Administrative Assistant II

Classification & Regular Hours

Hours per Week: 35

Salary Grade: Level L

Please note, this position is a 16 month temporary full-time contract opportunity covering a leave of absence.

Secondments are Welcome

Click here for more details on secondment opportunities.

About Western

Since 1878, Western University has been committed to serving our communities through the pursuit of academic excellence and by providing students, faculty, and community members with life-long opportunities for intellectual, social, and cultural growth. We seek excellent students, faculty, and staff to join us in what has become known as the "Western Experience" - an opportunity to contribute to a better world through the development of new knowledge, new abilities, new connections, and new ways to make a difference.

About Us

Western Science’s mission is to be a cornerstone of society’s development through the education of students, the creation and dissemination of knowledge, and the establishment of innovative partnerships with industry, government and other educational institutions in the global community.

Earth Sciences mission is the continued development of research and teaching programs that excel at the international level. These programs cover a broad base and a diverse range of topics in the Earth Sciences, and are currently grouped into four themes: Earth and Planetary Systems, Resource Geoscience, Tectonic Processes and Natural Hazards and Earth Evolution: Surface, Life and Climate. On a broader scale, our mission is to promote Earth Science literacy within the University and within society in general.

Responsibilities

The Administrative Assistant will provide reception support by serving as a resource and first point of contact for faculty members, staff, students and other stakeholders in regards to departmental and administrative matters, answering or redirecting in-person, phone and email inquiries as appropriate. The role will perform a range of administrative tasks which support the smooth and effective operations of the Department of Earth Sciences including scheduling meetings, booking rooms and ordering catering, preparing and distributing correspondence, incoming and outgoing mail and couriers, monitoring and ordering office supplies, maintaining databases and records, updating and maintaining websites and coordinating physical access, system and network access requests, office moves, telecommunications and keys distribution. The role will manage calendars for the Department Chair and Administrative Officer, ensuring that meetings are prioritized and scheduled based on time sensitivity and importance. The role will provide support for the planning and coordination of special events and field courses, organization and booking of travel and accommodations as required.

Qualifications

Education:

• 2 year community college diploma in Office Administration

Experience:

• 2 years experience providing customer service in a business office setting

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:

• Knowledge of general office procedures including records management systems
• Verbal communication skills to clearly express ideas in an objective manner, and adapt communication style to suit the situation and audience
• Demonstrated ability take initiative, to work independently and follow through on work assignments
• Ability to apply active listening to hear and understand the complete message being communicated
• Competency to maintain confidentiality and treat sensitive information with discretion
• Ability to establish rapport with people from diverse backgrounds
• Demonstrated ability to understand and resolve external and internal partner issues
• Ability to maintain a positive, outgoing attitude with genuine customer service orientation
• Ability to multi-task and maintain an organized and effective personal work environment
• Adapts readily and effectively to changing priorities and demands
• Personable and courteous in working relationships with colleagues, students and the public
• Ability to demonstrate patience and focus to complete detailed administrative tasks
• Ability to interact professionally with students, staff, faculty, and other members of the University community
• Ability to work independently and effectively as a member of the team to achieve department goals
• Intermediate proficiency required in Microsoft Office in order to prepare formal correspondence, emails, memos and input departmental data into spreadsheets and databases
• Familiarity with software applications used by Western preferred – e.g. Cascade, Mustang Market
• Familiarity with Western policies and guidelines preferred

Union Statement

Western welcomes applications from all qualified individuals; however, it is the university's policy to give first consideration to all qualified UWOSA applicants.

Western Values Diversity

The University invites applications from all qualified individuals. Western is committed to employment equity and diversity in the workplace and welcomes applications from women, members of racialized groups/visible minorities, Indigenous persons, persons with disabilities, persons of any sexual orientation, and persons of any gender identity or gender expression.

Accommodations are available for applicants with disabilities throughout the recruitment process. If you require accommodations for interviews or other meetings, please contact Human Resources or phone 519-661-2194.

Please Note:

This position is an existing vacancy. This position is fully in-person, on-site. We thank all applicants for their interest; however, only those chosen for an interview will be contacted.