Office Support Associate - Illinois Fire Service Institute

Are you ready to support the mission of Illinois’ premier fire training organization? The Illinois Fire Service Institute (IFSI) trains more than 60,000 first responders annually through hands-on, innovative, and research-driven education.

About the role

This Office Support Associate position works closely with the Class Support team and visitors to IFSI. Duties include class scheduling, student registration, contract processing, and database maintenance, along with backup support for the statewide Cornerstone training program. The office assistant also serves as one of IFSI's receptionists, directing visitors and calls to the appropriate staff.

Impact in Your First Year

• Within 3 months, you’ll:
  • Become familiar with the vision, mission and operations of IFSI
  • Meet stakeholders and understand the role of class support
  • Be comfortable in knowing “who to ask”
• Within 6 months, you’ll:
  • Have a basic understanding of our enrollment application, “Sparkey”
  • Understand course delivery from start to close-out
  • Be comfortable fielding and/or redirecting questions
  • Have built cordial working relationships with peers
• Within 9 months, you’ll:
  • Be autonomous in routine daily tasks
  • Be comfortable in understanding assigned work and asking questions
• Within 12 months, you’ll:
  • Be autonomous in most aspects of the job description
  • Be comfortable answering routine questions
  • Understand your role within Class Support, and IFSI
  • Love your job

Responsibilities

• Serve as administrative support to the Class Support team by completing general office duties such as keyboarding material for class proposals, contracts, and student records.
• Enter data into the IFSI database, maintaining data integrity across all transactions.
• Serve as backup support for the statewide training program, Cornerstone, including student and Fire Department communications, instructor communications, course set-up and close out, and other related duties.
• With general supervision, assist with scheduling classes in the IFSI database including budget entry, student registrations, and process changes as they occur.
• Act as a central receptionist for IFSI by directing visitors to appropriate personnel and site areas.
• Field phone calls from the direct IFSI phone line.
• Communicate with various state and national fire organizations, students, and IFSI staff regarding students’ certifications, written examinations, and continuing education hours.
• Check prerequisites for registered students to determine eligibility for attending a course.
• After eligibility is determined, update the student’s record to ensure it is current.
• Generate fully executed class contracts by obtaining signatures and tracking contract progress, and notify class registrants of acceptance or waiting-list status.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.

Any one or combination totaling eighteen (18) months from the following categories:

• College coursework in any curriculum as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
  • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
  • Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
• Work experience performing office/clerical activities, including the use of computer systems.

Skills

• Basic understanding of general office procedures and practices, with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office applications (Word, Excel), email, and electronic calendar systems.
• Good interpersonal and English language communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with students, University staff, and outside contacts.
• Ability to operate standard office equipment such as computers, copiers, and scanners.
• Willingness and ability to learn internal databases and University-specific systems as needed to perform job duties.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service Office Support Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after October 4, 2026.

Pay

The salary for this role is $39,159.90.

Benefits

• Health, Dental, and Vision Insurance
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid Time Off
• Tuition waivers for employees and dependents