Department: Medill - Administration
Salary/Grade: EXS/8
Job Summary:
The Associate Director is responsible for overseeing the processing, awarding and management of grants and scholarships for all of Medill's graduate students, collaborating with the Director, the Business Office, the Development Office and other administration. The Associate Director is also responsible for the processing, awarding and management of federal financial aid processing for all graduate students.
In addition to developing strategic programming to support student financial wellness, the Associate Director assists with implementing and executing data-driven recruitment and admissions strategies, data reporting, taking part in planning events, crafting messaging, conducting admissions interviews and reading applications.
Weekend and evening work, and occasional travel required.
Specific Responsibilities:
- Determines and tracks grant and scholarship awards for admitted students in Medill graduate programs to accomplish institutional enrollment goals.
- Oversees the processing and management of federal financial aid for all Medill graduate students including managing financial aid communication for all programs. Manages the storage of confidential financial aid records and assessment for financial aid process.
- Ensures compliance with all applicable institutional, state and federal financial aid regulations.
- Facilitates the awarding of Medill program-specific grants and stipends to students, in collaboration with other offices.
- Provides financial aid counseling for prospective and current students.
- Develops strategic programming and communication plans to support financial wellness for current Medill graduate students. Manages assessment of programming and communication.
- Provides training for other department staff to answer general financial aid questions from students.
- Creates the annual Cost of Attendance budgets for admitted students to all programs, collaborating with offices across Northwestern to determine budget costs, and provides financial aid needs analyses to administrators.
- Works with NU's SES-IT office to make annual updates to the financial aid process, including Aid Year Activation, Financial Aid Term, budgets and review of the online application.
- Resolves federal loan and private loan issues for students.
- Certifies private loans and manages enrollment data for students enrolled in the part-time programs.
- Analyzes and reports on Medill's recruitment and admissions efforts. Produces ad hoc reports when requested.
- Assists with managing Medill's admissions and CRM systems including but not limited to; Apply Yourself and Hobson's Connect, and financial aid systems including SES. Troubleshoots the systems as needed.
- Counsels and supports prospective MSJ and IMC graduate students throughout the admissions process.
- Assists with developing recruitment, messaging and admissions strategies.
- Schedules and conducts admissions interviews, completing department interview reports to evaluate students based on admissions criteria.
- Reads application files, providing an admissions decision recommendation based on assessment.
- Represents Medill at professional conferences, graduate school fairs and other recruitment efforts, including presenting during information sessions, Orientation and admitted student events.
- Builds strategic relationships with deans, faculty and staff at colleges/university for graduate recruitment.
- Writes, edits, designs and schedules program- and event-specific messaging. Uses the CRM system to create and send messages, track messages and manage admissions events. Manages one-on-one communication with prospective students while always maintaining the highest level of customer service.
- Assists with scheduling student events and processing admissions applications.
- Supervises 1 Program Assistant.
- Collaborates with colleagues across the school to help advance Medill's strategic goals and improve the educational experience of our students.
Miscellaneous
Performs other duties as assigned.
Minimum Qualifications:
Minimum Competencies: (Skills, knowledge, and abilities.)
Excellent customer service skills, with a student-centered approach to admissions and financial aid work.
Strong analytical and organizational skills. Keen attention to detail and accuracy.
Excellent counseling and interpersonal skills.
Supervisory experience and ability to effectively oversee staff who must maintain a high level of accuracy.
Experience working with graduate/professional students, strong written and oral communication skills, comfort working with data as well as admissions and financial aid systems.
Must be able to work with a group and/or complete solo projects.
Upholds diversity, equity, and inclusion initiatives within the school and larger Northwestern University community and relate effectively to prospective and admitted students as it relates to sensitive issues surrounding diversity and inclusion throughout the recruitment process
Ability to travel domestically and abroad and on weekends when directed
Ability to relate effectively with students, faculty, administrators, staff, and the public
Ability to carry and move boxes of material weighing up to 50 pounds
Passion for team based work with dedication to fostering positive, collegial relationships
Comfortable speaking and presenting to large groups and virtually
Target hiring range for this position will be $78,000 - $88,000 per year. 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.
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
Jan 13, 2026