Office Support Specialist (2014)

Position Summary

The person in the position will act as the department’s primary point of contact for visitors and students. They will provide comprehensive secretarial support for the Assistant Chair and department faculty.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities

• Acts as principal departmental receptionist in initial contacts with students, faculty, and the general public, providing directions as needed. Provides general informational resources regarding questions about the department’s programs and courses
• Distributes and forwards incoming departmental mail and prepares outgoing mail for delivery to Mailing Services.
• Processes departmental key and proxy requests.
• Processes materials to be duplicated or copied for course syllabi, exams, student evaluations, and other class handouts.
• Assists with routine departmental correspondence and mass mailings.
• Prepares and processes requests for class-related fees, including preparation of purchase requestions and check request forms with the coordination of the Office Manager.
• Departmental liaison of University Inventory Control for equipment during annual inventory process. Assists with inventory tagging of new purchases, moving requests, and the surplusing of equipment.
• Department liaison to the Physical Plant, including collecting and following up on work orders.

Minimum Required Qualifications (Civil Service)

1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Any one or combination totaling two (2) years (24 months from the categories below:
   1. College coursework in any curriculum, a 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)
   2. Work experience performing office/clerical activities, including the use of computer systems.
3. One (1) year (12 months) of work experience comparable to the Office Support Associate level of this series.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSAs) (Civil Service)

KNOWLEDGE, SKILLS AND ABILITIES (KSAs)

1. Knowledge of administrative and clerical procedures and systems such as word processing, managing files and records, and other office procedures and terminology.
2. Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services. This includes customer needs assessment, meeting quality standards for services, and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
3. Knowledge of the structure and content of the English language including the meaning and spelling of words, rules of composition, and grammar.
4. Knowledge of computers and computer systems (including hardware and software) to enter data, or process information.
5. Skill in material resources management through obtaining and seeing to the appropriate use of equipment, facilities, and materials needed to do certain work.
6. Skill in communicating effectively, both verbally and in writing as appropriate for the needs of the audience.
7. Skill in decision making by considering the relative costs and benefits of potential actions and choosing the most appropriate one.
8. Ability to understand written sentences and paragraphs in work related documents.
9. Ability to arrange things or actions in a certain order or pattern according to a specific rule or set of rules (e.g., patterns of numbers, letters, words, pictures, mathematical operations).
10. Ability to apply general rules to specific problems to produce answers that make sense.
11. Ability to combine pieces of information to form general rules or conclusions (includes finding a relationship among seemingly unrelated events).
12. Ability to choose the right mathematical methods or formulas to solve a problem.
13. Ability to provide guidance and direction to subordinates, including setting performance standards and monitoring performance.

Specialty Factors (Civil Service)

Preferred Qualifications (Civil Service)

• Experience with Microsoft Suite
• A person with sound judgment, initiative, accuracy, flexibility, and efficiency would excel in this position.
• Possess the ability to set priorities and work independently.
• Ability to display courtesy and respect for diversity, and to maintain confidentiality is imperative.

Minimum Required Qualifications (SPS)

Additional Requirements (SPS)

Preferred Qualifications (SPS)

Physical demands/requirements

Ability to sit for extended periods of time.

Appointment and Compensation Details

Appointment and Compensation Details

Anticipated Appointment Start Date

April 25, 2023

Anticipated Appointment End Date

Percent of Staff Year

1.00

Standard Hours Per Week

37.50

Salary

$27,300-$28,762.50

Hourly or Semi-monthly Pay Rate/Range

$14.00-$14.75

Earn Type

Hourly

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Application Procedure

Additional Position Details:

• Click on Office Support Specialist for more information including salary ranges, typical duties, minimum acceptable qualifications, and testing requirements.
• Please click on Human Resource Services – Benefits for detailed information about Northern Illinois University’s benefits package.
• Applicant must be a current citizen or resident of the State of Illinois to move forward in the hiring process.
• 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.

Application Review Details:

• 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. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register.
• 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 that 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.

Exam Details:

• The Civil Service examination for this classification is a Credentials Assessment, and is based on your application materials as submitted for this posting. A Credential Assessment is a rating by the Human Resources Office of an applicant’s/employee’s education, experience and special credentials/qualifications (licenses, etc.). In order to determine an appropriate rating for each examination, a review of a résumé, cover letter, university/agency official employment application, college transcript, copies of license/certification and any other relevant material may be required.
• Required documentation noted in the posting, such as a driver’s license, licensures, or certifications MUST be uploaded with your application materials.
• 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 assessment of all qualified applicants has been completed for this position, the names with the top three (3) scores will be referred to the hiring department for interview.

Special Instructions

Quick Link to Applicant

https://employment.niu.edu/postings/70220

Is Background Check Required?

Yes

EEO Statement Summary

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

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 and Equal Opportunity ( AAEO ) at ada@niu.edu .

Safety Information

NIU provides annual reports on campus security and fire safety.

Read the Annual Safety and Security Report. Contact the Ethics and Compliance Office at 815-753-1649 for a hard copy.

Read the Fire Safety Report . Contact the Department of Environmental Health and Safety at 815-753-0404 for a hard copy.
Applicant Documents
Required Documents

1. Cover Letter
2. Resume/Curriculum Vitae

Optional Documents

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

Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

1. * Assess your specific work experience screening calls and visitors for a department/unit; determining needs and personally handling routine inquiries, requests, or problems, reviewing designated member(s) of the unit staff incoming mail, responding to routine items independently and distributing the remainder to the designated member(s) of the unit staff; coordinating website updates for the unit and/or updating social media accounts.
   • No work experience directly related to the job function described.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed under guidance.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed independently.
2. * 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 résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response.)
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
3. * Assess your specific work experience keyboarding confidential and/or technical material; transcribing and/or recording verbatim material; composing correspondence and reports requiring knowledge of the activities of the designated member(s) of the unit staff and/or the procedures of the unit.
   • No work experience directly related to the job function described.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed under guidance.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed independently.
4. * 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 résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response.)
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
5. * Assess your specific work experience maintaining a calendar of operating or administrative commitments and notifying the designated member(s) of the unit staff and/or affected staff of deadlines; coordinating unit operational projects, meetings, conferences, and/or travel arrangements and monitoring and expediting progress.
   • No work experience directly related to the job function described.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed under guidance.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed independently.
6. * 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 résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response.)
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
7. * Assess your specific work experience establishing, modifying, and/or supervising the maintenance of comprehensive file and record systems for a large and complex unit, including confidential materials; maintaining or assisting in the maintenance of inventory records.
   • No work experience directly related to the job function described.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed under guidance.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed independently.
8. * 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 résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response)
   
   (Open Ended Question)
   
   
9. * Assess your specific work experience making cost estimates and comparisons for goods and services; independently making general supply purchases and researching products, obtaining quotes, and making purchasing recommendations for higher-cost items; processing financial forms/transactions for the department.
   • No work experience directly related to the job function described.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed under guidance.
   • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed independently.
10. * 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 résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response)
    
    (Open Ended Question)
    
    
11. * Assess your specific work experience compiling, summarizing, organizing, and distributing information from a variety of sources for use in reports, gathering, providing and interpreting information through the identification and selection of appropriate sources; initiating contacts to clarify subjective information.
    • No work experience directly related to the job function described.
    • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed under guidance.
    • My work experience relevant to the job function described was performed independently.
12. * 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 résumé. (“See Résumé” is not an acceptable response)
    
    (Open Ended Question)
    
    
13. Please mark all the completed degrees which you hold. Please remember to upload your unofficial transcript for all that have been marked.
    • Associate's Degree
    • Bachelor's Degree
    • Master's Degree or higher
14. * How many years of experience do you have in this type of position?
    • 0-1
    • 1-3
    • 3-5
    • 5-7
    • 7+
15. * Are you currently a citizen or resident of the State of Illinois?
    • Yes
    • No
16. * 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