Academic Department Coordinator - Classics / English

Originally Posted: 1/16/2025

Summary: The Departments of Classics and English seek a department office coordinator to join our collegial staff and to contribute to our positive office environment and departmental missions. The successful candidate will work closely with the unit heads of both the Classics and English departments (50% of work time in each department), serving as Academic Department Coordinator for Classics and collaborating with the lead department coordinator assigned to English. This position requires discretion, a commitment to diversity and inclusion, as well as a student-centered and human service focus. We are looking for individuals who can support and contribute to an inclusive, accessible and welcoming environment that encourages people to thrive. Candidates should have strong communication and interpersonal skills, such as the ability to interact with others with respect, empathy, and cultural humility. Candidates from diverse backgrounds and with diverse experiences are encouraged to apply.

Essential Functions:

• Compile and logically format statistical data, spreadsheets, and reports to facilitate department decision making related to department budget and scheduling.
• Monitor the department budget and provide timely reports to the unit head.
• Prioritize tasks to manage and coordinate a large and varied workload.
• Disseminate information that may require explanation and interpretation of established university and departmental policies and procedures, and direct individuals to sources of additional information.
• Perform receptionist duties such as receiving visitors, answering the telephone, taking messages, providing information or routing calls to appropriate person.
• Provide support to faculty, including allocating office space, securing keys, name plates, and computer access.
• Provide support with bulk mailings, answering phones, maintaining filing and recordkeeping systems.
• Serve as student employee supervisor, responsible for hiring, training, and coordination of work assignments.
• Coordinate with the unit head to develop the academic schedule.
• Coordinate scheduling tasks and support services associated with preparing for major meetings, events, conferences, exhibits, travel, or other related duties for both internal and external contacts.
• Provide administrative support for the personnel processes.
• Coordinate/monitor grade processing.
• Maintain syllabi records for the department.
• Maintain and order supplies for the department.
• At times, act as a liaison between unit head, Dean’s Office, faculty, staff, students, and outside organizations.
• Collaborate across and provide backup support to other CLAS units as needed.
• Other related duties or special projects as assigned.

Non-Essential Functions:

• Textbook orders for faculty.
• Process major declarations and assign faculty advisors.
• Coordinate completion of course override requests.
• Monitor make-up exams.
• Maintain department social media accounts and websites.
• Maintain Classics Department Library, other teaching-related resources, and recruitment materials.

Required Qualifications:

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Minimum of three years of relevant work experience.
• Experience with various computer software applications such as Microsoft Office and/or equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully operate office equipment.
• Data entry experience.
• Typing and spelling competency with grammar and proofreading skills.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully providing quality customer service.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully working independently, organizing own work, and coordinating work activities of others.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience in successfully maintaining satisfactory work performance and attendance records.
• Ability to successfully maintain positive intercultural and interpersonal relationships.

Preferred Qualifications :

• Some college course work.
• Experience in higher education administration.
• Knowledge of web content management software and experience with web design.
• Familiarity with Banner, Blackboard, CourseDog, Onbase, Workday or similar apps.
• Intermediate or better skills with both spreadsheet and word processing software.
• Experience designing posters, flyers, and brochures.
• Experience with event planning.
• Supervisory experience preferred.
• Accounting or budget experience.

Supervision Received: The position is split between the Departments of Classics and English. Receives supervision and work assignments from the unit heads of both departments.

Working Conditions:

Normal office environment. Work areas are divided between the offices of the Classics and English departments on the second floor of Lake Huron Hall. Some travel may be required with the ability to work weekends and nights as needed.

Physical Demands: To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Department: The Department of Classics fosters the holistic exploration of the ancient Greek and Roman world and its legacies. Classics faculty are specialists in fields such as archaeology, history, languages, literature, and philosophy. Classics students are part of an interactive, face-to-face community with a personalized approach to instruction and advising. The department actively promotes connections between current students, faculty, and alumni. Graduates go on to a wide range of careers, including archival and museum work, entrepreneurship, law, library and information science, product management, secondary and post-secondary teaching, and software design.

The Department of English consists of a diverse group of faculty who specialize in the department’s three disciplinary tracks: literature, English education (which includes both elementary and secondary education), and applied linguistics. The department also has close working relationships with the Honors College, Brooks College of Interdisciplinary Studies, and the College of Education and Community Innovation by teaching courses for these academic units. The department values collegiality, diversity, and academic vitality, and is a friendly place to work and thrive.

The College of Liberal Arts and Sciences (CLAS) is the largest college at Grand Valley, offering over 50 bachelor degrees and a growing number of advanced degrees in the natural and mathematical sciences, the fine arts and humanities, and the social sciences. CLAS is a student-centered and diverse learning community that engages in critical inquiry, extending knowledge to enrich and enliven individual and public life. Our faculty are active teacher scholars committed to equitable, inclusive, career-connected, and community-engaged liberal arts and sciences education. There are many opportunities for collaboration within CLAS and across a broad group of partners on and off campus. We are interested in attracting a cohort of new faculty committed to these core values as we seek to foster a community where members from all backgrounds can live, learn, and thrive together.

Campus/University: Grand Valley University (GVSU) is a public comprehensive institution located in West Michigan with campuses in Allendale, downtown Grand Rapids, and Holland, plus centers in Detroit, Muskegon and Traverse City. The University attracts more than 22,000 undergraduate and graduate students with high quality programs and state-of-the-art facilities, and has been nationally recognized for innovativeness and its contribution to students’ social mobility. The greater Grand Rapids metropolitan area has a population of around one million people, is affordable, and offers rich cultural amenities. Grand Valley is located within easy driving distance of Chicago, Detroit, Lake Michigan beaches, and many other superb summer and winter recreational venues. Information can be found at Community Resources - Human Resources - Grand Valley State University (gvsu.edu). Grand Valley is highly rated for safety, sustainability, and veteran and LGBTQ friendliness, and is committed to supporting employees and their families in work-life balance. The university seeks to create an inclusive and diverse environment for faculty and students while promoting enrichment of society through excellent teaching, active scholarship, and service. More information can be found at Grand Valley State University (gvsu.edu).

How to Apply: Apply online at GVSU Careers. Please include a cover letter and resume . The online application will allow you to attach these documents electronically, in the same file location. If you need assistance, call Human Resources at 616-331-2215. Email questions about the position to: Charles Pazdernik, pazdernc@gvsu.edu .

Please note that successful applicants are responsible for ensuring their eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Application Deadline: Applications are due January 29, 2025 at 5PM. The posting may be closed at any time at the discretion of the University thereafter.

Salary/Benefits: C-3 Level. Minimum starting wage of $19.52 / hour. Comprehensive benefits package including medical, vision, dental, life insurance, generous employer retirement contributions, wellness resources and tuition waiver effective on date of hire. ​

Job Category: Professional Support Staff

Job Type: Full Time, 8 am – 5 pm

Allendale, Michigan 49401 - (616) 331-5000

To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions. The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act as amended by the ADA Amendment Act (2008), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, and other applicable federal and state laws that prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability. GVSU will provide reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. See www.gvsu.edu/affirmative/. TDD Callers: Call Michigan Relay Center at 711 (in State) or 1-800-833-7833 (out of State).

Grand Valley State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Opportunity Employer, which includes providing equal opportunity for racial and ethnic minorities, women, protected veterans and individuals with disabilities. University policy extends protections to additional identities.