Administrative Assistant II - Part-time at Iowa State University in Ames, IA

Job description

• The Departments of Biochemistry, Biophysics & Molecular Biology and Genetics, Development & Cell Biology at Iowa State University are seeking an Administrative Assistant II to provide comprehensive administrative and operational support across two academic departments.
• This position plays an important role in keeping department operations running smoothly while supporting faculty, staff, students, department leadership, visitors, and external partners. Responsibilities include coordinating department operations and employment processes, managing meetings and events, supporting faculty reviews and governance activities, coordinating recruitment and visitor logistics, and assisting with departmental reporting and special projects.
• The successful candidate will be highly organized, responsive, and comfortable managing multiple priorities with a high degree of attention to detail. This position requires sound judgment, discretion when handling confidential information, and the ability to independently coordinate activities involving a wide range of stakeholders.
• Join two collaborative academic departments where your work directly supports teaching and research. In this role, you’ll work closely with faculty, staff, and students across both departments while coordinating seminars, meetings, visits, and other activities that bring people together. This is a great opportunity to build relationships, stay engaged, and make a meaningful contribution to the day-to-day success of two research-focused departments.
• This is a part-time position, 30 hrs per week.
• Candidates must be legally authorized to work in the U.S. on an ongoing basis without sponsorship. Immigration sponsorship is not available for this position.

Responsibilities

• Provide administrative and operational support for two academic departments, serving as a primary point of contact for faculty, staff, students, visitors, and external stakeholders.
• Provide departmental teaching support including entering instructor information in Workday, ordering textbooks, changing class schedules and classrooms as needed, as well as arranging and sharing teaching evaluations.
• Coordinate student employment and onboarding processes for faculty, staff, postdoctoral scholars, graduate assistants, student employees, and visitors.
• Manage department records, communications, supplies, reimbursements, shared spaces, and other day-to-day administrative needs.
• Plan and coordinate faculty meetings, governance activities, seminars, candidate interviews, and other departmental events, including travel and visit logistics.
• Support faculty review, advancement, appointment, and reappointment processes and maintain related records and documentation.
• Prepare agendas, meeting materials, reports, presentations, minutes, and other materials for department leadership, faculty, committees, and college requirements.
• Coordinate departmental reporting, reviews, and special projects, including annual reports, program reviews, strategic planning, and external review activities.
• Research, compile, and organize information to support department leadership and administrative decision-making, and coordinate campus space and other departmental surveys.
• Independently resolve routine administrative and logistical issues, prioritize multiple deadlines, and handle confidential information with discretion and professionalism.

Requirements

• High school diploma or equivalent and 3 years of related experience
• Experience providing administrative support and customer service to multiple stakeholders in an office environment.
• Experience coordinating meetings, events, travel, or complex schedules involving multiple participants.
• Demonstrated experience providing confidential administrative support.
• Experience managing records, tracking deadlines, and coordinating multiple administrative processes simultaneously.
• Expertise with Microsoft Office Suite, particularly Excel spreadsheets, Outlook email and calendars, Word documents, Power Point presentations, and Teams.

Skills

Required

• High school diploma or equivalent
• 3 years of related experience
• Highly organized
• Responsive
• Comfortable managing multiple priorities
• Attention to detail
• Sound judgment

Benefits

• Iowa State Employees enjoy comprehensive health and work-life benefits, including medical and dental, as well as:
• Retirement benefits including defined benefit and defined contribution plans
• Generous vacation, holiday, and sick time and leave plans
• Onsite childcare (Ames, Iowa)
• Life insurance and long-term disability
• Flexible Spending Accounts
• Various voluntary benefits and discounts
• Employee Assistance Program
• Wellbeing program
• If you have questions regarding this application process, please email employment@iastate.edu, or call 515-294-4800 or Toll Free: 1-877-477-7485.