Administrative Support Specialist

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill; Chapel Hill (NC); Hybrid; USD 42,000 - 56,000; Full time

Job summary

University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill is seeking an Administrative Support Specialist to provide high-level administrative and operational support for the UNC FAI director, faculty, staff, and research activities. This role coordinates calendars, meetings, travel, reimbursements, and communications within a busy research environment.

Applicants should have a high school diploma or equivalent and at least one year of related office experience.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent and 1 year of related office experience or equivalent combination of training and experience.
• Experience in administrative/operational support in academic or healthcare environments is preferred.
• Strong organizational and interpersonal skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities.

Responsibilities

• Coordinate calendars, meetings and group activities for faculty and director.
• Arrange travel and manage reimbursements and document creation.
• Maintain communications, websites and manage special events for UNC FAI.
• Support clinical research operations through participant recruitment and outreach.

Skills

Administrative support

Calendar management

Travel arrangements

Reimbursements

Communications

Event coordination

Study recruitment outreach

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Tools

Microsoft Office

Job description

Employment Type

Full-time/Part-time Permanent/Time-Limited

Full-time/Part-time Permanent/Time-Limited Full-Time Permanent

If time-limited, estimated duration of appointment

Location

One of the best college towns and best places to live in the United States, Chapel Hill has diverse social, cultural, recreation and professional opportunities that span the campus and community.

University employees can choose from a wide range of professional training opportunities for career growth, skill development and lifelong learning and enjoy exclusive perks for numerous retail, restaurant and performing arts discounts, savings on local child care centers and special rates on select campus events. UNC -Chapel Hill offers full-time employees a comprehensive benefits package , paid leave, and a variety of health, life and retirement plans and additional programs that support a healthy work/life balance.

Primary Purpose of Organizational Unit

Our mission is to improve the health and well‑being of North Carolinians and others whom we serve. We accomplish this by providing leadership and excellence in the interrelated areas of patient care, education and research.

Patient care

We promote health and provide superb clinical care while maintaining our strong tradition of reaching underserved populations and reducing health disparities across North Carolina and beyond.

Education

We prepare tomorrow’s healthcare professionals and biomedical researchers from all backgrounds by facilitating learning within innovative and integrated curricula and team-oriented interprofessional education to ensure a highly skilled workforce.

Research

We develop and support a rich array of outstanding health sciences research programs, centers and resources. We provide infrastructure and opportunities for collaboration among disciplines throughout and beyond our university to support outstanding research. We foster programs in the areas of basic, translational, mechanistic and population research.

Position Summary

Flexible work arrangements, including virtual/hybrid work locations, are an integral part of the School of Medicine’s Working Forward initiative. As such, this position’s work location is designated as hybrid. Please note that the designated work location is subject to change based on the unit’s business needs.

The Division of Pediatric Allergy and Immunology serves the children of North Carolina in the diagnosis and treatment of known or suspected allergic and immune diseases, including food and environmental allergies. Within the Division, the faculty and staff of the UNC Food Allergy Initiative ( UNC FAI ) conduct internationally recognized research on the diagnosis, treatment, and mechanisms of food allergy. The clinical trials, laboratory research, and stakeholder outreach activities of the UNC FAI are fully supported by UNC FAI federal grants, industry contracts, and development funds.

The Administrative Support Specialist provides high-level administrative and operational support to the UNC FAI director, faculty, staff, and research activities. This position plays an important role in ensuring the efficient day‑to‑day operations of the Initiative and serves as a central resource for coordinating administrative activities across a busy and collaborative research environment.

The Specialist coordinates a broad range of administrative functions, including faculty and director calendars, meetings and group activities, travel arrangements, reimbursements, document creation, communications, website maintenance, and special events. The position also supports clinical research operations through participant recruitment and outreach, study advertising, and coordination of study‑related activities. Additional responsibilities include managing supply orders and service contract payments for laboratory and clinical research activities.

This position uses strong organizational and interpersonal skills and manages multiple priorities in a dynamic environment. The position is proactive and resourceful, anticipating administrative needs, developing and maintaining effective processes, and independently managing projects from initiation through completion. The position will work with a diverse range of faculty, staff, research personnel, study participants, and external partners, while demonstrating sound judgment, professionalism, attention to detail, and the ability to work effectively both independently and collaboratively.

Minimum Education and Experience Requirements

High school diploma or equivalency and one year of related office experience; or equivalent combination of training and experience.

Management Preferences

Experience providing administrative and/or operational support in an academic, healthcare, research, or similarly complex professional environment is preferred.

Equal Opportunity Employer Statement

The University is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes all to apply without regard to age, color, gender, gender expression, gender identity, genetic information, national origin, race, religion, sex, or sexual orientation. We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, including protected veterans and individuals with disabilities.

Required Documents

• Curriculum Vitae / Resume

Optional Documents

• Cover Letter
• List of References

Posting Supplemental Questions

Required fields are indicated with an asterisk (*).

• * Please select the response below that best describes your experience/education for the Administrative Support Specialist position.
  • High school diploma/GED and at least one year of office support experience
  • Associate's, Bachelor's, Master's, or Doctorate in any field
  • Combination of post high school education and/or experience in office support to equal at least 1 year
  • Did not complete high school but have a combination of high school education and office support experience to equal 5 years (ex. 1 year of high school and 4 years experience)
  • None of the above
• * Do you have experience using Microsoft Office products?
  • Yes
  • No
• * Describe any administrative experience you have working in a research-oriented environment.

  (Open Ended Question)

• * Describe any experience managing calendars and/or organizing meetings.

  (Open Ended Question)