POSITION DESCRIPTION
POSITION TITLE: Academic Administrative Assistant (AAA)
REPORTS TO: Karil Kucera (Supervisor), Anne Groton, Marc Robinson
PRIMARY FUNCTION: Serve as the coordinator for three academic departments (Asian Studies, Classics, Russian Language and Area Studies).
The c. 20 faculty members in these three departments teach five world languages (Chinese, Greek, Japanese, Latin, Russian); they offer eight majors (Ancient Studies, Asian Studies, Classics, Greek Latin, Medieval Studies, Russian, and Russian Area Studies), three concentrations (Asian Studies, China Studies, Japan Studies), a conversation program (Asian Conversations), and a K-12 teaching license (Latin). They host Fulbright foreign language teaching assistants in Chinese and Russian. They sponsor three language honor houses (Chinese, Japanese, Russian) and four Conversation Tables (Chinese, Classics, Japanese, Russian) that meet weekly in Buntrock Commons. One of the departments (Classics) falls under Humanities; the other two (Asian Studies and Russian Language and Area Studies) belong to Interdisciplinary and General Studies.
AREAS OF RESPONSIBILITY:
Administrative Support for Department Chairs, Program Directors, and Faculty:
· Assistance with the process of hiring new faculty; with reviews of faculty for reappointment, tenure, and promotion; with department and program self-studies; with preparation of requests for outside funding.
· Assistance with occasional special events sponsored by departments or programs (e.g., local workshop, statewide language festival, regional conference).
· Assistance with hiring student workers, preparing minutes, certifying majors, reviewing catalog copy, processing program applications.
Routine Office Tasks:
· Answer phone calls; direct requests to appropriate individual(s).
· Deliver and pick up Print Center orders; distribute mail twice daily; scan course materials; prepare and distribute publicity materials for departments and programs.
· Contact various on-campus offices to resolve problems and to schedule regular and occasional events (e.g., conversation tables, tutoring sessions, language film series, student presentations, guest speakers, receptions).
· Maintain departmental and program resources (e.g., email aliases, records, libraries, office supplies) and oversee preparation of bulletin boards and display cases.
· Assist faculty with preparation of course materials on a time-available basis.
Budget Monitoring:
· Review monthly and quarterly budgets; make reconciliations and transfers.
· Reconcile monthly credit-card statements.
· Process payments, reimbursement requests, and grant-funded stipends.
Website Editing:
· Maintain websites for departments and programs.
SUPERVISORY RESPONSIBILITIES: Oversee student workers (up to 30).
CONTACTS: Daily contact with department chairs, program directors, faculty, and current students.
Frequent contact with Business Office, IOS, IT, Piper Center, Registrar, and WLC.
Less frequent contact with Associate Deans for Humanities and IGS and with alumni, parents, visitors, and the general public.
EDUCATION: Essential: High-school education plus 2 years of business
education.
Desirable: 4-year college degree.
EXPERIENCE: Essential: 2 years of office experience.
Desirable: 5 or more years of office experience.
KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS, ABILITIES:
Knowledge – Intelligence (grasps ideas quickly, understands complex tasks); language facility (speaks and writes English correctly, has experience with at least one other world language); technological knowledge (has up-to-date training in computers and information technology); familiarity with St. Olaf (knows the layout of the campus and where to find answers to questions, is savvy about how offices and academic departments operate).
Skills – Office management (is highly organized, can multi-task and prioritize well, manages time efficiently, uses student workers effectively, sees projects through to the end, monitors budgets carefully, is a good steward of resources); computer expertise (is adept at word-processing and at maintaining websites); professionalism (knows how to behave appropriately in interactions with faculty, staff, students and the general public).
Abilities – Self-reliance (works with minimal supervision, takes initiative, solves problems quickly and creatively); equanimity (remains poised under stress, is flexible); courtesy (treats others with respect, has a pleasant demeanor); discretion (is tactful and trustworthy, maintains confidentiality); dedication (has energy and stamina, is enthusiastic about the job and eager to be of service).
PREREQUISITE(S): Background check.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS: Sitting at computer for extended periods of time; running errands around campus; minimal lifting.
WORKING ENVIRONMENT: Office environment.
WORK SCHEDULE: FTE: 0.75
Term: 9 months
APPROVAL: Karil Kucera (Supervisor)
DATE: August 22, 2014