PRIMARY PURPOSE: The Academic Affairs Office Assistant uses independent and discretionary decision making and office skills to perform a variety of advanced clerical, administrative, and project support duties for the academic affairs department, Provost, Vice President of Academic Affairs, and Dean of Faculty.

ESSENTIAL RESPONSIBILITIES AND DUTIES:

• Greet visitors, students, and/or employees, respond to inquiries or requests for information, and provide assistance.
• Organize itineraries, travel, and accommodations for all guest lecturers who visit the University through academic affairs.
• Take meeting minutes at faculty meetings.
• Manage office supply needs, including stocking faculty copy rooms.
• Undertake a daily academic building walk-thru to determine/report any issues (e.g., lights out, leaks, etc.).
• Oversee common areas of academic building, including faculty lounge, by doing daily walk throughs and reporting issues to facilities.
• Provide faculty support re: lectures (e.g., posters, accommodations, reimbursement processing, etc.).
• Assist in planning for new student orientation (reserve classrooms, coordinate faculty coverage, coordinate with student affairs/admissions, etc.).
• Perform assigned responsibilities, duties, and tasks according to established practices, procedures, techniques, and standards in a safe manner and with minimal supervision.
• Must support the University’s Catholic mission.

LEADERSHIP and COMMUNICATION SKILLS:

• Follow technical instructions, procedure manuals, and charts to solve practical problems, and/or compose routine or specialized reports or forms and business letters, and/or ensure compliance with clear guidelines and standards.
• Communicate to convey or exchange general work-related information or service to internal or external customers.
• Possess pleasant and professional customer service skills.

DECISION-MAKING and ANALYTICAL SKILLS:

• Requires moderate decision-making.
• Perform clerical or manual duties.
• Adhere to college and department policies, procedures, and practices.
• Perform job duties in a safe and efficient manner.

EQUIPMENT/SOFTWARE:

• Use office machines such as telephones, copiers/fax/scanner equipment, and 10-key calculator.
• Proficient in computer programs utilized which include electronic mail, Windows XP, Word, Excel and Outlook.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The following physical conditions and hazards may be encountered in this position:

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.

EDUCATION and EXPERIENCE:

• Candidates with a strong commitment to Ave Maria University’s mission who hold a bachelor’s degree and administrative experience in higher education are preferred

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, and ABILITIES:

• Thorough knowledge of the principles of office management and of modern office procedures, systems and equipment.
• Have working knowledge and experience using Microsoft Office software with Excel proficiency.
• Knowledge of department and college policies, procedures, and practices with the ability to answer work related questions; and/or interpret and apply these guidelines correctly in various situations.
• Knowledge of business English with the ability to write in complete sentences using appropriate words, correct grammar, punctuation and spelling.
• Ability to use independent judgment and discretion, and work collaboratively, and under supervision.
• Must possess strong initiative, leadership skills, organizational and project management skills, with the ability to multitask to manage a variety of projects and priorities, coordinating the actions of others, follow through on projects to timely completion, and demonstrate excellent judgment with attention to detail.
• Detailed-oriented with skills in proofreading materials and data entry to ensure accuracy.
• Oral and written skills to convey ideas, facts, and information effectively and accurately to students, staff, faculty, and the public.
• Ability to identify what information is needed by others for effective actions.
• Ability to maintain confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to develop and maintain filing systems.
• Knowledge of accounting principles.
• Ability to deal with internal and external customers in a tactful and courteous manner.
• Ability to devise or adopt office procedures to changing organizational needs.
• Ability to organize and coordinate functions and tasks, with frequent interruptions.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships internally and externally.
• Well-organized and self-directed with exceptional time management skills.
• Ability both to take initiative and follow-through.
• Ability to perform basic mathematic calculations.

PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:

While performing the duties of this job, the employee is regularly required to:

• sit; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; reach with hands and arms, talk, and hear. The position requires close vision, distance vision, color vision, peripheral vision, depth perception, and ability to adjust focus.
• Employee is occasionally required to stand and walk, and the position does require ability to work in a seated position for hours.
• The employee must regularly lift and /or move up to 10 pounds and occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds.

WORKING CONDITIONS:

The following physical conditions and hazards may be encountered in this position:

The noise level in the work environment is usually moderate.