Front Desk and Office Coordinator

University of Wisconsin Madison • Madison, WI

16h • Onsite

About The Position

Are you a dynamic, mission-driven professional who thrives at the intersection of people, purpose, and operations? If you are someone who loves balancing detail-oriented work with the big-picture impact of ensuring access for our disabled campus community members, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful difference every single day. Join the McBurney Disability Resource Center as our Front Desk Administrator and become the welcoming face and organizational backbone of a team deeply committed to access. In this pivotal role, you and your team of student workers will shape first impressions, ensuring every student, visitor, and campus partner is greeted with professionalism and warmth. Your work will directly contribute to a campus culture where all students, especially those with disabilities, can belong and flourish. You will take the lead in recruiting, hiring, training, and developing a high-performing team of front desk student employees who manage high-stakes communication with a variety of stakeholders. Beyond the front desk, you will be a strategic operations leader, coordinating workflows, managing staff meeting logistics, leading office safety plans, and determining building access and maintenance needs, all while supporting a fast-paced, mission-driven team. From overseeing scheduling and leading front of house communication to managing purchase requests and improving operational efficiencies, your work will keep the center running seamlessly. Your ability to learn and strategically use software and programs, including Microsoft Office and our student database system, will contribute to continuous improvement efforts. You will utilize your knowledge of McBurney Center processes and services to provide support and guidance across campus while maintaining confidentiality under FERPA and triaging more unique issues to appropriate staff. We are seeking a proactive, compassionate problem-solver and team player who brings strong organizational skills, clear communication, and a deep commitment to access. Independent decision-making abilities, sensitivity to mental health and disability-related experiences, and ability to handle crisis situations with patience and understanding are required. Experience in administrative operations, customer service, disability services, and/or higher education environments is highly valued, and a passion for disability services and access can set you apart. Join us and be part of a team that is leading the UW-Madison community toward a culture of access and inclusion for people with disabilities.

Requirements

• Administrative and/or operations experience with strong attention to quality and detail
• Customer service experience, including conflict management skills
• Experience using Microsoft Office Suite and other digital tools to manage office organization, operations, and meeting schedules
• Demonstrated strength in verbal and written communication skills to a variety of audiences (e.g., professional emails to a professor, phone calls with a parent, in-person interactions with a student)
• Ability to connect one’s knowledge of disability and/or accessibility to the work
• Self-motivated with the ability to prioritize and complete concurrent projects amidst evolving priorities and needs encountered every day

Nice To Haves

• Experience in financial tracking and purchase reconciliation
• Experience managing travel arrangements
• Experience managing teams’ calendars
• Supervision and development of early career professionals, student employees, or other young people
• Passion for access and disability services
• Experience working with people with disabilities and/or applying knowledge of the disability barriers experienced in an educational environment

Responsibilities

• Assists, recommends, and advises staff on unit or program administrative issues, personnel matters, and budgetary problems
• Serves on committees and attends meetings, representing the interests of the unit or program
• Analyzes data and trends, compiles progress reports, and provides appropriate recommendations or conclusions in support of the assigned operational work unit(s)
• Exercises supervisory authority: hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct & performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of student employees
• Schedules logistics and secures resources for a designated work unit to contribute to the day-to-day operational success
• Implements and executes established policies and procedures for a designated work unit to adhere to unit objectives and to align with established strategies
• Serves as a primary point of contact about disability services for campus partners and stakeholders via phone, in person, and through other communication mediums

Benefits

• Generous paid time off
• Competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance
• Tax-advantaged savings accounts
• Participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund

What This Job Offers

• Job Type: Full-time
• Career Level: Entry Level