Career Center

The Department of Geography, Environment and Society seeks an engaging, detailed-oriented, team player to join our staff as an Executive Office and Administrative Specialist. We seek an individual with strong customer service and interpersonal communication skills who can effectively engage with diverse clientele (faculty, student, staff, public). In addition, we seek an organized individual who has good time management skills and the ability to readily respond to changing circumstances and expectations. A willingness to learn multiple University systems and processes is essential to this role, as is a facility with financial work.

Essential duties include (but are not limited to):

• Financial paperwork preparing and processing
• Supervise student workers & responsible for staffing front office
• Managing Department spaces
• Event planning and website / social media coordinator
• Course scheduling & class field experience management

Appointment Details:
40 hours / 100% position.
This is a hybrid position with the ability to work remotely 1-2 days a week, subject to unit need following the completion of 3 months.
Hourly/Salary Range: $21.84-$27.30 / hour

Duties and Responsibilities:
Department Financial Preparer Duties (35%)

• Understand and explain fiscal policies to faculty, students and staff.
• Collect, prepare and process purchasing card data for department purchasing card users.
• Process Travel Authorizations, Cash Advances, and Wire Transfers in accordance with department, college, and university guidelines.
• Prepare supplier authorization form for new or existing suppliers; generate Purchasing Orders (POs) as needed.
• Manage purchasing activities related to U Market and Amazon Business, including receipt of supplies and equipment.
• Prepare and process all documents related to visiting scholars.
• Troubleshoot EFS system and processes.
• Manage/approve electronic timesheets for student workers.
• Assist with miscellaneous financial matters as directed by administrator.

Student, Staff, Faculty and Front Office Support (30%)

• Responsible for staffing front office, at times directly by providing professional and courteous front office customer service to students, faculty, and staff and indirectly by hiring, training, and supervising student office workers for same.
• Manage the distribution of mail and departmental email; forward/respond as needed
• Maintain copiers, fax machine, and printers and manage photocopy and scanning  as needed.
• Distribute, collect, process course evaluations
• Collect and file documents, including course syllabi
• Coordinate and/or order office supplies.
• Prepare, maintain, and distribute department directory and other listings.
• Track department equipment loan (laptop, projector, cables)

Manage Departmental Spaces (15%)

• Track room inventory & use
• Monitor tech in conference rooms; schedule maintenance as required
• Provide Departmental room scheduling
• Work with Facilities Management to resolve building maintenance problems.
• Maintains bulletin boards and post information in hardcopy and online as needed.

Event Planning and Social Media Coordinator (10%)

• Act as primary event planner for department
• Advertise events and publish news stories on department website and social media
• Manage department website

Collaborative Course Scheduling & field experiences (10%)

• Work closely with administrator and/or academic advisor to schedule new courses; manage existing courses, ensuring proper data entry of basic data, meeting times, enrollment control, class section data, instructors; manage waitlist capacities and adjust/monitor combined sections as needed.
• Help manage class field experiences.

Required Qualifications:

• High School Diploma/GED and four years of office and/or administrative experience.
• Training/education may be substituted for some of the years of experience.
• Demonstrated computer experience in word processing and spreadsheets.
• Customer service requirements

Preferred Qualifications:

• Strong people skills, including effective verbal, written and interpersonal communication.
• Ability to work independently and in team settings in a proactive, creative manner
• Knowledge/understanding of, or adaptability to, a higher education environment
• Experience and/or commitment to working with diverse groups.
• Knowledge of, or ability to learn, University computer systems and policies related to financial processing and reporting, course scheduling, room assignments, purchasing, deposits and related processes.
• Proven ability to organize and assist in event planning

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

The University of Minnesota, founded in the belief that all people are enriched by understanding, is dedicated to the advancement of learning and the search for truth; to the sharing of this knowledge through education for a diverse community; and to the application of this knowledge to benefit the people of the state, the nation, and the world.

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