Administrative Assistant

Northeastern University•Boston, MA

About The Position

The Main Office Administrative Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for the Department of Mathematics, providing front desk coverage, community services, event coordination, and administrative support to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The role requires a consistently positive and professional demeanor, strong attention to detail, flexibility, and the ability to manage shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment. Initiative is a priority, including the ability to identify what needs to be done and act independently without needing to be explicitly asked. Strong communication, tact, organizational and computer skills, and a genuine willingness to pitch in and support the department are essential.

Requirements

Associate's degree.
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams.
Consistently positive attitude and professional demeanor, with strong attention to detail.
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities, and remain flexible as priorities shift.
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, including the ability to interact professionally and with tact and diplomacy with people at all levels, both inside and outside the department.
Readiness to take on responsibility and willingness to pitch in and help others.
Strong initiative and ability to identify what needs to be done and act independently without close supervision.
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound independent judgment, and carry out complex assignments with minimal supervision.
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 in handling confidential information.

Nice To Haves

Bachelor's degree.
Experience with university systems such as Concur or Workday.

Responsibilities

Provide consistent front desk coverage; maintain a professional and welcoming reception area; answer telephone calls and respond to emails promptly.
Support students, faculty, staff, and visitors, and monitor front desk traffic.
Maintain a neat and orderly work environment.
Apply knowledge of department programs, policies, and university resources to resolve routine and non-routine inquiries.
Serve as departmental liaison to Information Technology Services (ITS), Facilities, the copying center, and other university offices.
Purchase and monitor department supplies, maintain detailed Excel purchase records, and retain receipts in a shared folder.
Liaise with student clubs to support their activities and coordinate catering needs.
Monitor spending across department purchases and student club budgets.
Manage room scheduling, ensure audiovisual equipment is functioning, and arrange seminar room cleaning when required.
Submit work orders and liaise with Facilities to help ensure the department is clean, safe, and functioning.
Maintain office equipment and assist with assigning offices to faculty, graduate students, and visitors.
Maintain organized electronic filing and records management systems.
Manage department mail, package deliveries, and inter-office correspondence.
Manage department listservs and email distribution lists and disseminate departmental communications.
Plan, organize, and coordinate department events, including faculty speaker seminars and student- and research-facing initiatives.
Manage event logistics, including space reservations, catering, audiovisual equipment, signage, materials, attendee communications, on-site setup, and post-event follow-up.
Prepare event materials, briefing documents, and printed programs; manage the department event calendar and flag scheduling conflicts.
Coordinate travel and hospitality for visiting speakers and faculty candidates, and process reimbursements with the Budget Coordinator.
Assist with additional projects and administrative tasks as needed.