office of the Dean of Students in the College, including interactions with college advisors and academic dishonesty memos, Career Advancement, College Admissions, Registrar, Student Disabilities Services and other University offices. Communicates important information to students regarding curricular changes, new courses, career opportunities, research assistantships, etc. Acts as a gateway for announcements and advertisements from other places and manages the quality of communication through listservs. Provides orientation and other information sessions about the undergraduate program for incoming students, college advisors, and other components of the University. Develops and maintains the undergraduate pages on the departmental website. Solves problems in areas such as academic and administrative policy, student admissions, curriculum research and development, and budget development.Collaborates with academic divisions in educating students on safety issues. Interprets student disciplinary issues and prepares an annual university summary of disciplinary actions. Counsels students, parents, and staff in response to concerns, and handles complex situations including student crises.Performs other related work as needed.

Minimum Qualifications

Education:

Minimum requirements include a college or university degree in related field.

Work Experience:

Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 2-5 years of work experience in a related job discipline.

Certifications:

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Preferred Qualifications

Education:

Bachelor's degree in higher education, counseling, organizational development or a related field.Advanced degree in higher education, counseling, organizational development or a related field.  

Experience:

Providing academic guidance, career planning, and personal development support to students in a higher education setting.Proven ability to support diverse student populations, including first-generation, international, and underrepresented students.Designing and managing student success programs, leadership initiatives, and workshops.Background working in an academic setting  

Technical Skills or Knowledge:

Proficient in MS Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint).Proficient in Excel (pivot tables, charts), Tableau, or SQL to analyze student success metrics and generate reports.Proficient in using student databases, such as Banner, PeopleSoft, Salesforce, for case management and tracking student progress.Familiar with a system for tracking student interactions and support services.Proficient with Canvas, Blackboard, Zoom, and Microsoft Teams for advising, workshops, and student engagement.Strong understanding of FERPA regulations, academic policies, and confidentiality requirements in student support.

Preferred Competencies

Partner with faculty, administrators, and student organizations, along with excellent public speaking and conflict resolution skills.Provide holistic support to students, addressing academic, career, and personal development needs.Design, implement, and assess student success programs, workshops, and leadership initiatives.Build relationships with students, faculty, and staff while handling sensitive student concerns with professionalism.Interpret student data, identify trends, and develop solutions to improve student retention and success.Work across departments to coordinate student services, including academic affairs, career services, and wellness resources.Demonstrated ability to work independently and think creatively to solve problems.Excellent interpersonal, communication, and organizational skills.Detail-oriented with strong analytical skills.Manage multiple priorities and work effectively in a fast-paced environment.

Working Conditions

Standard office environment with occasional extended hours required during peak hiring periods.Hybrid work schedule available after initial hire and required training.

Application Documents

Resume/CV (required)Cover Letter (required)Three Professional References Contact Information (required)

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

Job Family

Student Affairs & Services

Role Impact

Individual Contributor

Scheduled Weekly Hours

37.5

Drug Test Required

No

Health Screen Required

No

Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required

No

Pay Rate Type

Salary

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FLSA Status

Exempt

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Pay Range

$62,050.00 - $80,300.00

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

Yes

The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook.

Posting Statement
 

The University of Chicago is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity/Disabled/Veterans and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, 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.

 

Staff 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.

 

We seek a diverse pool of applicants who wish to join an academic community that places the highest value on rigorous inquiry and encourages a diversity of perspectives, experiences, groups of individuals, and ideas to inform and stimulate intellectual challenge, engagement, and exchange.

 

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: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu. Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.