Administrative Assistant II (History) at Swarthmore College in Swarthmore, Pennsylvania

Job Description:

Job no: 495584

Work type: Full Time

Location: Swarthmore

Categories: Staff, Hourly (Non-Exempt), On Campus

Swarthmore College is a highly selective liberal arts college located in the suburbs of Philadelphia, whose mission combines academic rigor with social responsibility. Swarthmore has a strong institutional commitment to inclusive excellence and nondiscrimination in its educational program and employment practices and encourages candidates who will further advance the goal of fostering a diverse and inclusive community. As one of the nation's finest institutions of higher learning, Swarthmore College is global in outlook and draws students from around the nation and world. The 425‐acre campus is a designated arboretum, complete with gardens, rolling lawns, a creek, wooded hills, and hiking trails in the Crum Woods.

Who We Are: The History department at Swarthmore College has several multidisciplinary programs such as Asian Studies, Black Studies, Gender and Sexuality Studies, German Studies, Global Studies, Interpretation Theory, Islamic Studies, Latin American and Latino Studies, Medieval Studies, and Peace and Conflict Studies. The study of history not only allows us to recover the details of individual lives and societies in the past, but it also provides the knowledge that allows us to be engaged citizens in a global context by fostering respect for other cultures and peoples. For more information, see https://www.swarthmore.edu/history.
The opportunity: The Administrative Assistant II (AAII) provides a high level of administrative support for the Chair and members of the History department. The full-time, year-round position involves significant student and faculty interaction, and requires a high level of discretion and professionalism at all times. Tasks performed with a high level of autonomy include: tracking new curriculum and future curricular changes; budget preparation by soliciting input from pertinent faculty members; management of budget and departmental research and restricted funds; oversee purchasing and spending of budget; manage and schedule all of the department's administrative functions such as course schedules, Moodle, Two-Year Plans, Sophomore Papers, catalog edits, book orders, seminar lists, waiting lists for seminar, course lists and lotteries; update and maintain department's website and social media accounts; manage and maintain computer and hard-copy archives of theses, former student folders, grade files, and other pertinent and often confidential files; manage and maintain lists of majors and minors for current year; ensure that students are on track to graduate in a traditional time frame; help write and produce biannual newsletter distributed to current students and alumni; plan and coordinate events such as the Field Lecture, Beik Lecture, Senior Reception, Honors dinner and lunch, department retreat; maintain department calendar and schedule department meetings and events; hire, train, and supervise all part-time student workers to ensure efficient operation of department; coordinate special projects within the department on an as-needed basis; help prepare materials for job searches, tenure, and promotion.
Essential Responsibilities

Plans and organizes the office support operations for the department, ensuring smooth and effective services and operations.Collects and checks student timecards for accuracy and timely submission to payrollProvides administrative services to the department including compiling data, summarizing information and creating reports, creating and modifying documents using word processing software, creating and updating data using spreadsheet software.Answers phones and responds to inquiries and other requests for information in a timely mannerComposes routine correspondence on behalf of the Faculty Chair and other department members and edits and proofs materials for accuracy, uses correct format, grammar, punctuation and spelling.Maintains hard copy and electronic files, records and logs.Manages calendar logistics, scheduling of events, conferences and meetings as necessary, and supports the execution of these events, including the coordination of logistics, catering, advertising, and set up of audiovisual equipment among other related administrative tasks.Assists with travel arrangements as needed which may include international travel.Distributes, collects, and monitors a variety of accounting documents, such as invoices, travel forms (for department members as well as visiting examiners), internal requisitions, vouchers, receipts, and purchase orders in order to ensure appropriate billing, payment, and budget reconciliation. Uses manual or computerized bookkeeping methods (e.g., Quicken) as appropriate for tracking account credits and debits, in order to provide the Chair with correct and current account balances.Reviews monthly income and expense statements, reconciles account activity, investigates discrepancies, and reports information to Chair, in order to ensure accurate charges and control expenditures.Coordinates facilities, work order and maintenance/repair requests as needed.Performs other routine clerical responsibilities as needed such as photocopying, filing, collating documents, distributing documents and faxing.Stays abreast of current trends and Swarthmore policies and procedures.Serves as primary support person for faculty reviews, organizing materials and managing correspondence related to faculty reviews. Organizes materials for job searches (searches for new faculty and staff), placing advertising's on various job board, and coordinates logistics for on campus visits, including lodging, scheduling, catering and event set-up for job talks.

Supervisory Responsibilities

Supervision of several Office Assistant Student Workers.

Who you are:

Excellent communication skills (i.e. grammar, vocabulary) to be applied to telephone communications and written communications such as email, letters, memos, etc.Excellent interpersonal and customer service skillsStrong planning and organizational skills.

What you bring: Required Qualifications

High School Diploma or equivalent.Three to five years of experience in an administrative or office capacity or an equivalent combination of education and/or experience.Mastery of intermediate skill level in Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and internet search software. Proficiency in Access, Banner, and/or other specialized software. Previous budget management experience is preferred.

Preferred Qualifications

Some college or business school education. Proficiency in Banner and/or other specialized software. Complete knowledge of MacIntosh computers, including entering and retrieving information from a database.Experience working in higher education.

What You Will Get:You'll work at one of the world's most renowned liberal arts Colleges, with incredible benefits, a stunning 420-acre campus, and a collaborative work environment. Join a team of passionate, creative people who work hard and have fun supporting the College students, faculty, and staff.
We want to hear from you if you are excited about this role! For full consideration, submit applications with an uploaded resume, including a cover letter, by April 3, 2025. Applications received after this date may be reviewed on a rolling basis until the job has been filled. A cover letter indicating how your qualifications and experience have prepared you for this position. If you have experience that meets any of the preferred qualifications, please include a detailed explanation of any such experience in your cover letter and how it meets the preferred qualification(s).

PA Criminal Required

Swarthmore College requires a PA Criminal background check for all staff positions prior to the start of employment.Preview our Benefits Flyer. We offer benefit plans starting at zero cost! Upon benefit eligibility, the College contributes 10% of an employee's salary to their retirement account. Employees are 100% vested in their accounts on the date participation begins.
2025 Swarthmore Benefits Guidebook
Retirement Plans
Tuition Grant Program
Tuition Reimbursement Program
Paid Time Off (Staff)
Holiday ScheduleSwarthmore College actively seeks and welcomes applications from candidates with exceptional qualifications, particularly those with demonstrable commitments to a more inclusive society and world. Swarthmore College is an Equal Opportunity Employer. Women and minorities are encouraged to apply.

Advertised: Mar 20 2025 Eastern Daylight Time

Applications close: Open until filled

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