Academic Secretary

Union 2110

Grade 8

Job Summary/Basic Function

The Department of Organization & Leadership (ORL) is seeking an Academic Secretary. The qualified candidate will provide secretarial support to our programs in Education Leadership and additional programs as needed. The Academic Secretary should exhibit strong service orientation, office support, and excellent communication skills. The person in this role is expected to possess organizational and time management skills and be able to prioritize and handle simultaneous demands, meet deadlines, have a strong work ethic, and a strong sense of initiative. They must be a team player, have the ability to multitask while maintaining professionalism, and have excellent follow-up skills. A successful candidate is expected to maintain office decorum, assist program/department members and all visitors in a friendly, professional, and respectful manner. This position reports directly to the Senior Program Manager and indirectly to the Program Director, Education Leadership. The ideal candidate is expected to have the flexibility to work three or four Saturdays, Sundays, and evenings throughout the academic year, and the ability to work on-site Monday - Friday from 10 am - 6 pm.

CHARACTERISTIC DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• Provide secretarial support to full-time faculty, adjuncts, instructors, and the Senior Program Manager in Education Leadership, including, but not limited to, the Urban Education Leaders Program (UELP), Education Leadership Ph.D. Program, Summer Principals Academy (SPA), the Klingenstein Programs, and periodically to other programs.
• Oversee office communications and correspondence, including the composition of letters and official emails; take and distribute meeting minutes.
• Assist prospective and current students with questions, answer phones, and greet visitors.
• Under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager, assist with website and catalog updates.
• Provide support to the Program Directors and the Senior Program Manager to schedule courses for the fall, spring, and summer academic terms.
• Process course enrollment approval forms and overrides as needed.
• Consult with faculty on duplicating class materials and placing book orders.
• Under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager, coordinate room assignments for courses and publish faculty office hours each academic term.
• Prepare and distribute course rosters and grade sheets to the faculty.
• Under the supervision of the Senior Program Manager, coordinate program conferences and other program events, such as Admitted Student Weekend, New School Design, and departmental events as needed.
• Provide critical weekend and evening support to Ph.D., UELP, and SPA degree programs during the summer.
• Support administrative aspects of the programs, including but not limited to, student information database and degree tracking.
• Maintain program student records, including but not limited to maintaining student cumulative record folders, serving as program liaison with the Registrar, Admissions Office, and Office of Doctoral Studies for students intending to transfer into or out of the program, graduate, and certify doctoral student candidacy status.
• Work with the Program Directors and the Senior Program Manager to assist with the Advancement of Doctoral Candidacy student assessment and record-keeping processes.
• Coordinate program calendars, room requests, and room set-up for meetings.
• Maintain an inventory of office supplies, including supply orders, facilities work orders, and office equipment maintenance.
• Prepare and submit check requests, Chrome River expense reports, and purchase requisitions.
• Assist in supervising and evaluating student employees in consultation with the Senior Program Manager.
• Perform other related duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School diploma required.
• Proficiency in MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, and PowerPoint is needed.
• Minimum of two years of recent, full-time secretarial experience or equivalent.
• Accurate typing (55 wpm); good proofreading and grammar; spelling; punctuation; and diction are required; transcription skills are necessary.
• Must abide by the required Confidentiality Agreement.
• Ability to follow up, report back, and ensure tasks are completed efficiently and accurately.
• Must be able to create and maintain a system for tracking data and projects.
• Willingness to keep skills updated, including participating in professional development as requested, is needed.
• Willingness to work overtime as approved and needed by the Programs is required.
• Flexibility to work three or four Saturdays, Sundays, and evenings throughout the academic year.
• Ability to work onsite Monday-Friday 10 am - 6 pm.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree preferred.
• A team player with the ability to work with conflicting demands and to meet deadlines is preferred.
• Ability to maintain composure under pressure is preferred.
• Detail-oriented and excellent organizational and time management skills.
• Knowledge of Teachers College procedures and systems (e.g. Banner) preferred.
• Experience in higher education or academic environment preferred.
• Proficiency in using Mac, background in technology, and web experience is highly desirable.

Salary Range

$31.76 - $31.76 per hour

Work Modality

Onsite