Department Assistant

About Oakton College

Educate. Empower. Transform.

At Oakton College, we know education changesิ lives – and that starts with the people who make it happen. For more than 50 years, we've built a welcoming and inclusive community where students from all backgrounds and experiences thrive.

Wearia looking for passionate educators, professionals and leaders to join our team. Whether in the classroom, student support, or behind the scenes, your talents and expertise will make a difference and shape the future. We provide dynamic learning environments that empower students and employees alike with campuses in Des Plaines and Skokie and a Health Careers Education Center in Evanston. As a proud institution accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, Oakton is more than a college – it’s a place where innovation, equity and lifelong learning drive everything we do.

We value diverse perspectives and embrace new ideas and are dedicated to fostering an inclusive and student‑centered culture.

Basic Function and Responsibility:

Provide administrative and office support services to students and community and one or more administrator/faculty/staff members in the college. Exercise independent judgment in the use of confidential information based on established college policies and procedures.

Daily Duties:

• Compose, type and prepare routine email correspondence, reports and generate surveys, information sheets, memoranda and use of Ellucian Banner for administrator/faculty/staff members as required.
• Operate campus offices independently after business hours (evenings).
• Maintain confidentiality regarding personal student, faculty and staff information obtained via Banner.
• Distribute forms to full and part‑time faculty (examples: syllabi, faculty schedules, and class rosters); collect completed forms, file and retrieve documents for faculty.
• Perform post‑semester data entry of faculty and student records (examples: midterm rosters and grade books).
• Support faculty, academic excellence, and student success through assistance, help, and direction.
• Assist with training and supporting new hires and/or temporary and student workers as needed.

Other Responsibilities as needed:

• Act proactively by taking on extra responsibility when needed to maintain workplace flow.
• Collaborate with other divisions to serve the academic community, student body & campus law enforcement to maintain overall departmental assistants’ cohesion.
• Use independent judgment to evaluate and respond to situational occurrences involving persons in crisis during evening shifts.
• Receive and refer phone, mail or in‑person inquiries and requests to appropriate functional areas or division.
• Execute office and divisional operational procedures to maintain customer service excellence.
• Cross‑train in department assistant duties and act proactively in the absence of others.
• Support division/academic department special events, coordinating activities with other college departments such as food service and facilities utilization.
• Process and schedule all work on an established priority basis to equitably handle all requests for services.
• Assist with training new hires and temporary employees as needed.
• Organize, maintain and update subject files and records, keeping all data for administrator/faculty members current and in good order.
• Respond to inquiries sent to division e‑mail inboxes.
• Assist office visitors and maintain the office space.
• Other job‑related duties as assigned.

General supervision is received from the designated supervisor.

Exercise functional supervision of staff members and student employees.

• High school education or an equivalent combination of training and experience from which similar ability can be acquired is required. Associate’s degree is preferred.
• Two years general office experience with one year of responsible general administrative and office support services is required.
• Proficiency in navigating college databases and reservation systems preferred; experience with Ellucian Banner preferred.
• Strong written and verbal…