Assistant Field Director

Aurora University (AU) is committed to the transformative power of learning by creating a student-centered environment and an equity of experience and opportunity, to ensure that students, faculty, and staff of all backgrounds feel welcome and included. Our culture of collaboration, generosity, and belonging make it a special place for students, faculty, and staff.

AU is grounded in the transformative opportunity it provides to a diverse student body. As a private university with a public mission and a commitment to making a difference in peoples’ lives, AU has a long history of resilience and of providing access to an education that values innovation, focuses on continuous improvement, and has a positive impact on the communities we serve. We are proud of our service to and economic impact on the state of Illinois, where over 80% of our students stay to live and work, where 90% of our students come from, and where we foster strong community partnerships to develop the workforce in areas such as nursing, education, business, technology, and social work.

We are looking for passionate and purposeful individuals who represent the full diversity of Aurora and who demonstrate a sensitivity to and understanding of the diverse academic, socioeconomic, cultural, ability, identity, and ethnic backgrounds present in our community. When you join the team at AU, you can expect to be part of an inclusive, innovative, and equity-focused community that approaches higher education as a matter of social justice requiring broad collaboration among faculty, staff, students, and community partners.

At AU we believe that continuous learning is a fundamental part of working life, and our goal is for all colleagues on our campus to feel supported and equipped to realize their full potential. We actively support our community by providing all employees with opportunities to engage in professional development activities, as well as a range of tuition and employee benefits that can be found here.

Position Purpose:

The Assistant Field Director supports learning by advising social work students in preparation for the field placements, managing field files and data, and facilitating connection between the student and the field liaison. The Assistant Field Director provides support, problem-solving and linkage to field instructors at field placement sites, and facilitates evaluation of the field student according to the Council of Social Work Education social work competencies and practice behaviors. Additionally, the Assistant Field Director provides leadership across the School of Social Work field program, to include policy development, project management, curriculum development, and liaison training and oversight.

Core Competencies:

  1. Represents Aurora University in the most positive manner with prospective, former and current students, clients, suppliers, and the community we serve. Interacts effectively with a diverse group of faculty, staff, students and other customers of our service, learns and uses operating practices of the department and Aurora University.
  2. Upholds the Mission Statement: Aurora University is an inclusive community dedicated to the transformative power of learning. As a teaching-centered institution, we encourage undergraduate and graduate students to discover what it takes to build meaningful and examined lives. We empower our students to achieve lasting personal and professional success.
  3. Handles all information with tact and discretion and recognizes the confidential nature of university business.
  4. Supports learning through performance of essential job functions and performing other duties and functions as necessary or as assigned.

Essential Job Functions:

  1. Provides advising to social work students specifically related to field instruction.
  2. Approves proposed field placements as students submit field application forms reflecting secured placements.
  3. Manages field instruction files and data for students, including required field paperwork (field application, learning agreement, evaluations, and liability insurance).
  4. Evaluates the progress of the student within the learning environment, specifically if the student has been trained in social work skill/tasks; if student has opportunity to practice skills; and, if student is receiving the appropriate feedback and supervision from the supervisor at the internship. Evaluation data is gathered from field student, field instructor, and field liaison.
  5. Assigns students to the field liaison for monitoring during the field placement.
  6. Manages problem solving for students and field placements when barriers to student learning are presented by field liaison.
  7. Communicates with new and potential field placements and field instructors in an effort to broaden student learning opportunities in the field.
  8. Oversees the submission of grades for field students to the registrar once requirements are completed.
  9. Provides leadership support to BSW and MSW programs operating at all Aurora University campuses through policy development, project management, and liaison training.
  10. Communicates mission and learning/teaching objectives to students and field instructors.
  11. Participates in recruitment events for undergraduate and graduate programs in an effort to provide information regarding the field program.
  12. Participates in orientation sessions, field preparation sessions, Junior Mentoring, and other related activities.
  13. Communicates program field policies available to students through a current manual and field D2L shell.
  14. Maintains curricular documents related to field program (catalog, manual, handbook, website, brochures).
  15. Maintains effective administrative relationships with central institutional, administrative, advisement, admissions, and registrar officers.
  16. Monitors changes in the key environments (college, university, CSWE, NASW, BDP, Illinois Deans and Directors Association) that affect BSW Field Program.
  17. Provides support to assessment reporting and programmatic reporting as required by HLC, CSWE, and/or other monitoring entities.
  18. Plans and supports events (CEU trainings, field events, student workshops, etc.) in support of the field program.
  19. Provides support for colleagues across the College of Education and Social Work with internship related tasks/projects, as needed.
  20. Other duties as assigned.

Essential Job Requirements:

Education:

  • Masters of Social Work required.

Experience:

  • 2 years post graduate experience preferred.
  • Experience in higher education preferred.

Skills:

  • Strong technical skills.
  • Ability to multi-task and manage multiple deadlines.
  • Excellent oral and written communication skills.
  • Generalist social work skills/knowledge.
  • Excellent conflict resolution or mediation skills.

Physical Requirements:

  • Ability to sit and stand for long periods of time.
  • Ability to move about campus.
  • Ability to use computer, telephone, email, or office equipment.
  • Ability to drive a vehicle to various field placement locations.

Benefit-eligible positions offer excellent benefits including health, dental, life, vision, long term disability, a 403(b) retirement plan through TIAA, and tuition remission.

To apply, please send resume, cover letter, and contact information for three references including name, telephone, and email address.

Aurora University
Human Resources
347 South Gladstone Ave
Aurora, IL 60506
jobs@aurora.edu - email

Aurora University is an Equal Opportunity Employer.