| Purpose of the Position: |
The Senior Administrative Assistant will perform administrative, operational, logistical, and project work toward the accomplishment of unit goals and objectives; the scope of this position spans three areas of unit responsibility– administrative and budget functions and graduate assistantship support. The incumbent will serve as the primary point of contact interfacing with all Graduate School stakeholders, including faculty, students, staff, visitors, and administrators.
Administrative Functions
• Provide administrative support to the Graduate Dean, including management of the daily operations, including the Dean's calendar, organization of job tasks and responsibilities, and meeting logistics and coordination.
• Serve as primary contact and liaison for departmental staff and university partners.
• Facilitate interactions with visitors, faculty, staff, and students.
• Serve as the initial point of contact for student-facing and departmental inquiries.
• Perform procurement functions to include purchasing for office supplies, Graduate School marketing materials, conference booking and registration.
• Responsible for domestic and international travel plans, itineraries, and reimbursement for the Graduate Dean, as well as for staff and graduate students who attend external conferences.
• Coordinate the annual scheduling and calendar process for the Graduate School. Assist Graduate School staff with the coordination and implementation of graduate student programming.
• Coordinate off-site meetings, events, conferences, and presentations for the Graduate Dean and staff.
• Relay messages and disseminate information through Academic Affairs on behalf of the Graduate Dean and facilitate external communication with alumni and donors. Create presentations for Graduate Dean meetings as needed.
• Maintain Graduate School files; coordinate and upload documentation/paperwork for all graduate students in Banner; collaborate with the Graduate Dean, Office of the Registrar, and various colleges and departments as needed on missing and unsigned documentation.
• Provide support to Graduate School staff to assist with additional student record organization as needed.
• Prepare for and manage the university’s Graduate Council meetings. Duties to include preparation for all aspects of meetings, including annual membership elections by college, Graduate Faculty nominations, preparation of agendas and minutes, scheduling meetings, and pre- and post-Graduate Council meeting communications with Graduate Council members, faculty, staff, and associated units.
• Coordinate hiring for open staff positions, including posting open positions in PageUp, writing job descriptions, preparing search committee interview questionnaires, arranging all aspects of the interview process, communicating with search committee members and candidates, and assisting the team with onboarding newly hired staff, including epaf preparation.
• Participate in cross-training to assist with other tasks in the Graduate School.
Budget Functions
• Work closely with the Dean of the Graduate School, directors of partner units, and staff to make budget projections, generate revenue forecasts, and encumber funds for planned expenses and to adjust budgets and expenses as needed throughout the budget cycle.
• Provide cost share accounts oversight within the unit to serve the Graduate School and Academic Affairs.
• Maintain the resources of the Graduate School, evaluate processes and program activities with the ability to make recommendations to the Graduate Dean regarding process improvements, policy changes, and provide training as needed.
• Process, monitor, and maintain all fiscal records for all Graduate School accounts, including monthly budget summaries.
• Prepare ad hoc and annual reports as requested for assessment, accreditation, strategic and contingency planning.
• Work with the Graduate Dean to comply with state and university policies as needed regarding fiscal matters, including proper budget preparation and documentation, audit trails, and signature authority.
Graduate Assistantship Policy and Process
• Coordinate with the Graduate Dean to develop allocation thresholds each fiscal year to support graduate teaching assistantship needs for each college.
• Provide primary support for the graduate assistantship process each semester.
• Collaborate with the graduate assistantship team to update recruiting and financial materials related to graduate assistantships.
• Work with the graduate assistantship team to produce and present annual workshops for campus stakeholders to learn about new or continuing details of the graduate assistantship process and procedures.
• Review and process graduate assistantship financial waiver forms and student offer letters submitted by each college to ensure all documentation meets Graduate School guidelines.
• Maintain communication with partner units such as the Offices of Bursar, Registrar, Financial Aid, and Contracts and Grants Accounting during graduate assistantship financial processing to ensure accuracy of student charges and applicable waivers to student accounts.
• Upload all graduate assistantship documentation to individual student record accounts in Banner.
• Support the graduate assistantship team to implement upcoming ERP updates related to recruitment of graduate assistantships across campus.
• Perform other duties as assigned.
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