"Administrative Specialist, Department of Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences"

Context of the Job:

Under the limited supervision of the Department Chair and the Business Administrator, the Administrative Specialist using initiative, judgment, and discretion assists with managing the administrative functions and the academic and fiscal affairs of the Department. The Administrative Specialist is proactive, customer-service driven, demonstrates exceptional attention to detail, and utilizes effective organization skills to meet concurrent deadlines in a results-driven environment.

Major Responsibilities:

• Oversees or assists with all aspects of the department’s daily operations, ensuring compliance with university, state, and federal policies, laws, and regulations.
• Provides strategic guidance to all levels of management on university policy, financial operations, and administrative matters.
• Develops, maintains, and enhances office management systems; implements new administrative strategies and procedures to optimize efficiency.
• Prepares high-level correspondence on behalf of the department, college, and university, frequently managing sensitive and confidential information on behalf of the Department Chair and Business Administrator.
• Creates, organizes, and manages course, programs, and other department data using Excel; generate summaries, tables, and reports to support department planning and decision making.
• Manages, plans, and directs logistical operations for departmental events, including administrative, recruitment, development, and strategic initiatives. Responsibilities include securing venues, coordinating A/V support, managing catering, preparing documentation (agendas, minutes), and overseeing facility logistics.
• Supports and monitors faculty-related processes such as peer reviews, contract renewals, promotion and tenure (P&T), faculty recruitment, and various types of leave.
• Independently manages the P&T process, coordinating closely with the P&T Chair to schedule committee meetings, request external letters, and oversee dossier compilation and distribution. Maintains the departmental P&T database and serves as liaison with the College of Health Sciences Dean’s Office for tracking faculty appointments and renewals.
• Coordinates and monitors the workflow for submission of new and revised course and program proposals within the University’s system (Curriculog).
• Supervises, trains, and evaluates student employees; monitors and approves hours for miscellaneous wage staff, ensuring adherence to ACA guidelines and university employment policies.
• Manages the submission and processing of human resources documentation for non-benefited new hires, adjunct instructors, visiting scholars, and secondary/affiliate faculty appointments.
• Administers all procurement processes, including service contracts, affiliation agreements, purchase orders, non-PO payments (e.g., honoraria, awards, participant incentives), and software/technology requests.
• Manages the processing of all supplemental teaching payments for adjunct faculty and full-time instructors.
• Leads departmental Concur purchasing activities, including policy compliance, training material development, in-person training for faculty, staff, and graduate students, and oversight of procurement and travel expenses. Exercises independent judgment to ensure adherence to university policy.
• Assists with the maintenance and content updates of the departmental website.
• Maintains the departmental donor database and prepares personalized donor acknowledgment letters.
• Serves as Computer Lab Coordinator, managing scheduling, maintenance, user support, and software deployment (e.g., SPSS, SAS).
• Manages departmental space and equipment logistics, including space/equipment inventories; key management; office/lab shared space scheduling, supply ordering, and in coordination with CHS Facilities office/lab moves and renovations.
• Coordinates faculty search committees including all candidate travel arrangements and reimbursements. Coordinates appropriate facilities, equipment, personnel schedules, catering, technology, logistical requirements and publicity for incoming candidates.
• Maintains departmental policies, bylaws, committee rosters, staff rosters, and email distributions lists.
• Serves as departmental archives/records retention specialist.
• Acts as liaison to IT for systems coordination and equipment issues.
• Serves as the first point of contact for the Health Behavior and Nutrition Sciences (HBNS) office; fields calls from faculty, staff, students, parents and the public and refers calls to staff and other departments as appropriate.
• Performs other job-related duties as assigned.

Qualifications:

• Bachelor’s degree and three years of related work experience or equivalent combination of education and experience.
• University experience preferred.
• Extensive knowledge of office practices and procedures.
• Ability to make independent decisions and judgments in keeping with the level of the position.
• Ability to plan, prioritize, balance, and review a variety of projects that must be completed simultaneously and on time.
• Ability to communicate and interact with people of all ages and diverse backgrounds and to maintain a positive and collaborative work environment.
• Ability to use advanced techniques in word processing, spreadsheet, database, webpage and presentation software.
• Ability to utilize current social media platforms.