Office Support Specialist - The Career Center

University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign; Urbana (IL); On-site; USD 25,000 - 36,000; 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's Career Center is seeking a dedicated Office Support Specialist to handle purchasing, event logistics, and search support. The role involves coordinating supplies, catering, services, and maintaining stakeholder records across systems.

You will support staff searches, onboarding, and documentation, while ensuring smooth operation of office procedures, event logistics, and compliance activities.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two years total experience or college coursework with equivalence.
• Experience with office/clerical activities and computer systems.
• Experience in coordinating administrative or purchasing processes.

Responsibilities

• Provide purchasing, event logistics, and search support for The Career Center.
• Coordinate purchasing activities, monitor inventory, and manage vendor communications.
• Process P-Card and T-Card transactions and reconcile orders in Emburse.
• Submit Facilities & Services requests for maintenance and operational needs.
• Support staff searches, onboarding, and documentation.
• Maintain records and office procedures; provide backup for Career Resource Center.

Skills

Customer service

Communication

Organizational skills

Multitasking

Policy interpretation

Microsoft Office

University systems

Documentation

Team collaboration

Education

High school diploma or equivalent

Coursework credits (various)

Associate’s/ Bachelor’s degree equivalence (as per table)

Tools

Emburse P-Card

Facilities & Services system

Job description

The Career Center is committed to empowering Illinois students through individualized coaching, meaningful opportunities, and the development of lifelong career management skills. Guided by a student-centered approach, we strive to deliver exceptional service, provide evidence-based resources grounded in career and student development theory, and foster a collaborative, inclusive team environment. Through strong partnerships, continuous learning, purposeful innovation, and a shared commitment to leadership, we work to advance student success while serving as leaders within the University of Illinois career services community and the broader profession.

Job Summary

Provides purchasing, event logistics, and search support and maintains stakeholder information for The Career Center (TCC).

Duties & Responsibilities

• Administrative, Purchasing, and Search Support
• Coordinate purchasing activities for office operations and programmatic efforts, including procurement of supplies, catering, and services; monitor inventory levels and maintain related records.
• Process purchasing documentation and assigned P-Card and T-Card transactions in Emburse, including reconciliation, vendor communications, and tracking of orders and deliveries.
• Submit and monitor Facilities & Services requests to support routine facility, maintenance, and operational needs.
• Provide administrative support for professional staff searches, including scheduling, coordination of candidate activities, and maintenance of search-related documentation.
• Support student employee onboarding processes, including I-9 documentation and maintenance of required employment records.
• Maintain office procedures, forms, templates, operational guides, and other administrative resources.
• Provide backup support for the Career Resource Center, respond to routine inquiries, and direct visitors to appropriate staff, services, and resources.
• Support documentation and recordkeeping related to user access and other operational compliance requirements.
• Assist with administrative projects and support activities as assigned.
• Event Logistics Support
• Coordinate logistical arrangements for Career Center events, career fairs, workshops, meetings, and other programs, including facilities, technology, catering, parking, supplies, and related event requirements.
• Maintain event schedules, reservations, documentation and communications with Career Center staff, campus partners, and vendors to support successful event operations.
• Prepare event materials and provide on-site operational support, including setup, registration, troubleshooting, and cleanup activities.
• Process and maintain documentation for event-related deposits, including the preparation and delivery of checks and other payments in accordance with established procedures.
• Collaborate with the marketing team to support event promotion, communications, registration materials, and participant engagement activities.
• Contact and Information Management
• Maintain stakeholder contact and organization records in Salesforce, Microsoft Lists, and office information systems, ensuring data accuracy and integrity.
• Manage email distribution lists and other communication databases to support Career Center outreach and engagement efforts.
• Maintain records of stakeholder interactions, partnerships, and engagement activities to support relationship management and program coordination.
• Compile contact lists, reports, and other data resources to support events, communications outreach initiatives, and office operations.

Work Schedule, Travel, or Other Job Expectations

Work is performed in an office environment with frequent interruptions and changing priorities. Periodic evenings or early morning support may be required for events, career fairs, and special programs. Occasional movement within and between campus locations may be required to support events and operational activities.

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.

Knowledge, Skills, And Abilities

• Strong customer service and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent communication skills.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple priorities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to interpret and apply established policies, procedures, and guidelines.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and Teams.
• Ability to learn and effectively utilize university systems and software applications.
• Ability to maintain accurate records and documentation.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively in a team environment.
• Ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships with students, employers, faculty, staff, and community partners.

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 12/6/2026. Salary for this position is set by a collective bargaining agreement and the rate of pay is $22.426/hour.

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

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

Benefits

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.

Academic and Research Context

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.

Equal Opportunity Employer

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].