Position Information
Posting Detail Information
Working Position Title Program Coordinator - Upward Bound Program (32524)
Classification Program Coordinator - CUSTOM CLASSIFICATION
Position Number 00032524
Open Date 11/03/2026
Close Date 11/17/2026
Priority Review Date
Employee Class Staff
Full-Time/Part Time Full-Time
FTE 1.00
Position Status Regular
FLSA Exempt
Job code 5002
Union Representation Union
Union Code AFC - AFSCME C, Local #1890
Unit/Department Precollegiate-Upward Bound
College/Unit Precollegiate-Upward Bound
Division Div Acad Div, Eqty & Inclusion
Location HS
Link to Department Website or Custom Search Page https://www.niu.edu/diversity/first-gen-success/trio/upward-bound.shtml
Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications
Position Summary, Requirements, and Qualifications
Overview
The Upward Bound (UB) Program, in existence at Northern Illinois University (NIU) since 1966, serves 120 high school students from Aurora and Rockford. To participate in the program participants must come from either/and low-income families or have parents who have not completed a bachelor’s degree.
The program offers instruction in English, mathematics, science and foreign language; tutoring, academic and cultural enrichment activities, career exploration, financial aid advisement and support services designed to assist students as they prepare for entry into and ultimately graduate from college. The NIU Upward Bound Program includes a six week residential summer session and a twenty-six week academic year session. The guiding mission of the Upward Bound Program is to provide motivation and instruction necessary for post-secondary education.
Position Summary The Program Coordinator recruits middle and high school students into the program, screens and evaluates new student applicants, and implements academic year off campus workshop, tutoring, and counseling sessions. The Program Coordinator has primary responsibility for scheduling and conducting individual academic and college meetings, coordinating field trips for college, career and cultural activities, coordinating the summer program workshops and co-curricular experiences for high school students, coordinating logistics for the summer program, and conducting financial literacy and college counseling sessions for high school students and their families.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
Grant Program Coordination & Implementation
- Coordinates and administers project activities, services, and management related to college and career counseling, financial literacy, and student support, and social-emotional support.
- Works with program staff to also monitor academic performance and develop a team approach to interventions.
- Adheres to all federal, state, division, and institutional laws, codes, procedures, and policies in the management of grant and university activities and funds.
- Coordinates and executes college and career exploration, parent and family engagement, financial literacy, and college-readiness skills under the direction of the Director. This includes creating educational sessions and PowerPoints, booking room reservations, order catering, registration tracking, promotions, submitting and tracking spending requests, logistics of each program, event, training and workshop.
- Leads the development of pre-college planning and counseling including meeting with students and management of a case load to advise high school students on course selection, working with students on career and college exploration, goal setting, financial literacy, college application development, and scholarship search development, referring students to other supports.
- Assists participants and families with precollege planning, college applications, and selection.
- Interacts with target communities including K-12 public schools, EOP and other TRIO programs, youth agencies, and related organizations.
- Meets with program participants to develop academic, career, and college goals, plans, and address needs through one on one and group advising.
- Works with families to engage in goal setting, financial literacy, financial aid, and supportive measures for academic success and post-secondary enrollment.
- Leads the development of college, career, and cultural enrichment trips and activities.
- Reach out to organizations to schedule visits, setting up visit dates, hotel accommodations, transportation, arrange activities and visits to ensure grant objectives are met.
- Communicates logistics, staffing, and ensures risk management policies are adhered to.
- Assists with leading and coordinating the activities and services with the Summer Program under the direction of the director to include recruitment of instructors, assistance with designing curriculum, recruitment of participants, coordinating housing, meals, and other summer program logistics.
- Assists in the recruitment of program participants through meetings, presentations at middle and high schools in service areas.
- Implement strategies to track participant engagement in grant and program activities.
- Engages in appropriate professional organizations and associations related to pre-college access and opportunity and TRIO programs at the state and national levels and otherwise assigned by the Director.
- Develop and foster partnerships with internal and external stakeholders to support college access and opportunity.
- Tracks program alumni and assist with engagement of alumni in college readiness workshops for students and families.
- Designs and coordinate email communications, flyers, program forms, brochures, and participant merchandise materials under the direction of the Director.
- Works with NIU marketing and communications on planning timelines, design approvals, and updating websites.
Supervision
- Supervises part-time undergraduate and graduate students in the UB program that are office assistants, performs performance management for assigned supervisees.
- Recruits, hires, and trains UB student staff that are office assistants.
- Assists with the training of academic and summer program staff training.
- Provide appropriate orientation, continual training, and dissemination of technical assistance information as appropriate.
- Follows and trains staff on workplace expectations and addresses accountability measures through coaching, mentoring, corrective action, and other measures.
- Supervises volunteers, facilitators, and trainers for respective unit programs as necessary
- Processes payroll for assigned staff and conducts follow-up with respective employees.
Data & Outcome Metrics
- Tracks qualitative and quantitative evaluation of metrics and techniques that align with student learning outcomes to achieve UB, unit, and divisional goals.
- Provides data for annual, bi-annual, and ad-hoc reports that align with the U.S. Department of Education APR reports, strategic priorities of the division and university, and that demonstrates transformational impact and outcomes in UB, divisional and university goals.
- Research emerging and innovative practices in high school completion, college access, teaching, learning and postsecondary transitions for first-generation college students, students from under resourced school districts, from low socioeconomic backgrounds, and students with disabilities; Provides information to the Director.
- Implements of surveys, assessments, and evaluations to ensure learning outcomes and program outcomes are met or exceeded, using data to inform practice and development of strategies towards change.
Financial Management & Responsibilities
- Assists with financial and budgetary management and upholds federal OMB and university compliance in all budgetary and expenditure methods.
- Assists with making project-appropriate purchases and travel arrangements via university procurement card, purchase orders, check requests, and other methods of purchasing and securing travel to ensure program coordination under the approval of the Director and PI.
- Tracks related expenses and maintains accurate records of expenditures and prepares appropriate approval reports.
Other Related Duties
- Assists actively in the facilitation of productive input regarding program design and operations by program student and parent advisory boards, the University, target schools, community leaders, program staff, and other interested individuals.
- Performs duties as needed for the UB project target population including serving on committees, developing and providing workshops and training to colleagues on the experiences of pre-college students.
- Other duties as assigned and necessary for grant, university and divisional goals.
Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)
- Bachelor’s degree.
- A total of one (1) year (12 months) in education, training and/or work experience in the area of specialization inherent to the position.
- Based on position requirements, additional education, training, and/or work experience in the area of specialization inherent to the position, may be required.
Note: Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year of work experience.
See Required Specialty Factors Below:
Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs)
- Knowledge of principles and methods for curriculum and training design, teaching and instruction for individuals and groups, and the measurement of training effects.
- Knowledge of business and management principles involved in strategic planning, resource allocation, human resources modeling, leadership technique, production methods, and coordination of people and resources.
- Skill in analyzing information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Skill in scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
- Skill in oral and written communication.
- Ability to adjust actions in relation to others’ actions.
- Ability to listen to and understand information and ideas presented through spoken words and sentences.
- Ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
- Ability to develop specific goals, plans to prioritize, organize, and accomplish tasks.
- Ability to work effectively with staff, the public, and outside constituency groups.
- Ability to effectively plan, delegate, and supervise the work of others.
- Ability to utilize various computer software packages, such as Accounting Software, query, etc.
- Ability to work independently and exercise judgment in order to be able to analyze and investigate a variety of questions or problems.
- Ability to analyze and develop guidelines, procedures, and systems.
Specialty Factors (Civil Service)
- Minimum one (1) year of full-time experience working with middle school, high school, or college students from either Title I school districts, low-income families, and/or first-generation in college.
- Must have experience presenting pre-college academic, career, or financial literacy education to middle school, high school, or college students.
- Demonstrated skills in developing workshops, presentations and training related to college access, high school completion, and teaching pedagogy.
- Demonstrated skill in analyzing quantitative and qualitative information and evaluating results to choose the best solution and solve problems.
- Demonstrated knowledge of the needs of pre-college students from underserved communities including first-generation in college, rural students, low-socioeconomic backgrounds, individuals with disabilities.
- Demonstrated skill in project management and implementation
- Skill in scheduling events, programs, and activities, as well as the work of others.
- Ability to use data software such as SPSS, Tableau, Qualtrics, and other analytical tools
- Ability to utilize various computer and design software packages such as Microsoft Office Suite, with high proficiency in Microsoft Excel.
- Must have a valid driver’s license.
Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)
- Master’s in secondary education, higher education, or related field.
- 2 years experience as a secondary school instructor, college counselor or coordinator, or administrator.
- Experience in group or individual counseling or advisement
- Bilingual written and spoken English and Spanish fluency
- Min of one (1) six-week summer residential experience working with students and staff
- Professional work experience within TRIO or similar programs;
- Background similar to student population to be served including from low-income family or first in immediate family to attend college.
Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS) N/A
Additional Requirements (SPS) N/A
Preferred Qualifications (SPS) N/A
Physical demands/requirements
- Secure mode of transportation to travel to target sites in Aurora and Rockford, IL.
- Must be able to reside in the residence hall part-time, during six-weeks in the summer months, including overnights.
- Required evenings and weekends, typically on a planned schedule.
- Ability to ride in a bus for long periods of time, including overnight trips out of state.
- Ability to conduct walking tours of large campuses.
- Occasional lifting of up to 50 lbs. of office supplies, training materials, computer equipment, etc… as may be needed for training and project activities.
- Required to work overnight at off-site locations for field trips and on-campus for residential summer component.
- Ability to stand for long periods of time.
- Ability to verbally communicate in small and large group settings.
- Ability to be outside for extended periods of time.
Appointment and Compensation Details
Appointment and Compensation Details
Anticipated Appointment Start Date 12/01/2026
Anticipated Appointment End Date 05/31/2027
Percent of Staff Year 1.00
Standard Hours Per Week 37.50
Working Hours 10 a.m. - 7:00 p.m.
Salary $49,500.00 - $52,000.08/Annually; NIU offers a robust benefits package.
Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range $2,062.50 - $2,166.67/Semi-monthly
Earn Type Salary
Application Procedure
Application Procedure
Application Procedure
Application Procedures:
• Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Important: Please upload any unofficial transcript(s) and/or documentation that verifies any education, experience, and/or training you have received.
- If eligible for Veteran’s Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination.
- After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this position. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register.
- Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from jobs@niu.edu and CivilServiceTesting@niu.edu. Please add these emails to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication.
- Illinois residency required within 180 days of the hire date.
Credentials Assessment Examination:
• The examination for this position is a Credentials Assessment and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. A Credential Assessment is a rating by the Human Resources Office of an applicant’s/employee’s education, experience, and special credentials/qualifications (licenses, etc.). Applicants are required to upload documentation to verify the minimum qualifications for this position has been met.
- Required documentation noted in the posting, such as a driver’s license, licensures, or certifications MUST be uploaded with your application materials.
- After assessment of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three (3) scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.
Additional Details:
- Click on Program Coordinator for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.
- Applicants who may assume they do not meet the exact minimum qualifications are still invited to apply. Within the application documents, applicants should be sure to explain how their credentials and related qualifications address the requested minimum requirements.
- Please click on Human Resource Services – Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University’s benefits package.
- Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.
Special Instructions
Quick Link to Applicant https://employment.niu.edu/postings/98318
Is Background Check Required? Yes
EEO Statement Summary In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, ethnicity, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, disability (physical and mental), marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender (identity and expression), political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.
The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:
Director of Civil Rights Office, Title IX Coordinator Health Services 2nd floor CivilRights@niu.edu 815-753-0455
Visa Policy In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.
ADA Accommodation
NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form. For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action and Equal Opportunity (AAEO) at ada@niu.edu.
Safety Information
NIU provides annual reports on campus security and fire safety. Read the Annual Security and Fire Safety Report. Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-9364 for a hard copy.