Administrative Associate

Center for Public Partnerships & Research; Topeka (KS); On-site; USD 38,000 - 52,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Kansas seeks an Administrative Associate to provide office and program support for language departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, including EALC and FFIT. This role emphasizes strong communication, organization, and web design and social media skills.

You will coordinate faculty support, events, shared office operations, and outreach, working with chairs, SSC staff, and donors to advance departmental missions.

Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED plus a minimum of two years related administrative support work experience or two years of post-secondary education
• Basic proficiency with MS Office Suite as demonstrated by application materials and previous experience
• Strong written communication and organizational skills as evidenced by application materials

Responsibilities

• 50% Chair & Faculty Support for EALC and FFIT: serves as liaison to faculty, schedules meetings, takes minutes, processes paperwork, maintains scheduling, coordinates interviews and hires, reconciles budgets, assists with advertisements and donor acknowledgments, maintains alumni/outreach databases
• 25% Event Coordination: coordinates departmental events, handles catering, venue setup, guest needs, materials, and related tasks; processes event-related financial transactions
• 15% Office Support for the shared language office: front office operations, inventory and supply orders, supervise student assistants, facilities coordination
• 10% Communication and outreach: manages departmental emails/calendars, supports outreach to donors/alumni/unit colleagues, promotes events via flyers/websites/social media, updates content with EGARC and others

Skills

Strong written communication

Organizational skills

Education

High School diploma or GED

Tools

MS Office Suite

Job description

Position Overview

The University of Kansas is a national leader in language education, offering instruction in over 30 languages through several academic departments and international area studies centers. This position serves as administrative support for language departments in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences, currently (though subject to change) the departments of East Asian Languages and Cultures (EALC), and French, Francophone, and Italian Studies (FFIT). EALC and FFIT have a combined total of 20 faculty members, 20 graduate students, and 250 undergraduate majors and minors spread across 2 BA degrees and 6 minors. It is a vibrant and friendly community of scholars whose work includes language instruction, literature, and culture.

This position involves specialized and wide-ranging administrative support work and is a critical part of a team that works to further the mission of all language programs in the College. The Administrative Associate must have strong communication, organization, and web design and social media skills.

Job Description

50% Chair & Faculty Support for EALC and FFIT

• Serves as a liaison to faculty for information about deadlines and policies
• Schedules departmental meetings and takes minutes
• Works with chairs and faculty to submit paperwork for annual faculty evaluations, preparing promotion and tenure review, and financial reimbursements
• Updates and maintains course scheduling
• Coordinates correspondence, calendar scheduling, and faculty interviews and hires on behalf of the chairs
• Meets with SSC staff and department chairs to review/reconcile any budget discrepancies
• Works with Dean's Office and SSC HR contacts to advertise for and hire lecturers
• Assists with KUEA student awards and thank you letters to donors
• Develops and supervises the maintenance of alumni and outreach databases

25% Event Coordination

• Coordinates and manages departmental event details such as catering, location/room scheduling, venue set up, guest accommodations, photography, materials and handouts, presenter needs, technology resources, and other related tasks. Departmental events include ceremonies, recruitment and outreach events, open houses, language clubs, student organizations, and guest speakers
• Facilitates event-related financial transactions in collaboration with the department's Shared Service Center

15% Office Support for the shared language office (shared by EALC, FFIT, and Slavic, German, and Eurasian Studies [SGES])

• Assists in the daily operations of the front office
• Collaborates in inventory and orders of supplies for the departments
• Collaborates in the hiring, training, and supervision of student assistants
• Works with Facilities Services to meet office and classroom needs of departments

10% Communication and outreach for EALC and FFIT

• Manages departmental email accounts and calendars for EALC and FFIT
• Assists with outreach efforts targeting a variety of constituents, including donors, alumni, University units, colleagues, and current students
• Advertises events using flyers, brochures, email, social media, websites, and University calendar posts
• Creates course flyers and helps promote courses for departments
• Assists with content creation and maintenance for departmental websites and social media accounts
• Assists with departmental newsletters on recurring basis in coordination with chairs
• Coordinates with Academic Resource Center (EGARC) web administrator and other units for any language requirement updates

Required Qualifications

• High School diploma or GED equivalency plus a minimum of two years related administrative support work experience or two years of post-secondary education
• Basic proficiency with MS Office Suite as demonstrated by application materials and previous experience
• Strong written communication and organizational skills as evidenced by application materials

Preferred Qualifications

• A minimum of two years administrative support work experience in higher education or a similarly complex organization
• Experience with communications and/or public relations work, including event planning
• Knowledge of University policies and procedures
• Experience with managing outreach content (e.g., social media channels, websites)
• Record of supervisory responsibilities

Additional Candidate Instructions

A Complete Application Consists Of

• resume
• cover letter explaining how meet the required and preferred qualifications
• list of three professional references

Application review begins Tuesday, August 18, 2026. To ensure consideration, please apply prior to that date.

Contact Information to Applicants

Mechele Leon

[e-mail]

Application Review Begins

Tuesday August 18, 2026

Anticipated Start Date

Monday September 7, 2026