Department Assistant

Universities of Wisconsin; Oshkosh (WI); On-site; USD 24,000 - 34,000; Full time

Job summary

The University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh is seeking a Department Assistant to provide administrative and operational support for COBAC departments. Reporting to the Undergraduate Program Manager, you will coordinate budgets, purchasing, course scheduling, records, and office operations while delivering excellent customer service to faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

You will manage financial transactions, support course creation and enrollment, maintain records, assist with onboarding,

Qualifications

• Strong written and verbal communication skills.
• Experience providing professional customer service and serving as a primary point of contact for diverse stakeholders.
• Experience using office productivity software (Outlook, Word, Excel, Adobe Acrobat).
• Ability to identify and resolve discrepancies in records or documentation.
• Ability to work independently and in a team.
• Commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace.

Responsibilities

• Provide operational guidance and training to student workers and program staff.
• Monitor department budget and expenses; assist in budget projections.
• Identify and resolve issues with technical systems and programs related to department operations.
• Coordinate projects and program components including scheduling and logistics.
• Develop and maintain methods for electronic/physical records in accordance with policies.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for the department.

Job description

Position Title:

Department Assistant

Job Category:

University Staff

Employment Type:

Regular

Job Profile:

Department Assistant

Job Duties:

The Department Assistant serves as a key administrative and operational support resource for academic departments within the College of Business, Arts, and Communication (COBAC) at the University of Wisconsin-Oshkosh. Reporting to the Undergraduate Program Manager, this position independently coordinates a wide range of departmental functions, including budget and purchasing administration, academic support services, course scheduling, student and faculty assistance, records management, and office operations.

The Department Assistant acts as a primary point of contact for faculty, staff, students, and external stakeholders, providing exceptional customer service and ensuring the efficient day-to-day operation of assigned departments. This role supports academic programs by assisting with course creation and enrollment management, processing student-related requests, maintaining departmental records and communications, and facilitating faculty onboarding and support. The position also manages financial transactions, monitors departmental budgets, coordinates purchasing activities, and ensures compliance with university policies, procedures, and deadlines.

Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple competing priorities while fostering positive relationships and supporting the educational mission of the College and University.

Key Job Responsibilities:

• May provide operational guidance and training on day-to-day activities of student workers and program staff
• Monitors the department, unit or program budget and expenses, and may assist in the development of program budget and projections
• Identifies, troubleshoots, and resolves problems regarding technical systems and programs related to department operations
• Coordinates projects and program components including, scheduling and logistics, unit workflow, and identifies areas for process improvements
• Develops, implements, and maintains methods and organizational systems directed at the maintenance of electronic/physical records related to department operations according to established policies and procedures
• Serves as a primary point of contact for the department

Department:

Academic Programs Office within the College of Business, Arts and Communication

Compensation:

Starting at $21 commensurate with experience

Required Qualifications:

• Demonstrated written and verbal communication skills, including experience preparing professional correspondence and communicating effectively with diverse audiences.
• Experience providing professional customer service and serving as a primary point of contact for diverse stakeholders
• Experience using office productivity software, including email and calendar management systems, word processing, spreadsheets, and PDF applications (e.g., Outlook, Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, Adobe Acrobat)
• Proven ability to identifying and resolve discrepancies, errors, or incomplete information in records, reports, or documentation
• Proven ability to work independently and in a team environment
• Demonstrated commitment to fostering an inclusive and equitable workplace

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience working in a college or university setting
• Proven ability tomaintainmultiple tasks and effectively organize work to meet many tight deadlines
• Proven ability to learn new or changed processes or applications quickly
• Proven ability to analyze problems objectively, to make effectiverecommendationsand toassistwith the implementation of solutions to these problems.
• Proven ability to interpret and apply University and System policies and procedures
• Experience working in purchasing and financial management software applications such as Workday

Education:

• Required Degree Required: High school diploma
• Preferred Degree: Associate’s degree or higher

Legal Notices:

Reasonable Accommodations

UWO provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities who are employees or applicants for employment. Employment opportunities will not be denied because of the need to make reasonable accommodations for a qualified individual with a disability. If you need assistance or accommodation in applying because of a disability, please contact [e-mail] or 920-424-1166. This job announcement and other material on this site will be made available in alternate formats upon request to an individual with a disability.

Confidentiality of Applicant Materials

UWO is a State agency and subject to Wisconsin’s Open Records Law. UWO will not, however, reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing except as may be required by Wisconsin’s Open Records law. In certain circumstances, the identities of “final candidates” and/or the identity of the appointed applicant must be revealed upon request.

CBC & Reference Check Policy

All candidates for employment are subject to a pre-employment screening which includes a criminal background check, work authorization, and verification of education. It will also require you and your references to answer questions regarding sexual violence and sexual harassment.

Annual Security and Fire Safety Report (Clery Act)

For the UWO Annual Security and Fire Safety Reports (i.e., Clery Report), which includes statistics about reported crimes and information about campus security policies, see https://uwosh.edu/police/, or call UWO Police Department, at [phone] for a paper copy.

UW is an Equal Opportunity Employer

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, status as a protected veteran, or any other bases protected by applicable federal or State law and UW System policies. We are committed to building a workforce that represents a variety of backgrounds, perspectives, and skills, and encourage all qualified individuals to apply.