Programming and Administrative Assistant

George Mason University; Manassas (VA); On-site; USD 26,174 - 31,684; Part time

Job summary

George Mason University seeks a Programming and Administrative Assistant to manage The Source, a student engagement suite on the SciTech campus. You will lead student staff, greet visitors, and ensure a welcoming, inclusive space that supports student success.

Responsibilities include space operations, event support, and program assistance while maintaining safety, cleanliness, and campus policies. Evening hours may be required in support of events.

Qualifications

• Demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills to create a hospitable environment and provide effective customer service to address student and visitor questions or concerns.
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively with students, staff, and community members in various contexts.
• Ability to perform self-directed work within established procedures while contributing meaningfully to team-based initiatives.
• Ability to maintain professionalism and apply judgement in determining and establishing appropriate boundaries with students.
• Ability to provide clear day-to-day direction and guidance to student employees, monitor adherence to established expectations, and identify and communicate performance concerns or other issues requiring escalation.
• Ability to maintain a clean, welcoming, and well-organized lounge environment, monitor inventory levels, and support light food and beverage service.
• Ability to apply university policies appropriately and connect students with campus resources or professional staff when additional assistance is needed.

Responsibilities

• Open, close, and maintain The Source according to established procedures and the Source Hospitality Operations Guide.
• Greet students and approved visitors, cultivating a welcoming environment that supports students' sense of connection, belonging, and community on campus.
• Support approved student and visitor check-in and ensure the suite remains student-centered, safe, respectful, and aligned with posted expectations.
• Maintain the cleanliness, order, and readiness of the lounge, food/beverage area, and shared-use areas, including table surfaces, seating, service equipment, and floors, ensuring proper hygiene and safe food/beverage handling practices.
• Monitor the availability and flow of food, beverage, hospitality, and other supplies; communicate restocking or maintenance needs to professional staff; and
• Support smooth daily operations across the five-room suite from open to close.
• Serve as a well-informed and approachable point of contact for students using The Source.
• Provide general information about University Life SciTech campus services, events, locations, and resources.
• Encourage student participation in programs, informal engagement opportunities, and campus activities.
• Identify emerging student needs, usage patterns, and space concerns, and communicate observations to University Life professional staff.
• Recognize and appropriately refer students who may need additional support, following University Life protocols and consulting with professional staff as needed; and
• Contribute to a safe, all-inclusive, and supportive campus climate that serves the needs of students, visitors, and staff from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives.
• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to student wage workers assigned to The Source.
• Provide guidance to student staff regarding hospitality expectations, opening/closing procedures, cleaning routines, food/beverage safety practices, and service standards.
• Model all-inclusive, respectful, and student-centered service; and
• Communicate student staff scheduling, performance, or training concerns to the appropriate supervisor.
• Assist with Source-based programs and University Life SciTech events, including tabling, workshops, informal engagement activities, and student gatherings.
• Assist in the preparation of event spaces, including setting up of the room, materials, refreshments, and signage, as well as post-event reset.
• Support assessment efforts, such as attendance tracking, feedback collection, and observation of student engagement; and
• Contribute ideas for low-barrier programs that promote student connection, belonging, well-being, and campus involvement.
• Assist with student-facing communication related to The Source and University Life SciTech, including signage, announcements, event promotion, and resource information;
• Share accurate and timely information with students, student staff, and University Life professional staff; and
• Support the ongoing maintenance of a welcoming visual and informational environment in the suite.
• Promote an all-inclusive and supportive environment that encourages student well-being, belonging, and respectful community interaction;
• Help students navigate shared space expectations with warmth, consistency, and professional judgment; and
• Elevate concerns related to access, belonging, student well-being, or campus climate to University Life professional staff.

Skills

Customer service

Hospitality

Student engagement

Communication

Team-based work

Supervision

Policy adherence

Space maintenance

Job description

Programming and Administrative Assistant

Department: UL

Classification: GMU Worker

Job Category: Part-Time / Hourly Wage

Job Type: Part-Time

Work Schedule: Up to 29 hours per week

Location: Manassas, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Sponsorship Eligibility: Not eligible for visa sponsorship

Salary: Starting at $19/hr; commensurate with education and experience

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department

University Life at the Regional Campuses of George Mason University proactively promotes and supports the academic, personal and professional development of students by:

• Facilitating curricular and co-curricular programs and services;
• Cultivating partnerships that draw upon the unique resources of each campus to support student success;
• Strengthening connections with the Fairfax campus, while collaboratively and strategically supporting unique and evolving identities of the regional campus communities; and
• Creating a welcoming, inclusive, and non-judgmental environment that affirms mutual respect, confidentiality, and accessibility.

About the Position

The Programming and Administrative Assistant is responsible for day-to-day operations for The Source, a five-room student engagement suite in Katherine Johnson Hall on George Mason University's Science and Technology Campus. This position creates a welcoming, all-inclusive, and well-maintained environment where students can gather, study, connect, recharge, and access campus resources. Key functions include leadership and support for student employees, hospitality to students and visitors utilizing the suite, oversight of space operations, and support for University Life programming and other student engagement efforts.

What to expect in this role:

• This is a highly student-facing position that requires regular in-person presence in The Source during scheduled work hours.
• Work schedules may include evening hours to provide support for special events and programs.
• The role includes light to moderate physical activity, such as room and event setup, moving supplies, and helping to maintain the lounge space.
• Team members are required to adhere to the Source Hospitality Operations Guide and all university, divisional, and departmental policies and procedures.

Responsibilities

Hospitality & Space Operations

• Open, close, and maintain The Source according to established procedures and the Source Hospitality Operations Guide;
• Greet students and approved visitors, cultivating a welcoming environment that supports students' sense of connection, belonging, and community on campus;
• Support approved student and visitor check-in and ensure the suite remains student-centered, safe, respectful, and aligned with posted expectations;
• Maintain the cleanliness, order, and readiness of the lounge, food/beverage area, and shared-use areas, including table surfaces, seating, service equipment, and floors, ensuring proper hygiene and safe food/beverage handling practices;
• Monitor the availability and flow of food, beverage, hospitality, and other supplies; communicate restocking or maintenance needs to professional staff; and
• Support smooth daily operations across the five-room suite from open to close.

Student Engagement & Resource Connection

• Serve as a well-informed and approachable point of contact for students using The Source;
• Provide general information about University Life SciTech campus services, events, locations, and resources;
• Encourage student participation in programs, informal engagement opportunities, and campus activities;
• Identify emerging student needs, usage patterns, and space concerns, and communicate observations to University Life professional staff;
• Recognize and appropriately refer students who may need additional support, following University Life protocols and consulting with professional staff as needed; and
• Contribute to a safe, all-inclusive, and supportive campus climate that serves the needs of students, visitors, and staff from a broad spectrum of backgrounds and perspectives.

Student Staff Support

• Provide day-to-day leadership and support to student wage workers assigned to The Source;
• Provide guidance to student staff regarding hospitality expectations, opening/closing procedures, cleaning routines, food/beverage safety practices, and service standards;
• Model all-inclusive, respectful, and student-centered service; and
• Communicate student staff scheduling, performance, or training concerns to the appropriate supervisor.

Programming and Event Support

• Assist with Source-based programs and University Life SciTech events, including tabling, workshops, informal engagement activities, and student gatherings;
• Assist in the preparation of event spaces, including setting up of the room, materials, refreshments, and signage, as well as post-event reset;
• Support assessment efforts, such as attendance tracking, feedback collection, and observation of student engagement; and
• Contribute ideas for low-barrier programs that promote student connection, belonging, well-being, and campus involvement.

Communication & Outreach

• Assist with student-facing communication related to The Source and University Life SciTech, including signage, announcements, event promotion, and resource information;
• Share accurate and timely information with students, student staff, and University Life professional staff; and
• Support the ongoing maintenance of a welcoming visual and informational environment in the suite.

Community Building

• Promote an all-inclusive and supportive environment that encourages student well-being, belonging, and respectful community interaction;
• Help students navigate shared space expectations with warmth, consistency, and professional judgment; and
• Elevate concerns related to access, belonging, student well-being, or campus climate to University Life professional staff.

Required Qualifications

• Demonstrated communication and interpersonal skills to create a hospitable environment and provide effective customer service to address student and visitor questions or concerns;
• Ability to engage and communicate effectively with students, staff, and community members in various contexts;
• Ability to perform self-directed work within established procedures while contributing meaningfully to team-based initiatives;
• Ability to maintain professionalism and apply judgement in determining and establishing appropriate boundaries with students;
• Ability to provide clear day-to-day direction and guidance to student employees, monitor adherence to established expectations, and identify and communicate performance concerns or other issues requiring escalation;
• Ability to maintain a clean, welcoming, and well-organized lounge environment, monitor inventory levels, and support light food and beverage service; and
• Ability to apply university policies appropriately and connect students with campus resources or professional staff when additional assistance is needed.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience providing customer-facing support in student affairs, hospitality, residence life, or a related public-facing setting such as a library, community center, or recreation facility;
• Experience providing support for events or programming;
• Experience working with college students or young adults;
• Other attributes that demonstrate a commitment to supporting student wellbeing, engagement, and success; and
• Knowledge related to George Mason University operations and resources, especially on the SciTech campus.