Administrative Support Assistant

SDSU Alumni; San Diego (CA); Hybrid; USD 39,785 - 56,826; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

15 paid holidays

CalPERS pension plan

Health, dental, vision coverage

Tuition fee waiver

FlexCash

Life and disability insurance

Campus & community activities

Job summary

San Diego State University seeks an Administrative Support Assistant to bolster daily departmental operations, graduate program administration, event coordination, and budget/purchasing activities. This role serves as a key contact for students, faculty, and external partners, with responsibilities spanning office support and data/documentation management.

Responsibilities include supporting graduate program processes, coordinating events, handling travel and reimbursements, and ensuring

Qualifications

• Experience with procurement, budgeting, and financial reporting.
• Familiarity with university procurement policies and higher education processes.
• Experience coordinating with university departments, research foundations, or similar organizations.

Responsibilities

• Provide day-to-day administrative and front‑office support to the department.
• Support graduate program administration, including handling forms, communications, and onboarding processes.
• Coordinate department seminars, Brown Bag events, boot camps, and related activities.
• Manage travel, reimbursements, expenditures, and funding allocations; assist with grants and purchasing.

Skills

Procurement

Budgeting

Financial reporting

MS Office Suite

Google Workspace

Graphics programs

Education

High school diploma

Tools

Microsoft Office

Google Workspace

Job description

Position Summary

The Department of Economics at San Diego State University seeks a highly organized and motivated Administrative Support Assistant to join our team. The role supports day‑to‑day departmental operations, graduate program administration, event coordination, budget and purchasing activities, and serves as a critical point of contact for students, faculty, and external stakeholders.

Key Responsibilities

• Operational Support: Provide primary day‑to‑day administrative and front‑office support, including customer service, phone and visitor assistance, departmental communications, student assistant coordination, records and calendar maintenance, room scheduling, syllabi and meeting documentation, supply and equipment coordination, mail/shipping, facilities support, and assistance with student evaluations, data collection, reporting, and other departmental projects.
• Graduate Program Support: Support graduate program administration with inquiry responses, maintaining program information, processing student forms and documentation, coordinating communication among students, faculty, advisors, and the Graduate Office, and assisting with graduate employment, recruitment, admissions, onboarding, orientation, comprehensive exams, promotional materials, website updates, and student success activities.
• Event Support: Provide administrative and logistical support for department seminars, monthly Brown Bag events, boot camp activities, and related events, including scheduling, hotel reservations, conference room set‑up, IT/audiovisual coordination, visitor coordination, and event set‑up and cleanup.
• Budget and Purchasing Support: Process travel requests, reimbursements, track expenditures and funding allocations, support compliance across state, foundation, and other funding sources, and assist with Research Foundation grants, disbursements, stipends, purchase requisitions, labor distributions, documentation, payments, and personnel‑related financial coordination.

Position Information

• Full‑time (1.0 time‑based), benefits eligible, permanent/probationary position.
• Non‑exempt under FLSA, eligible for overtime compensation.
• Standard SDSU work hours Monday‑Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m., may vary with operational needs.
• One day of telecommuting after initial training, with onsite work in San Diego.

Education & Experience

• Fundamental written and oral communication skills, including English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Understanding of standard office procedures and practice operating standard office equipment.
• Ability to learn office technology systems and perform basic mathematical calculations.
• Typing and keyboard skills.
• High‑school graduation or equivalent and some experience in an office environment.

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated experience in procurement, budgeting, and financial reporting.
• Experience working with university procurement policies and procedures, particularly in higher education.
• Experience coordinating with university departments, research foundations, external agencies, or similar.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and Google Workspace (Gmail and Calendar).
• Experience with basic graphics programs.

Compensation & Benefits

Competitive compensation and a comprehensive benefits package designed to support your well‑being and professional growth.

• Initial step placement not expected to exceed Step 3 ($3,709).
• Salary step placement for internal applicants will follow the CSUEU Collective Bargaining Agreement.
• CSU Classification Salary Range: $3,565 – $5,092 per month (Step 1 – Step 20).
• Future increases, including step advancements, are subject to contract negotiations.

Full Benefits Package Includes

• Generous time off: 15 paid holidays, vacation, and sick leave.
• Retirement: CalPERS pension plan with retiree health care and reciprocal agreements with other California public retirement systems, including the UC.
• Health Coverage: Medical, dental, and vision options at low or no cost.
• Education Support: CSU tuition fee waiver for employees and eligible dependents.
• Optional Offerings: FlexCash, life and disability insurance, legal and pet plans.
• Campus & Community: Access to the library, campus events, employee groups, and volunteer and social activities.

Equal Opportunity and Excellence

Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, national origin, disability, or other protected status. SDSU complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209, and other applicable state and federal anti‑discrimination laws and CSU’s nondiscrimination policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Additional Requirements

Applicants must be authorized to work in the United States on a full‑time basis. Background checks, including criminal record checks, are required and may result in rescission of offers if disqualifying information is found. The position requires compliance with California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act requirements and CSU Executive Order 1083 for mandated reporters.