Office Support Specialist - Office of the Dean of Students

University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign; Urbana (IL); On-site; USD 39,000 - 48,000; Full time

Job summary

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign is seeking an Office Support Specialist to provide administrative, reception, scheduling, records, and financial support across the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS). This role serves as the primary contact for OARS and oversees front desk operations and student staff in Turner Student Services Building.

Responsibilities include managing the OARS appointment calendar, preparing routine materials, maintaining confidential records, and coordinating with

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years of related office/clerical experience or college coursework equivalent.
• One (1) year of work experience at a similar level.

Responsibilities

• Serve as primary receptionist and administrative support for OARS.
• Manage appointment calendars and conduct scheduling communications.
• Coordinate front desk operations for Turner Student Services Building.
• Train and supervise student front desk staff; review time records.
• Handle routine purchases, reimbursements, and supplier communications.

Skills

Customer service

Interpersonal skills

Communication

Discretion

Scheduling

Training staff

Tools

Microsoft Outlook

Microsoft Word

Excel

Teams

Zoom

Job description

Office Support Specialist

Office of the Dean of Students

Job Summary

Provides administrative, reception, scheduling, records, financial, and operational support across the Office of the Dean of Students (ODOS). Serves as the receptionist and primary administrative support person for Ombuds Assistance and Resources for Students (OARS) within ODOS, handling routine scheduling and logistical communications in accordance with established confidentiality and privacy protocols. Directs visitors to the appropriate ODOS unit or other university office, coordinates reception services at the main entrance to Turner Student Services Building, and supervises the student employees who staff the front desk.

Duties and Responsibilities

OARS Reception and Administrative Support

• Serve as the primary receptionist and administrative support contact for OARS, responding to routine logistical inquiries in person, by telephone, and through the shared email account.
• Welcome individuals seeking OARS assistance, collect only limited contact and scheduling information needed, and promptly refer substantive concerns to the student ombudsperson.
• Manage the OARS appointment calendar; schedule, confirm, and adjust appointments; communicate logistical information; and support follow-up as directed.
• Prepare routine correspondence, resource materials, and meeting or outreach materials for OARS; proofread for accuracy, clarity, grammar, and formatting.
• Maintain administrative and scheduling records needed to support OARS operations, following university requirements and established protocols for privacy, records retention, and information security.
• Make purchases using a p-card, t-card, Banner requisitions, the iBuy website, or other preferred vendor websites. Submit contracts for purchases as necessary.
• Reconcile p-card and t-card transactions and employee reimbursements in Emburse.
• Monitor the OARS shared email account and telephone line for administrative and scheduling matters, identify messages requiring prompt attention, and refer substantive, urgent, or sensitive concerns directly to the student ombudsperson.
• Provide logistical support for OARS outreach, presentations, and resource distribution, including room arrangements, registration, materials, and participant communications.

Turner Student Services Building Reception and Student Staff Supervision

• Coordinate reception coverage for the main entrance and front desk of Turner Student Services Building, promoting a welcoming, accessible, and professional entry point for ODOS and other building services.
• Greet students and other visitors, identify the office or service they are seeking, provide accurate building and campus information, and connect them with the appropriate unit, staff member, or campus resource.
• Coordinate the hiring and selection process for front desk student employees in collaboration with the Administrative Assistant.
• Train, supervise, schedule, and assign work to student employees; establish front desk procedures and service expectations; review work; and provide regular coaching and feedback.
• Monitor front desk coverage, arrange substitutions when feasible, maintain daily work instructions, communicate operational updates to student employees, and provide front desk coverage when student employees are unavailable.
• Review and approve student employee time records for completeness and accuracy.
• Guide student employees in responding to routine questions, connecting visitors with appropriate ODOS and campus resources, protecting confidential information, managing difficult interactions, and promptly referring concerns to professional staff.

ODOS-Wide Administrative, Financial, and Office Support

• Under the direction of the Administrative Assistant, provide responsive clerical and administrative support across ODOS units and shared operations, including meeting coordination, agendas, minutes, document preparation, filing, copying, scanning, and mail distribution.
• Respond to general inquiries received through the ODOS main telephone line and route callers to the appropriate ODOS unit, staff member, or other university office.
• Assist ODOS units with purchasing, expense documentation, supply ordering, event arrangements, and maintenance of audit-ready administrative and financial records in accordance with university procedures.
• Process routine financial transactions for the department and create and maintain Excel records of expenses. Verify supporting documentation and reconcile recorded transactions with periodic financial statements. Report discrepancies for correction in accordance with university procedures.
• Maintain shared office and front desk supplies, resource displays, forms, equipment inventories, and work areas that support ODOS operations.
• Compile routine activity information and prepare basic spreadsheets, summaries, and reports for OARS and other ODOS units as requested.
• Perform routine updates to ODOS office websites using established content-management tools. Under the direction of designated staff, draft, prepare, and schedule social media content about office services, resources, and events in accordance with established approval, accessibility, branding, and privacy requirements.

Building Operations and Service Coordination

• Serve as a point of contact for routine Turner Student Services Building concerns, including key access, signage, equipment, and maintenance and service requests. Route issues to the responsible unit.
• Maintain current building directories, front desk reference materials, emergency contacts, and opening/closing procedures.

Other Responsibilities

• Participate in staff meetings, training, committees, and special projects as requested.
• Perform other related duties as assigned to advance the mission and effective operations of the Office of the Dean of Students.

Work Schedule, Travel, or Other Job Expectations

Work is performed primarily in a busy, public-facing office and reception environment with frequent interaction with students, visitors, and university employees. Position involves frequent movement between the OARS work area and the Turner Student Services Building front desk.

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

• Experience providing administrative, reception, or student-facing support in a college, university, public service, human services, or similarly complex environment.
• Experience supervising, training, scheduling, or coordinating the work of student or part-time employees.
• Experience responding calmly and professionally to individuals who may be distressed or frustrated and promptly referring them to appropriate staff.
• Experience coordinating appointments, maintaining administrative records, and working with shared email and telephone workflows in settings that require discretion and careful handling of sensitive information.
• Experience performing routine website updates using content-management tools and preparing social media content about office services, resources, or events under established guidance and approval processes.
• Experience with Microsoft Outlook, Word, Excel, Teams, Zoom, and electronic records or scheduling systems.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• Excellent customer service, interpersonal, and communication skills.
• Ability to communicate with empathy, neutrality, patience, and professionalism while maintaining appropriate role boundaries.
• Ability to exercise sound judgment and discretion, especially when handling sensitive or confidential information.
• Ability to organize competing priorities, track details, meet deadlines, and follow through reliably with limited supervision.
• Ability to supervise and support student employees, communicate expectations clearly, and provide constructive coaching.
• Ability to learn and accurately explain office services, building resources, and university processes without providing advice beyond the position's assigned role.
• Ability to work effectively with people from varied backgrounds and experiences and to contribute to an inclusive, respectful environment.
• Proficiency with standard office technology and ability to learn university administrative systems.
• Ability to remain composed during high-volume periods or difficult interactions and to recognize when immediate referral or escalation is appropriate.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service 3243 - Office Support Specialist position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after 1/4/2027. The wage for this position is $43,730.70. For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Deadline

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on Monday, November 23, 2026. For further information about this specific position, please contact Keri Collins at [e-mail]. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

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

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.

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].