Office Manager

Department of African American Studies

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

Job Summary

The primary function of this position is to serve as initial contact for the department as well as complete numerous procedures essential to the smooth and efficient daily workflow in the office and department.

Administrative Duties

• Conduct day-to-day administrative operations of the department for the smooth functioning of the office, including providing staff support and clerical assistance for African American Studies faculty and teaching staff and maintain calendars and mailboxes and coordinate meetings.
• Maintain awareness of staff schedules.
• Serve as a receptionist by greeting visitors, reviewing, and distributing incoming mail, opening and closing the office, ordering supplies, negotiating prices and contracts for the production of materials, and answering phones.
• Maintain bulletin boards, keep track of departmental keys, keep all equipment in working order, arrange for shipments/express deliveries (UPS and FedEx), monitor email inboxes, independently respond to routine inquiries, and direct walk-in traffic, independently respond to routine inquiries requiring detailed knowledge of policies and procedures.
• Communicate on behalf of the department with external units. Work with the building facilities management when needed.
• Assist in data gathering, surveys, assessments and report preparation, and electronic record keeping, as well as filing for the department.
• Co-chair (with the Assistant to the Head) search committees for student employees and facilitates hiring processes.
• Initiate paperwork for student hires. Train and supervise student workers, coordinate work schedules, and monitor daily work activities.
• Initiate timesheet management of all students to ensure accuracy and timely submission to payroll.
• Attend regular staff meetings, prepare and distribute agenda among the faculty and staff, keep minutes for staff meetings, and distribute as appropriate.
• Assist with the development, production, and distribution of departmental informational and promotional materials, including the department’s website, newsletter, and new digital technologies to promote courses and other activities.
• Receive and process confidential materials for department searches.
• Coordinate the administrative search process including the scheduling of interviews and the creation and maintenance of application files and records with responsibility for preserving accurate and accessible information.
• Assemble files for review by faculty committee members, noting any missing pieces of information.
• Maintain a database of contacts for faculty, students, alumni, institutions, and other individuals who are interested in receiving information related to the department.
• Other duties as assigned to further the mission of the department.

Scheduling and Event Management

• Prepare necessary materials and coordinate logistical arrangements for all African American Studies programs and events, such as workshops, conferences, and symposia.
• Distribute flyers to campus departments, arrange for rooms and equipment for talks, and arrange for catering where appropriate.
• Act as liaison with other campus units to coordinate events such as jointly sponsored programs and commencement ceremonies. Attend meetings on behalf of the unit when appropriate.
• Coordinate the use and scheduling of department meeting spaces. Maintains African American Studies calendar of events.
• Arrange meetings of faculty committees for the Head and Associate Head, notifying members of meeting times, preparing, and circulating materials, reserving rooms, and sending out reminders.
• Serve as point of contact to faculty and non-university community on matters of public engagement. Chooses, locates, and solidifies associations with potential public engagement partners.
• Book airline and hotel reservations for faculty, staff, and visitors.

Purchasing, Reimbursements, and Honoraria

• Prepare all Chrome River requests whether for reimbursement, subscriptions, dues, conference registrations, or travel.
• Prepare honoraria for visitors, including preparation for all foreign documents.
• Act as departmental purchaser using T-Card and P-Card, and issues P-Card reports to the LAS Shared Service Center.
• Keep current and attend training sessions regarding OBFS policies and procedures.

Grant Administrative Support

• Assist the Head and Assistant to the Head with financial budget reporting required by grants, and university policy.
• Manage record-keeping procedures to maintain detailed and accurate records of unit fiscal transactions, correspondence, and activities.
• Track individual project expenditures and balances to match transactions posted on MyFI for grant program management and for accurate and timely Chrome River and budget reconciliations.
• Ensure timely response to deadlines, notably for grant applications and funding, program operations, university fiscal requirements, contracts, and reports

Required Qualifications

1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Two (2) years (24 months) of work experience comparable to the third level of this series.

Successful candidates will have:

• Ability to communicate effectively with others.
• Solid interpersonal skills and professional acumen.
• Ability to communicate effectively and professionally, build rapport and establish effective working relationships with students, faculty, staff, and parents.
• Awareness of, and sensitivity to, cultural and linguistic differences. Commitment to diversity and inclusion.
• Ability to work harmoniously with faculty, staff, and students from a wide variety of disciplines.
• Ability to effectively multi-task and stay organized.
• Ability to remain calm and productive in a busy work environment with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to be self-motivated, prioritize tasks, and exercise good judgment.
• Attention to detail.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality in all business matters.
• Ability to handle sensitive matters with tact and diplomacy.
• Knowledge of University and College requirements, procedures, rules, and regulations.
• Ability to use the internet to obtain necessary information.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, including Word and Excel.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 3266 - Office Manager position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the deadline date. The salary for this position is set by a collective bargaining agreement and the rate for the position is $22.701/hour. We strive to provide a competitive salary, considering factors such as available market data, internal equity, candidate experience and qualifications, collective bargaining agreements, and budget constraints. The final salary offer will be determined through a thorough assessment of these elements.

Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (CST) on March 6, 2024. Apply for this position using the Apply Now button on the posting and upload your cover letter, resume (months and years of employment must be included), and names/contact information for three professional references. Please remember to include specific information on how you meet the qualifications of the position in your application materials, including all relevant experiences.
In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact lascollegehiring@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137

For assistance with resume creation and mock interviews, please follow this link for University of Illinois Human Resources workshops (held every other week): https://illinois.csod.com/ux/ats/careersite/1/home/requisition/1595?c=i…;

The University of Illinois must also comply with applicable federal export control laws and regulations and, as such, reserves the right to employ restricted party screening procedures for applicants.

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

Requisition ID: 1022904
Job Category: Administrative Support
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu