Administrative Assistant, College of Arts and Architecture

Penn State University; University Park (TX); On-site; USD 40,000 - 50,000; Full time

Job summary

Penn State University in University Park is seeking an Administrative Assistant to support the Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Education in the College of Arts and Architecture. The role focuses on advancing student success and supporting strategic initiatives.

This position covers undergraduate admissions, academic affairs, budget and finance operations, signature events, stewardship activities, and front-line customer service, requiring the ability to move

Qualifications

• Knowledge of general budget and financial administration practices.
• Experience providing administrative support in a business, academic, or professional office setting.
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service.
• Experience building effective relationships with a variety of stakeholders.

Responsibilities

• Admissions: act as the point of contact for prospective students and families and coordinate campus tours.
• Academic Affairs & Award Stewardship: assist with undergraduate funding programs and track graduation statistics.
• Budget & Finance: initiate expense and revenue reconciliation and support travel reimbursements and payments.
• Special Events: assist with day-of operations and logistics for college-wide events such as Commencement and Admitted Student Programs.

Skills

Budget management

Administrative support

Multitasking

Communication

Customer service

Stakeholder relations

Tools

SLATE admissions system

Job description

POSITION SPECIFICS

The Office of the Associate Dean for Academic Affairs and Undergraduate Education in the College of Arts and Architecture is seeking an Administrative Assistant to play a key role in advancing student success and supporting strategic initiatives.

This position supports a wide range of functions, including undergraduate admissions, academic affairs, budget and finance operations, signature events, stewardship activities, and general front-line customer service.

In this student-centered and fast-paced environment, the Administrative Assistant will confidently move between complex administrative responsibilities and public-facing interactions, serving as a trusted resource for students, families, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders while helping ensure the efficient operation of the office.

Responsibilities include but are not limited to:

Admissions

• Serve as the point of contact for prospective students and their families, answering University and College specific admissions questions and responding to requests for more information.
• Coordinate tours for prospective students and their families.
• Collect and maintain prospective student records and related data.
• Monitor SLATE (Penn State's Admissions communications system), respond to requests for information, answer questions.

Academic Affairs & Award Stewardship

• Assist in administering undergraduate funding programs, including updating applications, responding to inquiries, reviewing applicant materials, and recording funding decisions.
• Assist with compiling graduation statistics, track certificate program completers.
• Support academic units in maintaining compliance with field trip policies, tracking trips on behalf of the Associate Dean, and maintaining current policy-related information.
• Coordinate Student Marshal eligibility (for commencement) by tracking eligible students in the summer and fall and facilitating academic unit selections in the spring.
• Assist with college-level stewardship: prepare the general scholarship application, collaborate with the college's marketing team to promote the application to students, track responses, and pull eligibility data.
• Assist in administering undergraduate funding programs, including updating applications, responding to inquiries, reviewing applicant materials, and recording funding decisions.
• Schedule appointments for students with time-sensitive requests for financial assistance and maintain related records and data.

Budget & Finance

• Initiate expense and revenue reconciliation processes.
• Serve as a point of contact for college and university finance teams as required.
• Collaborate with colleagues, students, and guests to obtain required documentation for travel reimbursements, invoice payments, and honorarium processing.
• Track submitted office expenditures and provided budget-related data and reports as needed in support of office budget forecasts.

Special Events

• Assist with day-of operations for key college-wide events.
• Handle logistical planning components such as scheduling rooms, managing registrations, coordinating catering and giveaways, and preparing signage.
• Gather necessary information for use in promotional campaigns for events; join collaborative efforts to initiate the campaigns.
• Key events the Administrative Assistant will support include the College's Commencement, Golumbic Scholarship Exhibition, Spend a Summer Day, and Admitted Student Programs.

Qualifications

• Knowledge of general budget and financial administration practices, with the ability to accurately track expenses, maintain records, and support financial transactions
• Experience providing administrative support in a business, academic, or professional office setting
• Proven ability to manage multiple priorities and work independently
• Effective written and verbal communication skills
• Excellent interpersonal skills; demonstrated ability to provide excellent customer service
• Experience building effective relationships with a variety of stakeholders
• Proven ability to work proactively, take ownership of responsibilities, and maintain a high level of accuracy
• Ability to adapt to changing priorities in a dynamic environment

Experience working