Administrative Assistant

The Pennsylvania State University • University Park, FL

12d • Hybrid

About The Position

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies is seeking an Administrative Assistant – Senior Support to provide advanced administrative and financial support. This position supports faculty and departmental operations by processing transactions, monitoring budgets, supporting research accounts, and serving as a key liaison with the College Research Office and Financial Hubs. The successful candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities while working both independently and collaboratively.

Requirements

• The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented and able to work effectively and independently; but also comfortable, competent, and experienced working directly with faculty/staff collaborators.
• Specific competencies critical to success include: excellent verbal and written communication skills; organizational skills & an excellent attention to detail; a team-oriented, collaborative approach; ability to work in a fast-paced environment; and ability to build strong professional relationships.
• Associate Degree
• 4+ years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience accepted

Nice To Haves

• Experience with Penn State’s core administrative systems or similar platforms is strongly preferred, including SIMBA (Penn State’s SAP-based financial system), Workday (HRIS), PSUbuy (SAP-based procurement platform), Microsoft Office Suite , eSteward (gifts and endowments), and ServiceNow (incident tracking). Training and guidance will be provided for candidates who are eager to learn and grow in these areas.

Responsibilities

• Collect, verify, and submit financial documentation (invoices, receipts, travel forms, payment requests, etc.) to the appropriate financial hub for processing.
• Initiate and track transactions in SIMBA, Workday, PSUbuy, and ServiceNow.
• Serve as liaison with financial hubs and the Research Office to resolve issues and ensure compliance with university and sponsor policies at both college and university level.
• Monitor budgets, grant end dates, and matching funds; run SIMBA and Workday reports, including negative balance reports.
• Prepare financial projections and assist faculty with questions related to their accounts.
• Navigate eSteward to pull student scholarship eligibility to determine best utilization of awarding funds; submit awards for disbursement; adjust, cancel or re-award as needed.
• Approve labor distribution plans and effort certifications; serve as a Workday proxy for pay‑related actions.
• Provide backup to administrative manager and other staff to support key departmental operations such as facilities, scheduling, searches, department events, and promotion and tenure processes.
• Contribute to process improvement by identifying workflow issues and sharing feedback.

Benefits

• Penn State provides a competitive benefits package for full-time employees designed to support both personal and professional well-being.
• In addition to comprehensive medical, dental, and vision coverage, employees enjoy robust retirement plans and substantial paid time off which includes holidays, vacation and sick time.
• One of the standout benefits is the generous 75% tuition discount, available to employees as well as eligible spouses and children.

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Mid Level
• Education Level: Associate degree