Administrative Assistant, College of Arts and Architecture

The Pennsylvania State University•University Park, FL

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 efficient office operations. The position supports prospective-student inquiries and tours; undergraduate funding programs, academic tracking, and scholarship stewardship; budget and finance processes; and planning and operations for college-wide events. Following 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 they align with unit needs and the essential duties of the role; approval of remote or hybrid work is not guaranteed.

Requirements

High school diploma or GED.
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.
Applicants must submit a cover letter addressing their interest and relevant experience, in addition to a resume.
Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States; Penn State does not sponsor or take over sponsorship of a staff employment visa.
Required clearances include a Pennsylvania State Police Criminal Background Check, Pennsylvania 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.
Track Student Marshal eligibility for summer and fall commencement and facilitate academic unit selections in the spring.
Assist with college-level stewardship by 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 associated records and data.
Initiate expense and revenue reconciliation processes and serve as a 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 office expenditures and provide budget-related data and reports to support office budget forecasts.
Assist with day-of operations and logistical planning for college-wide events, including room scheduling, registration management, catering, giveaways, and signage.
Gather information for event promotional campaigns and participate in collaborative campaign efforts.
Support the College’s Commencement, Golumbic Scholarship Exhibition, Spend a Summer Day, and Admitted Student Programs.