Office Support Specialist – Salaam Middle East & North Africa Cultural Center

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign•Urbana, IL

21h•Onsite

About The Position

Serves as a key member of the Salaam Middle East & North Africa (MENA) Cultural Center team and provides comprehensive administrative, operational, and financial support to the Director in advancing the center's mission of fostering belonging, cultural understanding, student success, and community engagement. As the first point of contact for many students, faculty, staff, alumni, and community members, plays a critical role in creating a welcoming, culturally responsive, and inclusive environment for individuals from the societies, cultures, languages, religions, and identities that comprise the Middle East and North Africa. Working closely with the Director, helps coordinate the day-to-day operations of the center, supports programming and outreach efforts, manages administrative and financial processes, and assists in responding to the evolving needs of students and campus constituents as they navigate complex and nuanced cultural, political, social, and identity-related issues.

Requirements

High school diploma or equivalent.
Any one or combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the categories below: College coursework in any curriculum, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent: 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months) Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months) 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months) Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)
Work experience performing office/clerical activities, including the use of computer systems.
One (1) year (12 months) of work experience comparable to the second level of this series.

Nice To Haves

Familiarity with Student Affairs and student support services in higher education settings.
Fluency or proficiency in one or more Middle Eastern or North African languages, including but not limited to Arabic, Aramaic, Amharic, Armenian, Azeri, Hebrew, Persian, Turkish, Kurdish, Urdu, etc., in addition to other languages spoken by MENA communities such as English, French, German, Russian, and Spanish, etc.
Demonstrated knowledge of Middle Eastern and North African cultures, communities, and social contexts gained through professional, educational, community, volunteer, or other relevant experience.
Academic coursework, research, or professional experience related to Middle Eastern, North African, Islamic, Jewish, Christian, immigration, diaspora, ethnic studies, or majority/minority studies.
Experience building relationships and engaging with Middle Eastern and North African communities through professional, educational, volunteer, or community-based activities
Experience supporting students of various backgrounds, including but not limited to issues of identity and multigenerational trauma.
Experience working in higher education, multicultural affairs, cultural centers, student affairs, community organizations, or related environments.
Commitment to fostering inclusive and welcoming environments for individuals with a wide range of identities, backgrounds, perspectives, and political viewpoints.
Understanding of the cultural, religious, linguistic, ethnic, and national diversity of the Middle East and North Africa.
Ability to navigate sensitive conversations involving identity, culture, religion, geopolitics, and current events with professionalism, discretion, and empathy.
Strong organizational, communication, and interpersonal skills.
Ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast-paced environment.
Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications and university administrative systems.
Maintain up-to-date analysis with local, national, and international situations and their historical context affecting the MENA region and its diasporas to better serve our demographic and advocate for gaps in resources on their behalf.

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary administrative support for the Director, helping advance the strategic goals and mission of the Salaam MENA Cultural Center.
Assist with departmental budget planning, monitoring, reconciliation, purchasing, and recordkeeping.
Serve as the unit's principal purchaser and coordinate fiscal processes in compliance with university policies and procedures.
Maintain audit-ready records related to finance, human resources, and administrative operations.
Coordinate travel, event, and logistical arrangements for guests, students, faculty, staff, and community partners.
Support human resources processes, including hiring, onboarding, payroll, and personnel documentation.
Assist with the recruitment, onboarding, training, and evaluation of student employees.
Draft correspondence, reports, and communications on behalf of the Director.
Manage calendars, deadlines, and administrative priorities to support effective center operations.
Assist and review Salaam staff and Student Affairs Marcom in drafting and posting flyers, social media announcements, and other promotional materials for intercultural competence and cultural nuance in line with university branding parameters.
Serve as a welcoming, well-informed first point of contact for students, families, alumni, faculty, staff, and visitors.
Respond to inquiries related to center services, programs, resources, and university processes.
Support students with professionalism, empathy, and cultural sensitivity.
Assist with data collection, assessment activities, and program reporting.
Attend meetings, prepare minutes, and maintain records in compliance with FERPA, Title IX, the Clery Act, and university guidelines.
Collaborate with the Director to ensure the smooth daily operation of the center.
Coordinate facility needs, work orders, maintenance requests, and access management.
Manage the center's space reservation process, calendars, and shared communication channels.
Maintain inventories of office equipment and supplies.
Support the center's cultural, educational, and community-building programs by tracking attendance, helping with coordination and execution, gathering data for event and center reviews, and other administrative tasks and staff supervisory tasks.
Assist with special projects and initiatives that advance the center's mission of success, inclusion, belonging, intercultural learning, and student development.
Represent the center on university committees and working groups as requested.
Perform other duties that support the mission and strategic priorities of the Salaam MENA Cultural Center.