Administrative Assistant, College of Arts and Architecture
About The Position
The Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Education in Penn State’s College of Arts and Architecture is seeking an Administrative Assistant to support student success and strategic initiatives. The role supports undergraduate admissions, academic affairs, budget and finance operations, signature events, stewardship activities, and front-line customer service. In a student-centered, fast-paced environment, the Administrative Assistant handles complex administrative work and public-facing interactions, serving students, families, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders while helping ensure the efficient operation of the office. The position supports admissions inquiries and prospective-student tours; undergraduate funding programs, academic tracking, and scholarship stewardship; financial and budget processes; and planning and day-of operations for college events. After training, the employee will use SAP Concur, ServiceNow, Microsoft 365, SIMBA, and PSUbuy. The position reports to the Assistant to the Associate Dean. Flexible work arrangements may be considered when consistent with the unit’s needs and the position’s essential duties; approval of remote or hybrid work is not guaranteed. Applicants must submit a cover letter addressing their interest and relevant experience, in addition to a resume. Required clearances include a PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check. Applicants must be authorized to work in the U.S.; Penn State does not sponsor staff employment visas.
Requirements
- GED or high school diploma and at least 2 years of relevant experience; relevant education may be accepted in lieu of experience.
- Knowledge of general budget and financial administration practices, including accurately tracking expenses, maintaining records, and supporting financial transactions.
- Experience providing administrative support in a business, academic, or professional office setting.
- Ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
- Effective written and verbal communication skills.
- Excellent interpersonal skills and demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service.
- Experience building effective relationships with a variety of stakeholders.
- Ability to work proactively, take ownership of responsibilities, and maintain a high level of accuracy.
- Ability to adapt to changing priorities in a dynamic environment.
- Authorization to work in the U.S.
- Submission of a cover letter addressing interest and relevant experience, in addition to a resume.
- Required clearances: PA State Police Criminal Background Check, PA Child Abuse History Clearance Form, and Federal (FBI) Fingerprint Criminal Background Check.
Nice To Haves
- Experience working directly with students in a higher education or educational environment.
Responsibilities
- Serve as a point of contact for prospective students and their families, answer University- and College-specific admissions questions, and respond to requests for information.
- Coordinate tours for prospective students and their families.
- Collect and maintain prospective-student records and related data.
- Monitor SLATE, respond to information requests, and answer questions.
- Assist with undergraduate funding programs by updating applications, responding to inquiries, reviewing applicant materials, and recording funding decisions.
- Compile graduation statistics and track certificate program completers.
- Support academic units in complying with field trip policies, track trips for the Associate Dean, and maintain current policy-related information.
- Coordinate Student Marshal eligibility by tracking eligible students in summer and fall and facilitating academic-unit selections in spring.
- Assist with college-level stewardship, including preparing the general scholarship application, collaborating with the marketing team to promote it, tracking responses, and retrieving eligibility data.
- Schedule appointments for students with time-sensitive financial-assistance requests and maintain related records and data.
- Initiate expense and revenue reconciliation processes.
- Serve as a point of contact for college and university finance teams as needed.
- Obtain required documentation from colleagues, students, and guests for travel reimbursements, invoice payments, and honorarium processing.
- Track submitted office expenditures and provide budget-related data and reports to support office budget forecasts.
- Assist with day-of operations for key college-wide events.
- Plan event logistics, including room scheduling, registration management, catering and giveaways coordination, and signage preparation.
- Gather information for event promotional campaigns and participate in collaborative campaign efforts.
- Support events including the College’s Commencement, Golumbic Scholarship Exhibition, Spend a Summer Day, and Admitted Student Programs.
Benefits
- Comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage.
- Retirement plans.
- Paid time off including holidays, vacation, and sick time.
- 75% tuition discount for employees and eligible spouses and children.
Stand Out From the Crowd
Upload your resume and get instant feedback on how well it matches this job.
What This Job Offers
Job Type
Full-time
Career Level
Entry Level
Education Level
High school or GED
