About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

The Anthropology Administrative and Operations Coordinator - Clerk IV ensures smooth and efficient administration support for personnel and financial functions, general office operations and event coordination.

Essential Functions

Accounting and Personnel Administration (60%)

• Provides support for department financial functions and transactions. Serve as a departmental Certified Travel Preparer and backup Procard Records Manager and process a high volume of travel and research expense reimbursements; assists with administration of financial databases. Processes scholarships, reimbursements, event-related transactions (e.g., honoraria, vendors, payments, etc.). Processes Concur financial statements for department faculty. Serves as Department Receiver for BuyWays Requisitions/Purchases for all equipment, furnishing, and supplies.
• Assists the Department Administrator in the administrative and organizational aspects of new faculty searches. This includes using academicjobsonline.org to post the position(s), setting up user accounts for search committee members, managing the applications, and helping to arrange job candidate visits.
• In collaboration with the College of Social and Behavioral Sciences' Dean's Office, ensures correct and timely preparation, processing, and management of departmental personnel actions and records, including teaching assignments and contracts for part-time faculty and teaching assistants. Processes student employee hires, additional compensations, and special personnel actions. Maintains personnel files and keep up to date on personnel related policies and procedures.
• Collaborates with the Department Administrator to prepare all faculty tenure and mini-tenure cases, PMYR cases, annual faculty reports, sabbatical leave requests, unpaid leaves, and course buyouts in an organized and timely manner.
• Serves as Department time and attendance reporter, and prepares weekly submission reports for the Department Chair.

General Office Operations and Events (40%)

• Facilitates and organizes the planning and execution of departmental events, such as speakers, conferences, and student and alumni events.
• Provides a variety of administrative support services to departmental faculty, staff, and students. Serves as department Telephone User Group (TUG) representative and liaison with Information Technology Office.
• Serves as Departmental Physical Plant liaison. Initiates and monitors all physical plant services requests and work orders. Ensures that departmental photocopiers/equipment are maintained or repaired in a timely fashion. Provides distribution and security of all departmental office and laboratory keys.
• Supervises student employees and ensures Department Main Office and other department public spaces and classrooms are neat and maintained. Regularly inventories department supplies and reorder as needed.

Other Functions

• Serves in a back-up role for other department staff as needed.
• Performs other duties as assigned by supervisor with flexibility.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School Diploma and three (3) years of office administration experience or associate degree and two (2) years of office administration experience.
• Ability to make sound and mature decisions and to carry out assignments in and organized and timely manner, balancing the demands of a high volume of concurrent and potentially competing projects.
• Acute attention to detail.
• Extensive organizational and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to communicate effectively, including strong writing and editing skills.
• Ability to understand and follow complex oral and written instructions.
• Excellent computer usage skills including email, spreadsheets, word processing, and databases.
• Ability to work with a minimum of supervision. Ability to initiate and implement self-directed assignments.
• Ability to work collaboratively and effectively with students, faculty, and staff from diverse backgrounds.
• Flexibility to work in a large and complex department with a high degree of assertiveness and initiative and willingness to take on a variety of tasks related to the successful operation and administration of the department.
• Ability to understand and apply University personnel practices, policies and procedures. Ability to make decisions in accordance with laws and regulations and to apply these appropriately.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working in administration/HR in a higher education environment.
• Experience with UMass financial, HR and other applications.
• Current knowledge of university and departmental practices, polices, and procedures.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday, 8:30am - 5:00pm.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee's work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the University Staff Association, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the University Staff Association collective bargaining agreement, therefore.

Salary Information

• USA/MTA Grade 13

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume and cover letter. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.