Location
Evanston, Illinois
Department: Alumni Relations & Development
Salary/Grade: NEX/11
Target hiring range for this position will be between $22.00-$23.00 per hour. Offered salary will be determined by the applicant's education, experience, knowledge, skills and abilities, as well as internal equity and alignment with market data Job Summary: The Program Assistant 3 provides comprehensive administrative and operational support for the development team of one of Northwestern University's largest schools: Weinberg College of Arts and Sciences. The position reports to the Associate Director of Development Operations, who reports in turn to the Senior Director of Development. The Program Assistant 3 monitors and contributes to key strategic goal activities and initiatives for the team, specifically those that center around stewardship of donors and volunteers, and operations for the team as a whole. Responsibilities include generating correspondence, briefings and reports, printed materials, meeting agendas, invitations, and lists, and maintaining database records that track donor and prospect interactions. In addition, the Program Assistant 3 coordinates, prioritizes, and executes administrative processes critical to specific functions or operations within the immediate team, as well as the department. They create and maintain associated documents, spreadsheets, and data; organize meetings, special events, and mail/email direct appeals; and ensure that those whom they support are aware of critical issues and upcoming events. Please note: This role is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement, up to two days remote and three onsite. General office environment. Occasional night and weekend hours Specific Responsibilities: Fundraising Operations Support
- Develops, writes, and edits development communications including acknowledgement letters, impact reports, one-pagers, etc.
- Manages correspondence including mail merges, creating invitations, sending communications, creating invitation lists, and RSVPs.
- Copy edits communications (proofs for spelling and grammar).
- Manages support of stewardship program including segmentation of donors, developing and getting approvals on thank you templates, pulling gift reports, and adding to the data base where needed. Helps execute stewardship for major donors including endowed fund reports, expendable fund reports, custom thank you gifts, and other stewardship programs.
- Supports unit's board of visitors on member communications, event planning, materials preparation, and website updates.
- Serves as liaison to Weinberg College departments and programs for fundraising. Develops and delivers gift reports, serves as a point of contact for development initiatives, ensures websites are up to date.
- Analyzes and prepares data and reports using ARD self-service reporting tools and liaises with Reporting and Analytics Department, Gift and Record Services, Fund Management, and Weinberg College finance team.
- Prepares both bespoke and routine reports, slides, statistics, tables, charts, etc., white papers, and processes, leveraging data and narrative information.
Administrative Support Documents & Databases
- Maintains donor and volunteer information and donor system through data entry inclusive of data point updates, contact report entry, committee participation, etc.
- Files expense reports and reconciles budgets around events, board, stewardship, etc.
- 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 readily available materials to aid in donor identification, cultivation and stewardship.
- Determines format, elements, trends, etc.
Accounting
- Processes accounts payables and receivables.
- Ensures that charges have posted to appropriate accounts.
- Assists with reconciliation of accounts.
Coordination
- Coordinates calendars in terms of preparation for donor visits and other activities.
- Coordinates events, which may include scheduling rooms, guest speaker and arranging for routine materials, technology and refreshments.
- Supports donor stewardship by sending gifts on special occasions and drafting correspondence from the dean or director.
Contacts
- Liaises with a diversity of individuals including internal ARD colleagues and Weinberg College dean's office, departments and programs, and external individuals.
- Provides information via phone, e-mail, mail, etc.
- Represents supervisor, teams, and team leadership in routine/standard situations with various levels of personnel both internally & externally.
- Responds to inquiries.
- Provides basic interpretation of policies and procedures.
- Researches information to resolve problems or issues.
Miscellaneous Performs other duties as assigned. Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)
Administrative Support: Ability to provide reliable and detail-oriented support to ensure smooth daily operations and efficient workflow. Communication: Clear and professional verbal and written communication with the ability to convey information effectively to diverse stakeholders. Collaboration and Teamwork: Ability to collaborate with multiple ARD staff members. Strong listener. Able to connect people and be customer service focused. Critical Thinking and Problem Solving: Demonstrated ability to brainstorm new ideas, positively contribute to discussion, and proactively move projects forward. Seeks out answers and is a self-starter when learning new tasks. Comfortable working independently and bringing solutions. Technical & Learning Agility: Ability to effectively use databases, CRM systems, spreadsheets, and other technology tools, or demonstrated learning agility with new systems. Confidentiality & Discretion: Ability to handle sensitive information responsibly and in alignment with institutional expectations. Preferred Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities)
Exceptional verbal and written communication skills, including listening. Exceptional interpersonal skills: ability to interact, build and maintain working relationships, with a variety of individuals including those external to the University, internal ARD colleagues, and leadership, faculty and staff of Northwestern. Demonstrated flexibility and adaptability to dynamic workplace. Orientation towards design thinking with a demonstrated innovative, problem-solving mindset focused on growth and collaboration. Benefits:
At Northwestern, we are proud to provide meaningful, competitive, high-quality health care plans, retirement benefits, tuition discounts and more! Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/index.html to learn more. Work-Life and Wellness:
Northwestern offers comprehensive programs and services to help you and your family navigate life's challenges and opportunities, and adopt and maintain healthy lifestyles.
We support flexible work arrangements where possible and programs to help you locate and pay for quality, affordable childcare and senior/adult care. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/benefits/work-life/index.html to learn more. Professional Growth & Development:
Northwestern supports employee career development in all circumstances whether your workspace is on campus or at home. If you're interested in developing your professional potential or continuing your formal education, we offer a variety of tools and resources. Visit us at https://www.northwestern.edu/hr/learning/index.html to learn more. Northwestern University is an Equal Opportunity Employer and does not discriminate on the basis of protected characteristics, including disability and veteran status. View Northwestern's non-discrimination statement. Job applicants who wish to request an accommodation in the application or hiring process should contact the Office of Civil Rights and Title IX Compliance. View additional information on the accommodations process.
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Northwestern University
$22.00 - $23.00 / hr
Jan 30, 2026