Description

The Department of Biological Sciences is an academic department that supports undergraduate and graduate instruction, laboratory courses, faculty research, student advising, and professional preparation for careers in science, health professions, research, education, and related fields.

The Administrative Assistant serves as office manager and coordinator for the Department of Biological Sciences. This position is responsible for providing intermediate to advanced administrative and technical support. The Administrative Assistant will function in a central role concerning ongoing work or special project/team-oriented obligations. This position serves as an essential point of contact for students, faculty, staff, visitors, vendors, and university offices. The Administrative Assistant will also be responsible for maintaining the departmental and faculty federal grant budgets and activities. Because the department includes lecture, laboratory, research, advising, and student-support functions, the position requires strong organization, follow-through, and the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Examples of Duties

• Operates a computer to view, enter, edit, format, revise, print, process, and distribute information: Emails, plans, creates and produces a variety of written materials such as forms, correspondence, manuals, contracts, agreements, lists, charts, reports, records, schedules, templates, and other documents of similar complexity. Helps to maintain organized digital and physical filing systems, including shared drives, spreadsheets, databases, and departmental records.

• Serves as a welcoming and professional first point of contact for students seeking general departmental information, faculty office locations, course information, advising contacts, forms, schedules, and appropriate university resources.

• Coordinates the department chair’s calendar and departmental scheduling, including meetings, room reservations, events, committee schedules, visiting speakers, student activities, deadlines, reminders, and follow-up.

• Assists with administrative tracking and documentation for departmental and faculty grant budgets and activities. Submits online requisitions and follows up on all requisitions, purchase orders, and accounts payable transactions.

• Develops, updates, and retrieves data and paperwork. Establishes, maintains, and updates files, records, accounts, and other information as needed to support and document functional operations and activities.

• Maintains manual and electronic tracking systems for departmental requests, work orders, purchases, maintenance needs, student inquiries, files, projects, and pending actions. Ensuring accurate records, timely follow-up, resolution, and accountability.

• Plans, arranges, and coordinates specific meetings, occasions, operations, presentations, conferences, or other group events; anticipates needs, puts together the necessary components, combines various elements, and ensures readiness in advance of the activity.

• Performs general office/secretarial tasks such as monitoring/ordering standard office supplies; collating and assembling documents; accepting and delivering inter-department correspondence, photocopying/faxing correspondence and reports; attending meetings and taking and distributing minutes; scheduling appointments and maintaining supervisor’s calendar; screening calls/visitors and making travel arrangements. Follows up on all building maintenance needs.

Typical Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to serve as a professional and welcoming representative of an academic department, with strong interpersonal and customer service skills and the ability to respond to inquiries, obtain information, and communicate effectively.

• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple and competing priorities within specific deadlines.

• Working knowledge of standard office practices and procedures.

• Must possess strong verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to work effectively with a diverse campus community, while exercising diplomacy, tact, and confidentiality in all interactions

• Strong administrative skills with the ability to edit and draft documents, track data with careful attention to detail and accuracy.

• Ability to handle confidential student, faculty, financial, and departmental information with discretion.

• Strong planning skills, with the ability to coordinate travel and arrange event logistics.

• Proficiency in a variety of PC and Mac software applications to include MS Office (specifically, Outlook, Word, Excel and PowerPoint), as well as Google Workspace, shared drives, PDF tools, calendars, and working knowledge with web-based applications and databases.

• Proficiency with BANNER is preferred, but not required.

• Commitment to teamwork and accountability, with the ability to work independently and exercise sound judgment, taking an appropriate level of initiative.

Supplemental Information

EDUCATION: High school diploma or equivalent; some college preferred.

EXPERIENCE:

· Administrative experience in a front-facing, customer service-focused role requiring professionalism, responsiveness, and effective communication.

· Experience working with diverse populations in a professional office environment

· Experience supporting and working with an academic department

· Requires walking and occasional lifting of objects up to 25 lb