Office Support Specialist - Big Ten Academic Alliance

Laseagrant; Champaign, Northern (IL, KY); Hybrid; USD 26,000 - 34,000; Full time

Benefits offered by this job

Employee benefits

Job summary

Big Ten Academic Alliance in Champaign, Illinois, is seeking an Office Support Specialist to assist the FinOps team with administrative and financial workflows. You will help plan meetings, process invoices, manage contracts, and support travel and data maintenance in a hybrid work setting.

The role involves coordinating multiple tasks, maintaining documentation, and supporting audit and office operations for a collaborative higher-ed environment.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent is required.
• Two years of office/clerical experience or related coursework preferred.
• Experience using computer systems and basic financial processes is expected.
• Strong organizational and communication skills are essential.

Responsibilities

• Process deposits (ACH and remote) and support cash management tasks.
• Handle contracts, receivables, payables, and related workflows.
• Process invoices with supporting documentation in the Illinois payables system.
• Maintain and update the accounting system and reconciliations.
• Coordinate meeting logistics, events, travel, and calendars for the FinOps team.
• Provide general office support and assist with audits and data integrity.

Skills

Office 365

Communication

Multitasking

Collaboration

Initiative

Problem solving

Professionalism

Reliability

Adaptability

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Two years of office/clerical experience or related coursework

Tools

Office 365

Job description

Office Support Specialist - Big Ten Academic Alliance

Office Support Specialist
Big Ten Academic Alliance
University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign

The Big Ten Academic Alliance, the consortium of Big Ten universities headquartered in Champaign, IL and hosted by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign campus, is seeking an Office Support Specialist.

The Big Ten Academic Alliance is at the forefront of higher education academic collaboration and focuses on advancing institutional excellence. We are seeking an Office Support Specialist who will provide essential administrative and operational support to the Finance and Operations (FinOps) team. This position will support meeting planning, accounting and transaction workflows, office operations, team scheduling, travel, data and systems maintenance, and other administrative projects that help the organization operate efficiently.

Big Ten Academic Alliance staff are employees of the University of Illinois and receive employee benefits. We are dedicated to creating an inclusive and diverse community that values and celebrates the unique contributions of everyone and will contribute to the creation of a welcoming and supportive environment for all.

Job Summary

A successful Office Support Specialist will be organized, service-oriented, accurate, and comfortable managing multiple administrative workflows. The position will work closely with the FinOps team and other staff to keep transactions, meetings, communications, and routine office processes moving in a timely and effective manner.

Duties & Responsibilities

Finance and Accounting Support

• Process deposits, including ACH and remote deposits, and support sweep activities.
• Manage Contracts, Receivables, and Payables tickets/workflows and respond to items as appropriate.
• Process and pay invoices with supporting documentation within the Illinois payables system.
• Monitor and triage the Accounting Department helpdesk.
• Maintain the accounting system chart of accounts, including crosswalks to the University of Illinois accounting system and maintain monthly reconciliations.
• Use organizational P-card and T-card resources as required and reconcile applicable transactions in the University systems.
• Update knowledgebase articles, process instructions, and process maps as needed.
• Responsible for coordinating financial exception programs, including proactively drafting and routing annual exception renewals for signature.

Meeting and Event Support

• Coordinate with venues to obtain contracts and support meeting logistics.
• Plan meals and confirm logistical details before meetings.
• Draft meeting registration pages, agendas, and post-meeting surveys.
• Track meetings or event swag, including items previously distributed and items still needed.
• Coordinate thank-you gifts following meetings when appropriate.

FinOps Team Support

• Serve as the primary meeting scheduler for the FinOps team.
• Provide administrative support for contracts, including routing documents for signature, and maintain related contract metadata.
• Coordinate team travel support, including flights, hotels, conferences, and related arrangements.
• Draft surveys and forms for a variety of team needs.
• Complete minor website updates and maintain CRM information.
• Check and validate data points used for various metric publications.
• Provide administrative support for ad hoc projects and other team priorities.

Audit Support

• Prepare and coordinate confirmation letters.
• Provide administrative assistance with audit schedules and related documentation.

General Office Support

• Responsible for office supply inventory.
• Sort and distribute incoming mail and packages.
• Provide other administrative and operational support as assigned, including participation in the administrative team.

Work Schedule, Travel, or Other Job Expectations

Location: Champaign, Illinois. This position operates within a hybrid work environment, allowing a combination of remote and on-site work.

Minimum Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Any one or combination totaling two (2) years (24 months) from the categories below:
  • College coursework in any curriculum, as measured by the following conversion table or its proportional equivalent:
    • 30 semester hours equals one (1) year (12 months)
    • Associate’s Degree (60 semester hours) equals eighteen months (18 months)
    • 90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
    • Bachelor’s Degree (120 semester hours) equals three (3) years (36 months)
  • Work experience performing office/clerical activities, including the use of computer systems.
  • One (1) year (12 months) of work experience comparable to the second level of this series.

Preferred Qualifications

• Work experience demonstrating the ability to perform administrative support, office operations, transaction processing, scheduling, and related responsibilities.
• Previous work supporting finance, accounting, purchasing, contracts, audit, or administrative operations.
• Experience in higher education or a similarly complex organizational setting.
• Experience coordinating meetings, events, or travel.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Knowledge of the University of Illinois (or comparable) financial systems.
• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and keep administrative workflows moving.
• Proficiency with Office 365 tools and comfortable learning web-based administrative systems.
• Strong communication skills.
• Ability to handle financial and organizational information accurately and with appropriate discretion.
• Collaboration: Ability to encourage cooperation and teamwork while working toward solutions that benefit all parties involved.
• Initiative: Ability to proactively act on opportunities and issues to capitalize or resolve them.
• Problem Solving: Ability to build a logical approach to address problems or opportunities effectively.
• Professionalism: Ability to think carefully about the effects of words, actions, and behavior on others.
• Reliability: Ability to demonstrate high dependability in all aspects of the job.
• Adaptability: Ability to respond to change positively and adjust style to the needs of the situation.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 3243 - Office Support Specialist position. The expected start date is as soon as possible after the close of the search. The collective bargaining agreement sets the starting wage at $22.426/hr. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.
For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx .

This section and the following application related content has been removed during refinement for clarity and compliance.

At the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign — the state’s flagship public university and one of the world’s leading research institutions — every staff member helps shape what’s next. Founded in 1867, Illinois is home to a vibrant community of 59,000 students from all 50 states and 129 countries, supported by 15 colleges and instructional units, more than 20 research institutes, and one of the most comprehensive student service ecosystems in the nation. Whether you’re empowering first-generation students, fueling breakthrough innovation, or strengthening communities across Illinois and beyond, your work here has a far-reaching and deeply meaningful impact. The university offers a highly competitive benefits package designed to support your well-being, growth, and financial security. Join a top 10 public university that has launched over 330 startups and continues to redefine excellence — where the Illinois Value Proposition ensures that your contributions are recognized, your potential is nurtured, and your career can thrive.

Champaign-Urbana

This position is intended to be eligible for benefits. This includes Health, Dental, Vision, Life Insurance, a Retirement Plan, Paid time Off, and 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].