Job Title: Office Assistant - Sustainability
Classification: C4
Department: Office of Sustainability Practices
Updated: January 2019

Job Summary

Provide administrative and clerical support for the Office of Sustainability Practices, which includes planning, coordination, and implementation of projects, events and services, both on campus and in the community.

Essential Functions

• Provide Administrative support for the Office of Sustainability Practices staff, including the Executive Director, Campus Sustainability Coordinator, Community Sustainability Coordinator, and Farm Manager.
• Act with a high degree of independence as a liaison with internal and external contacts in preparing materials, updates, and other functions related to the office.
• Provide assistance and support in a professional, confidential manner.
• Manage / maintain schedules for the Executive Director, Community Sustainability Coordinator, and the office.
• Facilitate internal/external communications i.e. emails, Skype, Outlook for Business.
• Coordinate completion and quality of office clerical work, including phone calls. Correspondence, newsletters, and flyers; maintain electronic and paper files.
• Compile and logically format statistical data and reports.
• Coordinate meetings and events both on campus and in the community, i.e. annual Sustainability Champion Awards event
• Assist with budgeting for the Office of Sustainability Practices by performing bookkeeping related duties, such as: maintaining budget records, monitoring funds, creating expense reports, reconciling monthly purchasing cards, making deposits, processing expenditures including grants, reimbursements, interdepartmental charges, vendor payments and honorariums.
• Coordinate hiring and process bi-weekly payroll for approximately 20 student employees, and maintain payroll records and budgets.
• Hire, train, and supervise student employees for the office.
• Perform and coordinate scheduling tasks and support services associated with preparing and making arrangements for major events, meetings, conferences, travel, or other related duties for both internal and external contacts.
• Create presentation materials for internal/external use, including PowerPoint presentations; assist with marketing programs and oversee website and social media platforms for office.
• Disseminate information that may require explanation and interpretation of established university and departmental policies and procedures, and direct individuals to sources of additional information.
• Provide administrative support for the Campus Sustainability Advisory Council (CSAC), including scheduling meetings, taking minutes, and communications.
• Provide administrative support for the Sustainable Agriculture Project, including budgeting, managing student payroll, maintaining cash box, and making deposits.
• Work closely with the City of Grand Rapids administrative office to provide support for student intern program which includes: posting positions, hiring students, invoicing, managing payroll, and maintaining records.
• Provide administrative support for the Grand Rapids Community Sustainability Partnership (CSP), West Michigan Community Sustainability Partnership (WMCSP), and Grand Rapids Regional Center for Expertise (RCE) which includes: scheduling meetings, taking minutes, updating contact lists, coordinating events, overseeing websites, etc.
• Complete other duties as assigned.

Non-Essential Functions

Not Applicable

Required Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Minimum of four years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated administrative and organizational skills.
• Experience with various computer software applications such as Microsoft Office and/or equivalent.
• Data entry experience.
• Typing and spelling competency with grammar and proofreading skills.
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully provide quality customer service.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully work independently, organize own work and coordinate work activities of others.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully coordinate large projects.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully handle multiple demands efficiently.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully organize and prioritize workload.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully navigate challenging situations in the workplace, while using good judgement.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully maintain satisfactory work performance and attendance records.
• Ability to successfully maintain positive intercultural and interpersonal relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

• Some college course work.
• Higher education experience.
• Supervisory experience.
• Ability to articulate an understanding of Sustainability and its Triple Bottom Line components.
• Document design or website/content management system experience.
• Demonstrated experience in PowerPoint.
• Ability to problem solve and use independent judgement.

Supervision Received

Receives minimal supervision from a designated supervisor. Much of the work is self-initiated.  Person is expected to function with considerable independence and apply appropriate policies and procedures within the assigned area of responsibility.

Supervision Exercised

Hire, train, schedule and coordinate the work of student employees and may act as lead worker to PSS staff members within the department/unit/division. 

Physical Demands

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function 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 (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

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