POSITION TITLE: Administrative Assistant I

AGENCY: University of Massachusetts Dartmouth

SALARY: Grade 15                                                                                                                                              

GENERAL STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

Coordinates and performs a full range of administrative and fiscal duties in supporting the Departments of Sociology & Anthropology and Public Policy.  Supports the Chairperson with minimal guidance.  Supervise, organize, and make independent decisions concerning work priorities.  Areas of responsibility include financial record keeping, running reports, creating purchase orders, creating change orders, and dealing with vendors.  Will serve as the main customer service person for visitors/students/parents running an organized efficient office.  Maintain a high level of confidentiality

SUPERVISION RECEIVED:

Direct line supervision from the Sociology & Anthropology Department Chairperson.  Additionally, functional supervision from the Public Policy Department Chairperson.

DIRECT REPORTING STAFF: Student office workers (1-5)            

THEIR STAFF: None

DETAILED STATEMENT OF DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide administrative assistance to the Chairperson including discretion in handling confidential information, consistent with university policy and procedures
• Serve as point of contact for the departments, including greeting individuals in the office, answering the telephone, and responding to email inquiries. In response to questions and concerns from the public, university personnel and students, decide whether to contact faculty and staff directly or whether to direct students, staff, or the public to the appropriate person or office. Direct students to appropriate resource personnel to handle academic questions.
• Perform routine office functions including but not limited to maintaining office supplies for the Department; ordering room keys; scheduling rooms for meetings; sending and receiving faxes; photocopying class and research related materials; maintaining bulletin board postings; maintaining confidential files; etc. 
• Perform budgetary duties that include but are not limited to compiling state, grant, and other financial information for departmental budgetary purposes; posting, adjusting, and verifying account balances using the Peoplesoft system regularly and proofing spreadsheets against the Peoplesoft system; generating financial summaries by compiling statistics and figures for budget reports; if necessary, arrange for line item transfers; check account balances for sufficient funds, and, if necessary, arrange for line item transfers.
• Input data for purchase orders, process travel authorization forms, travel expense vouchers, work orders, and direct reimbursement forms for faculty and students (as needed). Order office supplies using Buyways, ProCard, and PeopleSoft and maintain appropriate records of these transactions.
• Operate standard office equipment, including computers, photocopiers, scanner, Fax machines, and specialized office equipment.
• Schedule and make arrangements for conferences, meetings, interviews, appointments, or similar activities in accordance with requirements identified by supervisors.
• Assist in processing personnel actions, such as hiring forms, promotions, tenure reviews, and contract renewals. Confidentiality is required.. Assist in processing all Faculty Evaluation Forms and Faculty Annual Activities Reports and submitting a copy to the Dean's office at the end of each year.
• Compile information accumulated from the Registrar’s office to compose an updated list of majors for the faculty in the department to utilize for various academic reasons.  This requires confidentiality in the handling of student records.
• Maintain and process files of potential employees of the department.
• Help organize Search and Screen Committees by organizing files, checking files for completeness, contacting applicants in order to complete files, create schedules and arrange accommodation and travel for applicants to be interviewed.  Confidentiality is required.
• Creates grid of department faculty teaching schedules and office hours at the beginning of each semester for posting on office doors and for submission to the Dean's office.
• Compose correspondence for routine letters such as requests for information, confirmation of meetings, etc., for approval by supervisors.
• Receive, sort, and distribute incoming mail, memoranda, packages, etc. to appropriate individuals.
• Assist the chairperson in assigning advisors and the certification process for all   Organize, collect and assemble student records from COIN and hard copy.  This requires confidentiality in the handling of student records.
• Receive and process student forms requiring signatures (Change of Major, Drop/Add Forms, Directed/Independent Study, Change of Grade and Certifications).  Forward appropriate forms to Chairperson, Dean and Registrar.  This requires confidentiality in the handling of student records.
• Perform other job-related duties and responsibilities as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS REQUIRED AT HIRE:

• Knowledge of the principles and practices of office management.  Knowledge of the methods of general report writing.
• Knowledge of the types and uses of general office equipment.
• Knowledge of Business English including spelling, word meaning and word usage.
• Knowledge of the methods used in the preparation of charts, graphs, and tables.
• Ability to understand, explain and apply the laws, rules, policies, procedures, specifications, standards and guidelines governing assigned unit activities.
• Ability to analyze and determine the applicability of data, to draw conclusions and to make appropriate recommendations.
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions.
• Ability to assemble items of information in accordance with established procedures.
• Ability to gather information through questioning individuals by examining records and documents.
• Ability to write concisely, to express thoughts clearly and to develop ideas in logical sequence.
• Ability to determine proper format and procedure for assembling items of information.
• Ability to prepare general reports.  Ability to maintain accurate records.  Ability to prepare and use charts, graphs and tables.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral expression.
• Ability to give written and oral instructions in a precise, understandable manner.
• Ability to establish rapport and maintain harmonious working relationships with persons from varied ethnic, cultural and/or economic backgrounds.
• Ability to supervise, including planning and assigning work according to the nature of the job to be accomplished, the capabilities of subordinates and available resources; controlling work through periodic reviews and/or evaluations; determining subordinates’ training needs and providing or arranging for such training; motivating subordinates to work effectively; determining the need for disciplinary action and either recommending or initiating disciplinary action.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to manage time allocated to tasks effectively.
• Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
• Knowledge of the principles, practices and techniques of supervision.

QUALIFICATIONS ACQUIRED ON JOB:

• Knowledge of the laws, rules, regulations, policies, procedures, specifications, standards and guidelines governing assigned unit activities
• Knowledge of the proper telephone procedures for making and receiving agency calls.
• Knowledge of the types and uses of agency forms.
• Knowledge of the laws, rules and regulations governing the state personnel system.
• Knowledge of state budgetary procedures relating to positions, salaries and personnel services.
• Knowledge of the laws, rules, policies and procedures governing Federal Grant Administration.
• Knowledge of state procedures governing the purchasing and requisitioning of supplies and equipment.
• Knowledge of state accounting and budgetary procedures including terminology.
• Ability to record actions and prepare minutes of academic meetings.
• Knowledge of university and graduate school requirements, regulations, and processes.
• Ability to refer inquiries to other offices.
• PeopleSoft, COIN, Buyways, HR Direct, BonitaSoft, CorsairJobs, 25Live, Summit, SimpleK database data entry, information look-up, and data extraction.
• PC word-processing and spreadsheet programs (notably, Microsoft Word and Excel).
• Ability to compile tabular data and prepare summary reports.

MINIMUM ENTRANCE REQUIREMENTS:

Applicants must have at least (A) two years of full-time, or equivalent part-time, experience in office management, office administration, business administration or business management, the major duties of which included one or more of the following functions: purchasing, personnel management, budgeting, accounting, records management, work simplification, grants management, contract administration or program management, (B) any equivalent combination of the required experience and the substitutions.

LICENSE AND CERTIFICATION REQUIREMENT: NONE

DEPARTMENT: Sociology and Anthropology Department

NO. OF POSITIONS: 1

INTERNAL/EXTERNAL POSTING: Yes

STATE FUNDED:  No  

SALARY: $52,449.02 - $72,712.34

HOURS:  M-F

GRADE: 15

UNION:  AFSCME 

UMass Dartmouth offers exciting benefits such as:

• 75% Employer-Paid Health Insurance
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Life Insurance
• Long Term Disability
• State Pension Retirement Plan
• Optional Retirement Savings Plans
• Tuition Credit (Employee, Spouse, & Dependents)
• Twelve (12) paid holidays
• Paid personal, vacation, and sick time
• And More!

Benefits for AFSCME Union- AFSCME

Applicants must be authorized for employment in the U.S. on a full-time basis. Employment-based visa sponsorship is not available.

To apply please submit a letter of interest, a current resume and the contact information for three professional references.

The deadline for internal applicants is October 30, 2024.

The review of internal and external applications will be ongoing until the position is filled.