Administrative Assistant II

Iowa State University • Ames, IA

2d

About The Position

The Department of Agronomy in the College of Agriculture and Life Sciences is seeking an Administrative Assistant II to provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Department Chair and department personnel. This position plays a key role in coordinating meetings and events, supporting faculty processes, and ensuring efficient day-to-day operations within a dynamic academic environment. The successful candidate will demonstrate strong organizational skills, attention to detail, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple priorities. Why You’ll Want to Join Our Team In this role, you’ll be part of a highly collaborative, team-oriented department where people genuinely enjoy working together and support each other’s success. Agronomy offers a collegial environment with approachable faculty and staff, along with strong resources that allow you to do meaningful work and continuously improve processes. It’s a place where you can build relationships, contribute in impactful ways, and feel connected to a supportive community.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and 3 years of related experience
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship.
• Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Nice To Haves

• Associate’s degree in a related field.
• 4+ years of progressively responsible administrative experience, preferably in higher education or a similarly complex organization.
• Experience supporting processes requiring a high level of confidentiality and attention to detail (e.g., personnel actions, faculty review, or similar).
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills, with substantial experience drafting, editing, and reviewing professional correspondence, reports, or minutes.
• Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Word, and Excel) and experience navigating enterprise systems such as Workday or similar HRIS platforms.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative support to the Department Chair, including preparing correspondence, reports, presentations, and handling confidential matters
• Support faculty advancement, review, and appointment processes, including document coordination, scheduling, and deadline tracking
• Manage complex calendars and scheduling for the Department Chair, faculty, and shared spaces, ensuring alignment with competing priorities
• Coordinate departmental meetings, events, and faculty candidate visits, including scheduling, logistics, agendas, and minutes
• Research, compile, and analyze information for reports, planning, and special projects
• Provide administrative support to faculty, staff, postdocs, and students, ensuring timely and accurate service
• Assist with onboarding, student employment processes, and general HR-related administrative support
• Support daily office operations, including supplies, shared spaces, mail, and department records
• Ensure accuracy and professionalism in departmental communications and documents

Benefits

• Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: High school or GED
• Number of Employees: 11-50 employees