Office Administrator

Primary Function

The primary function of the Office Administrator is to provide administrative and secretarial support to Chair and to supervise the department office and its staff. The Office Administrator is also responsible for the budget and finance of the department.

Duties and Responsibilities (generally)

Key duties include:
• Assisting chair in formulating annual departmental budgets; managing and prioritizing activity to maintain spending limits; monitoring activity and requesting budget adjustments as needed; assigning expenditures to appropriate accounts and cost centers; department liaison with CLAS Dean’s Office, Graduate School, Foundation etc.
• Assisting chair by managing correspondence, appointments, deadlines and preparation of external agency reports; preparing/maintaining program review files and assisting with annual reports, promotion/tenure documents, evaluations, confidential personnel files; drafting correspondence, responding to external information requests and representing department at meetings/conferences regarding administrative procedures
• Supervising office staff and coordinating personnel files, annual service reports, vitaes and utilizing HR PeopleAdmin system and/or paper processes to facilitate or oversee hires of faculty, instructors, SPS, grad assistants, civil service and student help

Minimum Required Qualifications for this position

CREDENTIALS TO BE VERIFIED BY PLACEMENT OFFICER
1. High school graduation or equivalent

2. Any one or any combination of the following types of preparation:
(a) Forty-eight (48) months of clerical/office support work experience comparable to that performed at the Office Support Specialist level of this series or in other positions of comparable responsibility

OR

(b) Twenty-four (24) months of clerical/office support work experience comparable to that performed at the Office Manager level of this series or in other positions of comparable responsibility

Specialty Factors (Additional Required Qualifications)

Education and Experience Preferred

Experience with MicroSoft applications.

List the knowledge, skills, and abilities critical to the performance of this position.

The office administrator must have:
• ability to work independently, and initiate needed tasks.
• ability to supervise, prioritize and coordinate work for office staff and to offer guidelines for finished products.
• ability to identify potential administrative problems, propose remedies, call to the attention of chair and other departmental offices

Working Hours
8-4:30
Hiring rate/range
Commensurate with experience, education, and internal equity; position includes a robust benefits package to eligible applicants.
Posting Date
01/20/2021
Closing Date
01/27/2021
Priority Review Date

Special Instructions to Applicants

• Fully complete the Education and Work History sections of the application. Be specific on your entire work history, including employment dates and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position, however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience.
• If you have education and/or training in excess of what is required, we encourage you to upload your unofficial transcripts.
• After the posting has closed, your submission will be reviewed to determine if you meet the minimum qualifications for the classification, including any specialty factors associated with this particular position.
• Please monitor your e-mail for further information regarding your application. Emails will be generated from jobs@niu.edu and CivilServiceTesting@niu.edu. Please add these emails to your address book to ensure timely delivery of any future communication.
• We STRONGLY recommend that contact information used in your online profile be personal use, not professional/work information: personal email address, home address, and phone numbers. The information you provide is used to make contact on search updates, department referrals and interviews, etc. We must be able to relay sensitive and important information in a way that protects your privacy concerning job search activity, now and in the future.
• ALL QUALIFIED CANDIDATES WILL BE SCHEDULED TO COME TO THE NIU DEKALB CAMPUS TO TAKE A STATE UNIVERSITIES CIVIL SERVICE EXAMINATION . At the time of testing, you will be required to present a photo ID. NOTE : If you have previously tested for this classification and wish to rewrite the exam to improve your score and register position, please contact the Civil Service Testing Office by the posting deadline.
• Required documentation noted in the posting such as driver’s license, licensures, or certifications MUST be presented at the time of examination.
• If eligible for Veteran’s Preference Points, DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256 paperwork reflecting an Honorable Discharge MUST be uploaded to this application in order to receive the maximum eligible points on the Civil Service examination.
• After testing of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.
• Click on Office Administrator for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.
• Please click Human Resource Services – Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University’s benefits package.
• Employment is contingent upon your passing a criminal background investigation. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Link to Department Homepage
Mathematical Sciences
Physical Demands

EEO Statement

In accordance with applicable statutes and regulations, NIU is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, ancestry, sex, religion, age, physical and mental disability, marital status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, political affiliation, or any other factor unrelated to professional qualifications, and will comply with all applicable federal and state statutes, regulations and orders pertaining to nondiscrimination, equal opportunity and affirmative action.

The following person has been designated to handle inquiries regarding the non-discrimination policies:

Ethics and Compliance Officer, Title IX Coordinator
Health Services 230
TitleIXCoordinator@niu.edu
815-753-5560

Is Background Check Required
Yes
Visa Policy

In compliance with federal law, all persons hired will be required to verify identity and eligibility to work in the United States and to complete the required employment eligibility verification document form upon hire.

ADA Accommodation

NIU remains committed to ensuring that its recruitment and application procedures include full opportunities for applicants with disabilities. Employment opportunities will not be denied to anyone because of the need to make accommodations for a person’s disability during either the application or interview process. An applicant who believes they require an accommodation to participate in the employment process due to a disability may request that accommodation through the Accommodation Request Form . For further assistance, please contact the office of Affirmative Action, Equal Opportunity and Education ( AAEOE ) at ada@niu.edu .

Clery Act Information

NIU provides information regarding campus security, personal and fire safety, including topics such as: crime prevention, emergency response procedures and crime reporting policies, in addition to crime and fire statistics for the most recent three calendar years. The Annual Security Report containing security and safety information is available at www.safety.niu.edu/clery or by contacting the University Police Department and Public Safety Department at 815-753-9628 to receive a hard copy. The Annual Fire Safety Report is available at www.niu.edu/clery/fire_report.pdf or by contacting the Environmental Health and Safety Department at 815-753-0404 to receive a hard copy.

Quick Link
https://employment.niu.edu/postings/55132
Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * If applicable, have you attached a copy of your DD214, DD215, NGB22, or DD256 for consideration of Veterans Preference Points? The copy submitted should reflect the status of discharge in order to be considered.
   • Yes
   • No
   • Not Applicable
2. * Do you have a certification such as Business/Administrative Technology, Bookkeeping Office Assistant, Office Specialist, Customer Service, etc. or successful completion of 30-59 semester hours in any field? (Please remember to upload a copy of your certification or unofficial copy of your transcript.)
   • Yes
   • No
3. * Do you have an Associate’s degree or higher degree in any field or concentration or successful completion of 60 or more semester hours? (Please remember to upload a copy of your unofficial transcript.)
   • Yes
   • No
4. * Please specify the years of work experience involving administrative support work (experience that supports the day-to-day operations of an office or organization) or supervising employee(s) or student(s) or project management experience.
   • Less than 1 year
   • 1-2 years
   • 2-4 years
   • More than 4 years
5. * Please provide the name of the employer and the dates of employment where you gained this experience. Please note that this information must be verified on an NIU application and/or resume.
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   

Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Resume/Curriculum Vitae
2. Cover Letter

Optional Documents

1. Military Discharge Documents ONLY (DD214/DD215/NGB22/DD256)
2. Transcripts (unofficial with official required at hire)
3. Transcripts #2 (unofficial with official required at hire)
4. List of at least 3 References