Chair's Assistant & Front Office Coordinator

The incumbent will exercise significant judgment in resolving operational issues, advising faculty and departmental leadership regarding administrative requirements, coordinating cross functional initiatives, monitoring financial and administrative activities, and ensuring compliance with University policies. Responsibilities include oversight of departmental operations, academic personnel, high-level executive work, communications, and other administrative programs requiring independent decision-making, discretion, and effective prioritization of competing deadlines.

Provide comprehensive administrative and operational support to the Department Chair and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO) by independently administering a broad range of executive, academic, operational, and departmental administrative functions. Serve as the principal administrative resource to departmental leadership, exercising independent judgment in analyzing administrative issues, interpreting University policies and procedures, establishing work priorities, and determining appropriate courses of action within established guidelines.

Manage executive administrative operations for the Department Chair, including complex calendar management, executive communications, meeting coordination, and confidential administrative support. Independently coordinate departmental operations, facilities and space administration, faculty recruitment activities, academic personnel processes, departmental communications, and front office operations while serving as a liaison with faculty, staff, students, campus administrative units, alumni, donors, and external constituents.

Administer the operational and logistical coordination of departmental academic programs and initiatives, including fourteen faculty working groups and affiliated programs such as the Center for Language, Interaction and Culture (CLIC), graduate student recruitment activities, departmental colloquia, commencement, Board of Visitors meetings, development activities, and other special events. Analyze programmatic and operational needs, coordinate financial and administrative activities, monitor expenditures, prepare budget projections and reports, and recommend solutions that support effective program delivery and efficient use of departmental resources.

Coordinate complex academic personnel activities, including faculty award nominations, Visiting Graduate Researcher (VGR) and Visiting Scholar appointments, and J-1 visa processes requiring collaboration with the Division of Graduate Education (DGE), the Dashew Center for International Students and Scholars, faculty sponsors, and international scholars. Independently monitor time-sensitive deadlines, resolve administrative issues, interpret University policies and procedures, and ensure compliance with institutional and federal requirements to facilitate timely appointments and successful program participation.
Oversee the daily operation of the department's administrative office and supervise departmental student employees, ensuring the delivery of responsive, professional administrative services. Maintain a high degree of confidentiality while independently identifying operational issues, recommending process improvements, and implementing administrative solutions that enhance departmental effectiveness and support the academic, research, and service mission of the Department of Sociology.