Administrative Specialist

George Mason University; Fairfax (VA); Hybrid; USD 52,000 - 70,000; Full time

Job summary

The Administrative Specialist at George Mason University’s College of Engineering and Computing monitors the Computing Resources budget, expenditures, assets, and licenses while supporting HR processes and training documentation. You will assist with hiring processes and develop procedures, contributing to department efficiency and compliance.

Hybrid eligible in Fairfax, VA, with focus on governance of financials, asset management, and user support, requiring strong communication and

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Experience in an enterprise or higher education office in a self-directed role (2+ years).
• Experience developing documentation and delivering training (2+ years).
• Ability to organize, prioritize, and manage multiple tasks.
• Advanced functions of Microsoft Office 365 Suite: Access, Word, Excel.
• Understanding of enterprise budgeting, reconciliation, purchasing, and inventory processes.
• Understanding of enterprise HR policies.
• Technical writing, training, and documentation skills.
• Excellent customer service skills; and
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Responsibilities

• Places orders in compliance with GMU and Commonwealth requirements and monitors delivery.
• Monitors expenditures and budget compliance.
• Collaborates with Director to identify budget changes for next year.
• Reconciles expenditures per GMU policies.
• Acts as fixed asset liaison and tracks assets in GMU systems.
• Tracks software licenses and ensures license compliance and renewals.
• Supports email lists and generic accounts; liaises with GMU IT as needed.
• Populates listservs and serves as Search Coordinator for hiring committees.
• Assists with Hiring of Student Wage help desk employees.
• Develops training documentation and trains staff on procedures.

Skills

Customer service

Written and verbal communication

Self-directed work

HR policies understanding

Technical writing

Documentation and training development

Multi-tasking and prioritization

Budgeting basics

Education

Bachelor's degree in related field

Tools

Microsoft Office 365

GMU asset tracking system

Job description

Administrative Specialist

Job ID: 10004645

Location: Fairfax, VA

Classification: Classified Staff

Opening on: Oct 12 2026

Department: Col of Engineering and Computing

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: Hybrid Eligible

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary starting mid $50K; commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) Computing Resources department is responsible for supporting and administering all GMU-owned computer systems within the college, including those used by faculty, students, staff, and researchers. Computing Resources coordinates with all faculty and staff to ensure that student academic and research needs are met. They also coordinate with GMU central IT (ITS) and other Mason entities concerning university-wide IT procedures and policies in order to best meet the technology needs of all CEC stakeholders.

About the Position

The Administrative Specialist is primarily responsible for monitoring the fiscal activities of the Computing Resources department, to include tracking its budget, expenditure, and fixed and soft assets. Other responsibilities include purchasing, support for college and unit communications systems, assisting with HR processes, performing security audits, delivering training on and documentation of departmental and college procedures. The position is also expected to assist academic and other college units in areas of expertise as needed.

Responsibilities

Fiscal

• Places orders in compliance with GMU and Commonwealth of Virginia (COV) requirements and monitors delivery;
• Monitors expenditures and budget compliance;
• Collaborates with Director to identify changes in budget for following year based on current year patterns and changes;
• Reconciles expenditures as required by GMU policies;
• Acts as fixed asset liaison for department and supports other CEC fixed asset liaisons;
• Ensures that all items classified as fixed assets per GMU and COV policy as well as those deemed tracked assets by CEC are properly logged in GMU asset tracking system; and
• Tracks software licenses as needed to ensure license compliance and timely renewals.

Communications, HR, and Training

• Supports college use of email lists and generic accounts;
• Acts as liaison with GMU IT office as needed to resolve problems;
• Populates listservs as needed to meet unit needs;
• Serves as Search Coordinator for hiring committees in department and others in CEC as needed;
• Assists as needed with hiring of Student Wage help desk employees;
• Assists CEC senior staff in developing training documentation for department procedures;
• Documents and maintains documentation for all procedures associated with role in CEC IT support, to include, but not limited to, listserv and generic account maintenance, purchasing procedures, and asset management; and
• Trains new staff in department or elsewhere in CEC on operational procedures.

Security

• Works with technical staff to ensure that data access rights align with employee status; and
• Works with college administrative staff to ensure accuracy of physical access lists.

Role Relief

• Assists or provides fill-in support in areas of expertise for other departments in CEC as needed for other staff in their absence.

Performs other duties as assigned

Performs other duties as assigned

Required Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent;
• Demonstrated experience in an enterprise or higher education office in a self-directed role (typically at least two years);
• Demonstrated experience developing documentation and delivering training (typically at least two years);
• Prior experience in organizing, prioritizing, and managing multiple tasks.
• Advanced functions of Microsoft Office 365 Suite: Access, Word, Excel;
• Understanding of enterprise budgeting, reconciliation, purchasing, and inventory processes;
• Understanding of enterprise HR policies;
• Technical writing, training, and documentation skills;
• Excellent customer service skills; and
• Excellent written and oral communication skills.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in related field;
• Demonstrated experience in managing fiscal functions (budget, procurement) in an enterprise or higher education environment; and
• Demonstrated experience in compliance with Commonwealth of Virginia policies and laws.

Posting Open Date: October 12, 2026

For Full Consideration, Apply by: October 30, 2026

Open Until Filled: Yes

A Force for Innovation in the Heart of Northern Virginia's Technology Corridor

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CEC enrolled more than 11,000 students in fall 2025. The college has 34 undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of its 314 full-time faculty, 107 are tenured, 59 are tenure-track, 96 are term faculty, and 52 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teams expended $83.7 million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over $66.8 million in awards. The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunity for faculty to work with other disciplines.

About the College

The College of Engineering and Computing (CEC) at George Mason University is a fast-growing force for innovation in research and education. Ranked nationally in the top 100 in both undergraduate and graduate education, the CEC enrolled more than 11,000 students in fall 2025. The college has 34 undergraduate, master's and doctoral degree programs including several first-in-the-nation offerings. Of its 314 full-time faculty, 107 are tenured, 59 are tenure-track, 96 are term faculty, and 52 are research faculty. As part of a nationally ranked research university, CEC research teams expended $83.7 million in sponsored research awards in the past year and had projects with over $66.8 million in awards. The college stands out for its leading research in areas such as artificial intelligence, data analytics engineering, cybersecurity engineering, biomedical imaging and devices, healthcare, autonomous systems, 5G/Next G communications, systems architectures, computational biomedicine, advanced materials and manufacturing, sustainable infrastructure, and more. The college encourages and supports multidisciplinary research and provides ample opportunity for faculty to work with other disciplines.

About the University and the Region

George Mason University is the largest and most diverse public research university in Virginia, with an enrollment of more than 40,000 students studying in over 200 degree programs. Mason is an innovative, entrepreneurial institution with national distinction in a range of academic fields. It was classified as an R1 research institution in 2016 by the Carnegie Classifications of Institutes of Higher Education. The university has campuses in Fairfax, Arlington, and Prince William County. Its proximity to Washington, D.C. provides unmatched geographical access to federal agencies and national laboratories. Northern Virginia is also home to one of the largest concentrations of high-tech firms in the nation, providing excellent opportunities for interaction with industry. The region is consistently rated as being among the best places to live in the country and has an outstanding local public school system.

About the Future

In conjunction with Amazon's decision to establish a second headquarters in Northern Virginia, the Commonwealth of Virginia announced a multi-year plan to invest in the growth of degree programs in computing. As a result, George Mason has committed to accelerate its plans to grow its capacity in computing and emerging technologies. Among the university's exciting initiatives are the launch of the Institute for Digital Innovation-a university think tank and incubator to serve the digital economy-and the expansion of Mason Square home to its Arlington facilities. In 2025, Fuse a new 355,000 square foot building, opened to students, faculty, and research teams. This net-zero facility houses the Institute for Digital Innovation, state-of-the-art classrooms, robotics and power engineering labs, and collaborative spaces. It will also include retail space, and leasing opportunities for local businesses. These initiatives reflect hundreds of millions of dollars in new investment by George Mason that will rapidly elevate the university's already leading national position in computing and related areas.