Demonstrated experience as a primary point of public contact in
a multi-constituent environment (students, faculty, visitors,
vendors).
Experience hiring, training, and supervising student workers or
junior staff preferred.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel,
PowerPoint, Outlook, Teams) required; experience with university
systems such as Banner, ePaws, Concur, or Workday preferred.
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, make sound
independent decisions, and carry out complex assignments with
minimal supervision.
Outstanding interpersonal and customer service skills; ability
to interact professionally and warmly with individuals at all
levels, including students, faculty, senior administrators, and
industry guests.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including
the ability to draft professional correspondence, presentations,
and reports on behalf of the department.
High level of discretion and ability to handle confidential
information with professionalism and sound judgment.
Ability to work across multiple buildings on the Boston campus,
occasionally as needed. Hybrid schedule of 3 days on campus each
week, subject to change for business needs.
KEY RESPONSIBILITIES & ACCOUNTABILITIES:
Primary Point of Contact & Constituent Services
- The Department Administrative Specialist is the first - and
most lasting - impression of the Chemical Engineering department.
At this level, the role goes beyond routing and greeting: the
Specialist applies advanced departmental knowledge to resolve
non-routine inquiries, interpret policy, and recommend courses of
action.
- Serve as the primary in-person, phone, and email point of
contact for students, faculty, staff, visiting researchers,
prospective students, industry partners, and department guests;
ensure the reception area consistently projects a professional,
welcoming environment.
- Apply an advanced understanding of department programs,
policies, procedures, and university resources to resolve routine
and non-routine inquiries; exercise independent judgment on
complaints, exceptions, and escalations, providing recommendations
to department leadership on the most complex matters.
- Serve as the department's institutional guide for students
navigating administrative processes - directing them to appropriate
resources for registration, petitions, co-op, research
opportunities, and more.
- Manage the department's general communications inbox; screen
and route incoming calls and email, draft professional responses on
behalf of the department, and communicate critical information
including deadlines, announcements, and procedural updates
Office Operations & Facilities Management
- The Administrative Specialist is the operational steward of the
department's Cullinane Hall suite, responsible not only for
maintaining efficient daily functions but for identifying and
implementing process improvements as the department evolves.
- Oversee day-to-day operations of the department suite,
including common areas, conference rooms, storage, and adjacent
office areas; identify operational gaps and implement solutions to
improve workflow and space efficiency.
- Maintain organized electronic filing and records management
systems; monitor and order office supplies and equipment; submit
and track facilities work orders for maintenance, repair, and space
needs.
- Coordinate onboarding and offboarding logistics for faculty,
staff, visiting scholars, and research personnel - office
assignments, access cards, computer setup, and building
orientation.
- Manage department mail, package deliveries, and inter-office
correspondence; serve as departmental liaison to Facilities, ITS,
and other university service offices.
- Recruit, hire, train, and supervise undergraduate student
workers supporting reception and administrative operations; assign
tasks, monitor hours, approve timesheets, and process hiring
submission for faculty research positions.
Events Coordination & Special Projects
- The Administrative Specialist leads all aspects of department
event planning and execution, overseeing logistics, communications,
and budget, and conducting post-event analysis to drive continuous
improvement.
- Lead end-to-end logistics for department events including the
visiting seminar speaker series, faculty interviews, Industrial
Advisory Board (IAB) meetings, student town halls, orientation
sessions, seminar series, and departmental celebrations - from
initial planning through post-event closeout.
- Manage all event logistics: space reservations, catering, A/V
coordination, signage, supplies, name badges, attendee
communications, and reimbursement processing for guests and
speakers.
- Prepare event materials, briefing documents, and printed
programs; maintain the department events calendar and proactively
flag scheduling conflicts with appropriate lead time.
- Develop and refine event management processes and checklists;
conduct post-event analysis to evaluate outcomes and improve
quality and consistency of future events.
- Support high-visibility department initiatives by drafting
correspondence, preparing presentations, and carrying out special
assignments - setting plans, coordinating stakeholders, monitoring
progress, and problem-solving as needed.
Faculty & Academic Administrative Support
- The Administrative Specialist provides reliable, professional,
and substantive administrative support to Chemical Engineering
faculty - enabling faculty to focus on teaching, research, and
scholarship.
- Serve as the knowledgeable departmental resource for faculty on
Northeastern's administrative procedures, enterprise systems
(ePaws, Concur, Banner, Workday), key contacts, and academic
calendar deadlines; proactively share important dates and updates
at the start of each semester.
- Process and track expense reimbursements, travel bookings,
purchase orders, and procurement transactions in compliance with
university policy; reconcile procard transactions, monitor budget
expenditures, and flag discrepancies to the appropriate
administrator.
- Support faculty research logistics - coordinating vendor
visits, managing shipping and receiving of research materials, and
assisting with grant-related administrative tasks.
- Coordinate faculty and committee meetings: prepare agendas,
take and distribute minutes, and follow up on action items; prepare
and proofread correspondence, reports, and presentations on behalf
of faculty and department leadership.
- Maintain department records including faculty directories,
committee rosters, and course listings; gather and synthesize data
for accreditation, program reviews, and internal planning; support
adjunct and visiting faculty onboarding and faculty search
logistics.
DOCUMENTS REQUIRED:
Resume
Cover letter
Position Type
General Administration
Additional Information
Northeastern University considers factors such as candidate work
experience, education and skills when extending an offer.
Northeastern has a comprehensive benefits package for benefit
eligible employees. This includes medical, vision, dental, paid
time off, tuition assistance, wellness & life, retirement- as
well as commuting & transportation. Visit
https://hr.northeastern.edu/benefits/ for
more information.
All qualified applicants are encouraged to apply and will receive
consideration for employment without regard to race, religion,
color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, disability
status, or any other characteristic protected by applicable
law.
Compensation Grade/Pay Type:
107S
Expected Hiring Range:
$53,615.00 - $75,728.75
With the pay range(s) shown above, the starting salary will depend
on several factors, which may include your education, experience,
location, knowledge and expertise, and skills as well as a pay
comparison to similarly-situated employees already in the role.
Salary ranges are reviewed regularly and are subject to
change.
To apply, visit https://northeastern.wd1.myworkdayjobs.com/en-US/careers/job/Boston-MA-Main-Campus/Administrative-Specialist_R140360
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