Senior Academic Administrative Assistant

Role overview

This is a non-exempt staff role within the College of Behavioral & Health Sciences at Austin Peay State University. The position supports the Dean and Associate Deans by keeping the college office organized, sharing accurate and up-to-date information, and assisting department chairs and faculty when requested by the Dean.

Key duties

The role covers front-office coordination, administrative support, event planning, records handling, and college-level process management.

• Welcome visitors, respond to phone calls and emails, answer routine questions, or route inquiries to the right contact.
• Train and support Academic Assistants across the departments.
• Review departmental paperwork before it reaches the Dean for signature.
• Handle requisitions, payment approvals, and purchasing-related support.
• Check overload pay calculations and assist with faculty hiring steps.
• Schedule and coordinate meetings for Retention, Tenure, and Promotion committees.
• Upload RTP materials into faculty files and safeguard all related documentation.
• Manage travel authorizations and claims, book flights, reserve hotels and vehicles, process conference registrations, and request/distribute advance funds for the Deans; also provide backup support to departments as needed.
• Plan college events such as award ceremonies, recruitment activities, and alumni/advancement programs.
• Organize college meetings, record minutes, and maintain the college and Deans’ calendars.
• Keep departmental staff informed about software updates and process changes, and maintain training guides for administrative assistants.
• Support administrators and faculty with multiple software tools and office equipment.
• Maintain the college website.
• Ensure student complaints or grievances are handled through the correct paperwork before meetings with chairs or the Dean; assist students with CARE Policy and FRESH START applications.
• Supervise scholarship and work-study students and allocate their tasks.
• Prepare and organize documents for College Curriculum committees, review TLC reports for accuracy, and maintain Extra Compensation, Low Enrolled course, and Adjunct reports.
• Support budget presentations and other reports requested by Academic Affairs.
• Track budgets, including monthly reconciliation in Banner.
• Act as the main administrator for Student Learning & Licensure (SLL) software.
• Participate as a member of the Dean’s Council.
• Complete other related assignments as needed.

Knowledge, skills, and abilities

• Comfort using a computer and common office applications such as Outlook, Word, and Excel, along with Banner/Elusion Banner.
• Strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Ability to protect confidential records and sensitive information.
• Professional and effective interaction with the university community and the public.
• Attention to detail for spotting and correcting grammar and spelling issues in correspondence.
• Ability to manage several tasks at the same time.

Minimum qualifications

A minimum of an associate degree and prior office experience are required.

Physical demands

This position is classified as light work, involving occasional exertion of up to 20 pounds, frequent exertion of up to 10 pounds, or negligible force most of the time to move objects.