About the Opportunity
Job Summary
The Main Office Administrative Assistant serves as the primary point of contact for the Department of Mathematics, providing front desk coverage, community services, event coordination, and administrative support to students, faculty, staff, and visitors. The role requires a consistently positive and professional demeanor, strong attention to detail, flexibility, and the ability to manage shifting priorities in a fast-paced environment. Initiative is a priority, including the ability to identify what needs to be done and act independently without needing to be explicitly asked. Strong communication, tact, organizational and computer skills, and a genuine willingness to pitch in and support the department are essential.
Key Responsibilities & Accountabilities
Front Desk & Community Services
Provide consistent front desk coverage, ensuring the reception area projects a professional and welcoming environment; answer the telephone and respond to emails in a timely manner
Support students, faculty, staff, and visitors and monitor front desk traffic
Maintain a neat and orderly work environment
Apply advanced understanding of department programs, policies, and university resources to resolve routine and non-routine inquiries
Serve as departmental liaison to Information Technology Services (ITS), Facilities, the copying center, and other university offices
Purchasing & Budget Monitoring
Purchase and monitor department supplies as needed
Maintain detailed Excel purchase records and retain receipts in a shared folder
Liaise with student clubs to support their activities and coordinate catering needs
Monitor spending across all department purchases and student club budgets
Room Management & Facilities
Manage room scheduling, ensure functioning audiovisual (A/V) equipment, and arrange seminar room cleaning when required
Submit work orders and liaise with Facilities to ensure the department is clean, safe, and fully functioning
Maintain office equipment
Assist with assigning offices to faculty, graduate students, and visitors
Records & Correspondence
Maintain organized electronic filing and records management systems
Manage department mail, package deliveries, and inter-office correspondence
Manage department listservs and email distribution lists and disseminate departmental communications
Event Coordination
Plan, organize, and coordinate department events, including faculty speaker seminars and other student- and research-facing initiatives
Manage event logistics from start to finish, including space reservations, catering, A/V, signage, materials, attendee communications, on-site setup, and post-event follow-up
Prepare event materials, briefing documents, and printed programs; manage the department event calendar and flag scheduling conflicts
Coordinate travel and hospitality for visiting speakers and faculty candidates and process reimbursements with the Budget Coordinator
General
Assist with additional projects and administrative tasks as needed
Minimum Qualifications
Required
Associate's degree
Advanced proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams
Consistently positive attitude and professional demeanor with strong attention to detail
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment, manage competing priorities, and remain flexible as priorities shift
Outstanding interpersonal and communication skills, with the ability to interact professionally with individuals at all levels, internal and external to the department, with tact and diplomacy
Readiness to take on responsibility and willingness to pitch in and help others
Strong initiative, with the ability to identify what needs to be done and act independently without close supervision
Demonstrated ability to manage competing priorities, exercise sound independent judgment, and carry out complex assignments with minimal supervision
Excellent written and verbal communication skills, including the ability to…