Assistant to the Associate Chancellor

Laseagrant; Urbana, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 81,000 - 87,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Health insurance

Dental insurance

Vision insurance

Life Insurance

Retirement plan

Paid time off

Tuition waivers

Job summary

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign seeks an organized professional to support the Associate Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing. This role handles high-level administrative, fiscal, HR, and business operations, coordinating with leadership and campus partners to keep activities moving forward.

The position requires discretion, sound judgment, and the ability to manage calendars, budgets, HR processes, and policy compliance while upholding university guidelines and

Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
• Three (3) years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.
• Master’s Degree may substitute for one (1) year of work experience.
• Experience in a higher education setting or comparable public-sector organization is preferred.
• Familiarity with University systems, policies, and governance structure.

Responsibilities

• Provide high-level administrative support to the Associate Chancellor and StratCom leadership.
• Maintain complex calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate agendas and materials.
• Coordinate budgeting, expenditures, and financial reports; monitor account balances.
• Coordinate recruitment, onboarding, and HR processes; maintain confidential records.
• Ensure compliance with university policies and confidentiality; develop internal controls.

Skills

Organizational skills

Time management

Independent judgment

Policy interpretation

Effective communication

Office software proficiency

Problem solving

Collaborative work

Education

Bachelor's degree in business administration or related field

Job description

Assistant to the Associate Chancellor

Strategic Communications and Marketing

The University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign has many stories to tell. From groundbreaking research and innovation to educating the next generation of leaders, Illinois has a 150+ year tradition of asking hard questions and tackling problems others might consider impossible. The Strategic Communications and Marketing team helps tell the university’s story while working across the institution with university leadership, campus partners, and a broad range of audiences.

We’re looking for a highly organized professional to serve as Assistant to the Associate Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing. This position is central to the day-to-day operations of StratCom, providing high-level administrative, fiscal, human resources, and business support to the Associate Chancellor and the broader team. The role requires sound judgment, discretion, and the ability to navigate complex processes while keeping people, priorities, and operations moving forward.

Job Summary

Provides advanced administrative, fiscal, human resource, and business operations support to the Associate Chancellor for Strategic Communications and Marketing and the Office of Strategic Communications and Marketing (StratCom). Coordinates day-to-day business operations, office workflow, and administrative processes, and serves as a resource to leadership and staff regarding University policies and procedures. Ensures activities are completed accurately, efficiently, and in compliance with University policies and campus guidelines.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Executive & Administrative Support
  • Provide high-level administrative support to the Associate Chancellor and StratCom leadership.
  • Maintain complex calendars, schedule meetings, and coordinate agendas and materials.
  • Serve as primary contact for the office.
  • Respond to inquiries and route matters appropriately.
  • Coordinate departmental meetings, and events, including logistics and materials.
  • Maintain confidential files and records.
  • Supervise support staff.
• Fiscal & Business Operations
  • Coordinate the development, tracking, and reconciliation of StratCom budgets; monitor expenditures and account balances and provide financial updates to leadership.
  • Prepare routine financial reports and maintain supporting documentation.
  • Serve as unit resource for business and financial procedures.
  • Department purchasing and travel card manager, unit security contact (USC) and group manager for access to websites, listservs, mailboxes and server.
  • Approver of Emburse, FABWEB and submitted equipment, supplies and software purchases.
• Human Resources Support
  • Serve as the primary liaison between StratCom and HR Partners, coordinating employment and FMLA requests, communicating unit policies and procedures, submitting hiring and employment actions, and providing organizational updates and resignation information.
  • Coordinate recruitment and employment activities for student, academic hourly, extra help, retiree/rehire, and professional staff, including hiring requests, search committee support, interview scheduling, and communication with hiring managers and candidates.
  • Coordinate employee onboarding and offboarding, including communicating employment policies and procedures to new employees, scheduling onboarding activities with StratCom staff, and facilitating employee departures.
  • Maintain confidential unit-level personnel and employment records, including employee files, applicant records, and other confidential HR documentation.
  • Coordinate unit timekeeping, payroll, and leave activities, including timesheet review and approval for civil service non-exempt, academic hourly, and student employees, as well as assisting staff and supervisors with HR and payroll procedures and questions.
• Policy, Compliance, and Confidentiality
  • Ensure operational activities comply with university policies, applicable laws and regulations and best practices in higher administration.
  • Maintain a high degree of discretion and professionalism in handling confidential and sensitive matters.
  • Develop and implement internal controls and processes to support compliance, transparency and accountability.

Minimum Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree in business administration, management, or a field related to the position.
2. Three (3) years of professional business, financial, and/or managerial work experience.
(NOTE: A Master’s Degree in an area consistent with the duties of the position may be substituted for one (1) year (12 months) of work experience.)

Preferred Qualifications

Experience in a higher education setting or comparable public-sector organization.
Familiarity with University of Illinois systems, policies, and governance structure
Experience coordinating fiscal, human resource, purchasing, travel, and/or administrative operations.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of University business, human resource, fiscal, purchasing, travel, and administrative procedures.
• Strong organizational and time-management skills with the ability to manage multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
• Ability to exercise independent judgment and discretion when handling confidential and sensitive information.
• Ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures.
• Effective communication skills.
• Proficiency with financial, human resource, administrative, and office software systems.
• Ability to identify operational issues, develop solutions, and implement effective administrative processes.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with leadership, staff, and University partners.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 5010 - Business/Administrative Associate position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the closing date. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary for the position is $81,000 - $87,000.

This position is not eligible for any type of sponsorship for work authorization.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx .

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm(Central Time) on Tuesday, October 20.

For further information about this specific position, please contact Pam Steele [e-mail]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

Champaign-Urbana

Artificial Intelligence (AI) tools may be used in some portions of the candidate review process for this position; however, all employment decisions will be made by a person.

• Health
• Dental
• Vision
• Life Insurance
• Retirement Plan
• Paid time Off
• Tuition waivers for employees and dependents

The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodation portal, or by contacting the Office for Access & Equity at 217-333-0885, option #1, or [e-mail].