Temporary Program Assistant at The University of Chicago in Chicago, IL

Job description

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, ven