Administrative Associate

The Department of Entomology is seeking an Admin Associate 1 to provide administrative and communications support for a 100% time (40 hours per week), 12-month, continuing appointment. This position is in St. Paul on the Twin Cities campus. The position is hybrid. It requires being in person 4 days a week (Monday - Thursday) and allows working remotely on Fridays to start. After an initial training period of 6 months the position may shift to in person 3 days a week and allows for working remotely 2 days a week. It may require working evenings when there is an infrequent event.

About the Role

The individual in this position will have a wide variety of responsibilities that are critical to the department's ability to fulfill its commitment to students, researchers, faculty, constituents, and the profession. Independent prioritization of work, strong interpersonal and communications skills, strategic planning, and problem solving are needed on a frequent basis.

This position will have a wide variety of responsibilities and play a critical role in supporting the day-to-day function of the Department's administrative office; and helping the Department fulfill its commitment to students, researchers, faculty and constituents. Part of our Department culture is working collaboratively with each other. We try to foster this by supporting staff to:

* Develop effective working relationships with other administrative staff within CFANS and across departments.
* Serve on collegiate committees and initiatives.
* Assist other staff during high volume times.
* Participate in training opportunities to develop or hone skills related to the duties of the position.
* Support employee engagement activities for the Department.

Position Duties

Examples of job duties include the following categories. These duties are not all daily, some are monthly, annually or as needed.

Support of the Entomology Head & Administrative Office (45%)
* Be first point of contact for incoming web, phone and in-person inquiries; Handle inquiries of both U of MN and ENTO employees and the public by answering their questions, directing them to the appropriate personnel and problem solving.
* Prepare and sort incoming and outgoing mail and packages; and assist with Dept mailings and special Depart projects involving shipping and receiving.
* Conduct inventory and order supplies for front office and administrative activities; via UMarket, Amazon, etc.
* Establishing and helping to maintain digital records and files to improve internal communication of departmental information including providing regularly updated phone lists, physical and electronic directories, and handbooks.
* Maintain a Purchasing Card, prepare purchase orders, request check payments, and assist non-employees with expense reimbursement for the department.
* Assist with scheduling Department community meetings, as well as helping create the agenda with the Department head and AD and taking minutes at the meeting.
* Compile, edit, and submit faculty and staff award nominations and proposals.
* Work with Department Head and Administrative Director to develop and implement strategic initiatives that further the Department's teaching, research, extension, and outreach mission
* Support Department Head in coordinating annual Promotion & Tenure and Faculty review process; including assisting faculty with preparation of dossier and other materials related to their Promotion and Tenure
* Coordination of Departmental committee assignments
* Coordinate guest/visitor travel arrangements, schedules, etc.
* Develop and coordinate Department events.
* Maintain department listservs and Google groups, monitor bulletin boards and directories.
* Send out departmental communications through Salesforce Marketing cloud
* Manage department social media accounts
* Develop and update procedural guides.
* Update, maintain, and improve the department's public website (entomology.umn.edu)
* Update, maintain, and improve the department's internal intranet
* Act as the department's DRA and manage and maintain the DRA list
* Assist with validating parking for guests
* Supervise undergraduate student worker

Operational, Technology and Program Support (35%)
* Assist with Departmental IT needs, including departmental computers, the copier/printer, classroom technology, and departmental Zoom/virtual meetings.
* Assist with on-boarding and off-boarding procedures. Including, adding to listservs, taking employee pictures, assigning keys and helping new employees become familiar with the office environment, other personnel, and procedures.
* Assist with identifying and scheduling outside consultants/vendors for office renovations.
* Assist with the logistics associated with office moves and larger furniture and equipment purchases.
* Process undergraduate and temporary/casual hiring requests in compliance with ENTO, CFANS, and UMN hiring practices and policies.
* Use CFANS template letters to send approved offer letters to undergraduate and temporary/casual hires with guidance and direction provided by the ENTO administrative director and CFANS HR.
* Serve as the Primary Building Contact (PBC) and alternate Department Facility Representative (DFR) for Hodson Hall, managing requests and maintaining records of all building keys and electronic access
* Manage biannual space use audits and related reporting requirements
* Primary contact for all facilities-related requests, issues, and needs
* Coordinate the departmental Safety Committee and serve as a member
* Schedule and oversee the use of departmental conference and seminar rooms (using Google Calendar and ASTRA)
Curriculum Coordinator Management (15%)
* Coordinate annual classroom and teaching schedules in consultation with the department head and Undergraduate program coordinators, and the Curriculum Committee.
* Perform administrative processes for course management by using Coursedog, CCS, Classroom reservation systems
* Monitor and facilitate course enrollment
* Schedule courses for enrollment, course times, instructors and room assignments. Adding syllabi and SLO's as required to comply with campus policy.
* Manage course fee budgets and allocations
* Assist in the coordination of scholarships and fellowships for undergraduates in the entomology minor
* Lead the departmental scholarships and fellowships process for graduate students
* Monitor and forecast balances for scholarship and fellowship accounts
* Facilitate scholarship committee, finance staff, and department head in the selection and awards process

Special Projects Coordinator (5%)
* Develop, lead, and/or contribute to goal-driven special projects that further the Department's mission (i.e. planning and coordination of special seminars and other events). This includes working with the faculty seminar coordinator to arrange guest speakers, send out weekly emails about upcoming seminars (for all non-student seminars), create and hang posters.
* Work with the administrative team and/or faculty on one-time and recurring projects (ie. event planning on both a small and large-scale, group travel arrangements, etc.)
* Provide input to and assist, as needed, on communication-related projects
* Assist with departmental fundraising campaigns and yearly campaigns, such as Give to the Max Day.
* Other special projects on an ad hoc basis as assigned by the Department Head and/or the Administrative Director

Required Qualifications:
* A bachelor's degree OR a combination of related education and work experience equal to four years.
* Able to apply knowledge and skills to recurring tasks and activities with precisions and timeliness.

Preferred Qualifications:
* Interest in insects.
* Knowledge of Drupal, Coursedog, PeopleSoft and Google suite.
* Proficiency in software and web applications to accomplish: word processing, spreadsheets, presentations/document layout, internet search and navigation, social media applications, mass email software
* Experience communicating effectively with students and staff from diverse backgrounds
* Experience serving in a liaison role between stakeholders
* Strong written and oral communication skills

About the Department

The Department of Entomology in the College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences (CFANS) is located on the St Paul campus of the University of Minnesota. It is composed of 16 faculty and 40 staff engaged in research, teaching, and extension related to biodiversity and systematics, ecology, physiology, neurobiology, and functional genomics of diverse insects and other invertebrates, including pollinators, mosquitoes and ticks, and management of pests in residential, commercial/industrial, agricultural, forested, and urban landscapes. The department offers MS and PhD degrees in Entomology, and an undergraduate Insect Science Minor.

The College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences is located centrally within the Twin Cities, which is a major metropolitan region surrounded by the most abundant agricultural and natural resources in the country. This provides a unique opportunity to develop programs in a region with the highest concentration of leading agribusiness and food firms in the country and internationally.

Pay Range: $27.75 - $29.75; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 75%-100% Appointment

Position Type: Civil-Service & Non-Faculty Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will be given the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a cover letter and resume.

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).