Administrative Specialist: Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering - UTK

University of Tennessee•Knoxville, TN

21h•Onsite

About The Position

The position serves as the administrative assistant to the Department Head and assists the faculty in administrative matters of the department. The graduate students rely on this staff member to be there to help them with every aspect of their time in the Department of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering. This position is also cross-trained with the other staff members in the office as a backup for various tasks.

Requirements

High school diploma/GED and 3-4 years of experience, or associate’s degree and 2 years of experience
Experience working in and administering an office utilizing MS Word and a computer-based storage system
Experience working in office setting with direct responsibility to supervisor who has multiple responsibilities in a demanding environment, and working with a variety of constituencies while engaging in a variety of tasks with deadlines and time pressures
Experience working within a setting controlled by policies and procedures established by a larger organization.
MS Office with mastery of Word, PowerPoint, Excel, Outlook, Adobe, One Drive, video-capture software, and upload and download software
Use of standard office equipment
An understanding of the expectations of those working in professional work environment and of standards for professional oral and written communication
Knowledge of web-based search engines
Strong organizational skills and ability to manage multiple priorities simultaneously.
Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
Attention to detail and ability to produce high-quality, error-free work.
Strong interpersonal skills, with the ability to interact effectively with faculty, staff and students.
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise discretion in all matters.
Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive) and all standard office equipment, including telephone, copier, fax, and video-conferencing equipment.
Ability to interact with all kinds of people in a professional and courteous manner; to analyze and solve common problems
Attention to detail, dependability, punctuality, ability to follow instructions, to keep supervisors informed of progress, and seek assistance as needed.
Ability to self-start and self-motivate, work in a support role, supervise student workers, stay on task, work in high-pressure situations, maintain productivity when working in a highly trafficked work setting, and work in a professional setting.
Applicants must be legally authorized to work in the United States on a full-time basis without need now or in the future for sponsorship for employment visa status.

Nice To Haves

Preferred 2 years’ experience working in higher education/office setting.
Experience with long-term scheduling and communications is highly desirable.
Prior work history at a comprehensive research university
Working knowledge of Banner, Slate, Argos, OnBase, Microsoft Office Suite or equivalent software.

Responsibilities

Maintain Department Head’s calendar (MicroSoft Outlook software), receive email of events for Department Head to attend, ensuring alignment with departmental priorities and upcoming events.
Proactively track deadlines, meetings, and commitments, providing timely reminders and updates
Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Department Head, Associate Department Head and Business Manager
Schedule Board of Advisors, Mid Cycle Review, Trotter Distinguished Lecturer Series; work with other staff members to contact venue and set up the location, order food/beverages
Create materials for meetings (folders and binders containing all material needed for meeting)
Review and respond to departmental emails weekly on various questions, forward emails that require another department’s attention
Provide minimal administrative support to faculty, research professors and research staff (post docs/associates)
Create and maintain search files for faculty searches, maintain excel spreadsheet on applicant information, assist search committee chair
Attend faculty meetings; take and archive minutes
Assist in scheduling departmental conference room through 25Live calendaring system
Assist in sorting mail for the department, route mail to proper location
Notify faculty of upcoming meeting dates/times; send meeting invites to faculty
Maintain and provide materials for ABET report
Organization of annual review materials for faculty, schedule individual reviews, Faculty Review System Proxy for Department Head, word processing support for promotion/tenure packages
Provide statistical information to Business Manager for surveys: student counts, gender, etc.
Work with faculty to determine seminar speakers each semester
Interface with the Office of Communications to spotlight the research accomplishments of the faculty.
Assist in the drafting and execution of both external and internal communications regarding scholarly accomplishments by faculty
Update current faculty, staff and student photos for posting
Point person for department Compliance Assist
Place textbook orders through VolShop Faculty Textbook Adoption system
Coordinate monthly research poster presentations with Knoxville/Oak Ridge AIChE chapter
Departmental contact with TCOE communication office for projects such as, CBE annual newsletter, update departmental brochures, and graduate recruiting booklet
Provide oversight and direction to office work study students
Schedule prospective student meetings/tours of the department
Maintain all Graduate Student Files (file all graduate forms for current Graduate students; Admission to Candidacy, Doctoral Appointment form, pulls and files folders when professors request them)
Process Graduate Applications for the Department
Correspond with graduate applicants to assist them in completing submission of documents
Prepare and e-mail all offer letters to graduate students
Forward signed offer of admission letters to Graduate Admissions, and CBE Business Manager
Use CollegeNet system to print off graduate applications packages including transcripts, GRE scores, TOEFL scores, and any other information that the Graduate School receives
Maintain Graduate Students Access database
Sign up GTA’s requiring OPIC testing on UT website
Coordinate Graduate recruiting weekend agenda; along with any other graduate recruiting visits
Department representative for Graduate School Recruiting Group
Save TNVoice reports in the share drive for department head and faculty
Assist students with registration issues
Provide administrative support for PhD qualifying exam and oral portion of the exam
Provide administrative support for graduate teaching assistantship assignments
Enroll GTAs in workshop training
Submit dissertations into iThenticate, provide report to advisor
Ensure that any tasks that are assigned to this position are carried out efficiently and within the guidelines and fiscal policies of the university
Other duties as required