Administrative Assistant, The Harry Ransom Center

The University of Texas at Austin; Austin (TX); On-site; USD 25,000 - 41,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Texas at Austin's Harry Ransom Center is seeking an Administrative Assistant to serve as the first point of contact for the Administrative Suite and the Director’s Office. You will handle travel requests, reimbursements, payments, events, and day-to-day operations, while supporting leadership and staff across the Center.

Responsibilities include calendar management, vendor setup via DocuSign, mail handling, and coordination of shipments.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED and 3 years of clerical experience OR
• High School diploma or GED and 1 year of experience at the Sr. Office Assistant Level
• Familiarity with administrative software such as Microsoft Office Suite and DocuSign

Responsibilities

• Create a warm and welcoming environment for staff, visitors, scholars and other guests at the Administrative Suite.
• Manage multi-line telephone, direct calls, update voicemail, and relay messages to appropriate staff.
• Assist staff with travel requests and reimbursements, including using the request system.
• Coordinate domestic and international shipments, mailings, and address printing.
• Support calendar management and assist with director's communications with donors and VIP visitors.
• Process income vouchers and help set up vendors using DocuSign and related forms.
• Manage mailroom supplies, oversee copier/shredder, and support room reservations.
• Organize weekly Scholar’s Coffee and staff meetings, including refreshments.
• May supervise student workers and perform other related functions.

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

Microsoft Office Suite

DocuSign

Job description

Job Posting Title

Administrative Assistant, The Harry Ransom Center

Hiring Department

Harry Ransom Center

Position Open To

All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours

40

FLSA Status

Non-Exempt from FLSA

Earliest Start Date

Oct 26, 2026

Position Duration

Expected to Continue

Location

UT MAIN CAMPUS

Job Details

General Notes

About The Harry Ransom Center

The Ransom Center is an internationally renowned humanities research library and museum at The University of Texas at Austin. Its extensive collections provide unique insight into the creative process of writers and artists, deepening our understanding and appreciation of literature, photography, film, art, and the performing arts. Visitors engage with the Center's collections through research and study, exhibitions, publications, and a rich variety of program offerings including readings, talks, symposia, and film screenings.

The Ransom Center encourages discovery, inspires creativity, and advances understanding of the humanities for a broad audience through the preservation and sharing of its extraordinary collections.

Purpose

The administrative assistant serves as the first point of contact for visitors to the Ransom Center’s Administrative Suite and the Director’s Office, as well as callers to the main phone line. They provide support to leadership and staff across the building, including responding to a wide variety of questions, assisting with travel requests and reimbursements, payments, internal events, and other day-to-day operations.

Responsibilities

• Create a warm and welcoming environment for staff, visitors, fellows, scholars, authors, Advisory Council members and other guests upon arrival at the Administrative Suite, directing them as needed. Manage multi-line telephone, answering questions or directing calls and messages to appropriate staff. Update outgoing voicemail message and manage voicemail messages.
• Assist staff with travel requests and reimbursements, including using the request system and DEFINE to create and process RTAs and reimbursements (VE5s, VE6s, VP5s). Arrange travel on request for staff and visitors. Train staff on how to request travel and reimbursements and answer questions about UT and Ransom Center policy.
• Assist with administrative tasks for the Center including domestic and international shipments, packages and mailings, using stamps, Mail Services, and eShipGlobal; create and print address and shipping labels; manage mailing lists.
• Serve as back-up to the Assistant to the Director for administrative support, including calendar management and representing the Director’s Office in communications with donors and VIP visitors.
• Use Define and Request System to process income vouchers (VC1s) as well as assist with creating payment vouchers (VP1s, VP2s, VPEs). Assist with setting up new vendors and payees with the Payee Information Form using DocuSign, including current staff, prospective staff, and fellows. Send documents for signature through DocuSign as requested.
• Work with Supply and Receiving Specialist to receive mail, packages, and orders that are delivered to the Administrative Suite, and assist staff with office supply needs from the mailroom. Maintain office supply inventory in mailroom, place orders as needed using UT Market, Amazon, and other procurement methods. Oversee operation and troubleshooting of copier and shredder.
• Support Sharepoint calendar for room reservations and manage rebookings or corrections as needed. Assist in keeping the Finance & Administration Sharepoint page updated.
• Manage orders, set‑up and clean‑up for weekly Scholar’s Coffee, and other staff meetings and events, including refreshments, coffee, and supplies. Responsible for preparation of morning coffee for the Center and for events as needed. Occasionally place orders for staff lunches or internal events. Maintain clean and functional designated food prep and break room areas.
• May supervise student workers in the administrative suite.
• Other related functions as assigned.

Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED and 3 years of clerical experience OR
• High School diploma or GED and 1 year of experience at the Sr. Office Assistant Level
• Familiarity with administrative software such as Microsoft Office Suite and DocuSign

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience working with UT systems such as Define, Workday, and UT Market
• More than 1 year of experience working in an admin or receptionist position

Salary Range

$41,000+ depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• Standard office conditions including repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
• Moving and lifting of up to 40 lbs.

Required Materials

• Resume/CV
• 3 work references with their contact information; at least one reference should be from a supervisor
• Letter of interest

Employment Eligibility

Regular staff who have been employed in their current position for the last six continuous months are eligible for openings being recruited for through University-Wide or Open Recruiting, to include both promotional opportunities and lateral transfers. Staff who are promotion/transfer eligible may apply for positions without supervisor approval.

Retirement Plan Eligibility

The retirement plan for this position is Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS), subject to the position being at least 20 hours per week and at least 135 days in length.

Background Checks

A criminal history background check will be required for finalist(s) under consideration for this position.

Equal Opportunity Employer

The University of Texas at Austin, as an equal opportunity/affirmative action employer, complies with all applicable federal and state laws regarding nondiscrimination and affirmative action. The University is committed to a policy of equal opportunity for all persons and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national origin, age, marital status, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, disability, religion, or veteran status in employment, educational programs and activities, and admissions.

Pay Transparency

The University of Texas at Austin will not discharge or in any other manner discriminate against employees or applicants because they have inquired about, discussed, or disclosed their own pay or the pay of another employee or applicant. However, employees who have access to the compensation information of other employees or applicants as a part of their essential job functions cannot disclose the pay of other employees or applicants to individuals who do not otherwise have access to compensation information, unless the disclosure is (a) in response to a formal complaint or charge, (b) in furtherance of an investigation, proceeding, hearing, or action, including an investigation conducted by the employer, or (c) consistent with the contractor’s legal duty to furnish information.

Employment Eligibility Verification

If hired, you will be required to complete the federal Employment Eligibility Verification I-9 form. You will be required to present acceptable and original documents to prove your identity and authorization to work in the United States. Documents need to be presented no later than the third day of employment. Failure to do so will result in loss of employment at the university.

E-Verify

• E-Verify Poster (English and Spanish) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (English) [PDF]
• Right to Work Poster (Spanish) [PDF]

Compliance

Employees may be required to report violations of law under Title IX and the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Crime Statistics Act (Clery Act) and may be required to report certain incidents to the university. If this position is identified a Campus Security Authority (Clery Act), you will be notified and provided resources for reporting. Responsible employees under Title IX are defined and outlined in HOP-3031. The Clery Act requires all prospective employees be notified of the availability of the Annual Security and Fire Safety report. You may access the most recent report here or obtain a copy at University Compliance Services, 1616 Guadalupe Street, UTA 2.206, Austin, Texas 78701.