Administrative Assistant for Engineering and Computer Science

SUMMARY

This position performs office management, clerical, and administrative duties for academic departments to provide efficient office operations and represent the departments in a professional manner.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES include the following. Other duties may be assigned.

• Provide administrative support to the departments by responding to email and telephone requests, drafting, proofreading, and editing correspondence and newsletters, managing social media posts and website content, ordering supplies, maintaining calendars, arranging facilities and equipment reservations, planning events, and requesting service for office equipment to ensure efficient office operations.
• Provide reception duties by greeting visitors, answering questions, and providing referral resources. Respond to faculty, students, staff, and guests in a professional and courteous manner.
• Assist faculty with course preparation by printing, copying, or scanning documents, interfacing with course management systems, and ordering course supplies to provide quality classroom instruction. Assist faculty with course management by helping students arrange for test scheduling and proctoring.
• Manage department-specific student admission processes. Establish and maintain computerized and non-computerized records by formatting files, entering new data, updating current data, and printing reports to ensure current and accurate file data. Work with Student Success to coordinate department-specific orientation events and assign students to faculty advisors.
• Maintain budgetary records by tracking spending, issuing purchase orders, and processing invoices to accurately monitor departmental expenditures and address budget related questions in a timely manner.
• Work with faculty and support staff from engineering and computer science, as well as the Science Division, Event Services, IT, Campus Safety, Physical Plant, and Admissions, in planning and carrying out annual department events (particularly senior celebrations).
• Assist in the preparation for department colloquia and seminars by coordinating advertising, arranging facilities and equipment reservations, and arranging food service to ensure efficiently executed colloquia and seminars. Maintain student seminar attendance records.
• Supervise student office assistants each semester by interviewing, overseeing daily operations, coordinating schedules, approving timesheets, and performing performance evaluations to ensure efficient operations.
• Coordinate department graders and lab assistants by posting positions, recruiting potential assistants, assigning student applicants to appropriate positions, keeping records, and communicating requirements to faculty supervisors to ensure that the programs run smoothly with all positions filled.
• Coordinate with faculty and with Communications and Marketing in generating print and on-line resources to promote programs and recruit students. Work with Admissions to recruit faculty for recruiting events and schedule faculty for individual meetings with prospective students/families.
• Maintain several bulletin boards and display screens for both CS and Engineering and post weekly lab schedules outside of classrooms and labs.
• Assist Department Assessment Coordinators in matters for ABET accreditation and annual data collection of current students as well as alumni surveys.

SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES

This position may supervise one or more student office assistants.

QUALIFICATIONS

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION and/or EXPERIENCE

This position requires a high-school diploma or general education degree (GED); one to three years office experience; or equivalent combination of education and experience. Strong organization, written and verbal communication, interpersonal and analytical skills required. Knowledge of computers and related software required (Microsoft Office Suite, Workday, and Drupal experience preferred). Supervisory experience and experience in academic administration helpful.

COMMUNICATION SKILLS

The position requires the ability to greet callers and visitors, answer questions about the university, and employ good communication skills and tact. Proofread correspondence for spelling, grammar, and content errors. May occasionally handle some confidential information.

COMPLEXITY

The position requires the ability to carry out detailed written/oral/diagram form instructions. Deals with standardized situations involving several variables.

ACCOUNTABILITY

The position follows practices or routines that are established by others and/or provides support to employees within the same department.

DECISION MAKING/JUDGMENT

This position regularly requires independent judgment in setting priorities and organizing work to accomplish results. Some of the responsibilities of this position are performed in accordance with existing procedures and instructions.

WORKING RELATIONSHIPS

The position requires frequent participation with people from various perspectives and deals with items that may be controversial. Participants make decisions and solve problems through expertise, influence, persuasion and/or other interpersonal skills with infrequent supervision.

PHYSICAL DEMANDS/WORK ENVIRONMENT

The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job. The work in this position is performed within routine office conditions, usually without exposure to hazardous or unpleasant conditions. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

FAITH and EDUCATIONAL COMMITMENT

1. Commitment to the educational mission of Calvin as a Christian liberal arts University affiliated with the Christian Reformed Church.

2. A commitment to the Christian faith and to the integration of faith, learning, and student development.

DIVERSITY COMMITMENT

Demonstrated awareness and commitment to effectively establishing relationships and positive communication across multiple dimensions of diversity including, but not limited to, race, gender, physical limitations, class, or religious perspectives.