Program Support Assistant

POSITION DETAILS

Position Title: Program Support Assistant

Work Location: 1515 College Avenue, Manhattan, KS 66506 (on-site)

Citizenship: U.S. Citizenship required (Public Trust Position)

POSITION OVERVIEW

The Program Support Assistant (PSA) provides essential administrative and clerical support to scientific and management personnel at the Client side. Serving as the organizational backbone across four research units, the PSA enables scientists and technical staff to remain focused on research by managing a broad range of administrative functions. The role requires daily interaction with administrators, researchers, management, and external partners, and demands a high level of professionalism, sound judgment, and attention to detail.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES

The Program Support Assistant will be responsible for, but not limited to, the following:

·       Answer incoming phone calls and greet office visitors in a professional and courteous manner

·       Schedule and maintain calendars for administrators and research unit personnel; manage appointment tracking

·       Coordinate and arrange meetings, including logistics, room reservations, and participant communications

·       Collate, sort, and distribute incoming and outgoing mail and correspondence

·       Prepare and process memos, emails, invoices, reports, and other official correspondence

·       Write, edit, and proofread communications including letters, reports, and instructional documents

·       Create and maintain organized filing systems, both electronic and physical

·       Manage accounts and perform bookkeeping tasks including billing, invoice preparation, and general accounting

·       Assist with planning and coordinating office events and activities

·       Support supervisors with schedule management and tracking of project deadlines

·       Perform general office administrative duties as assigned by management

REQUIRED QUALIFICATIONS & SKILLS

Candidates must demonstrate the following skills and qualifications:

Core Competencies

·       Decision-Making: Ability to make sound, independent decisions daily and identify the best course of action across a wide range of administrative tasks

·       Communication & Collaboration: Demonstrated ability to collaborate effectively with administrators, support personnel, management, and external clients

·       Organizational Skills: Strong ability to maintain order, manage competing priorities, and ensure executives do not miss appointments or deadlines

·       Professional Writing: Proficiency in drafting and editing emails, letters, memos, reports, and other documents with proper grammar, spelling, and professional tone

·       Time Management: Effective ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously while maintaining accuracy and attention to detail

·       Adaptability: Willingness and ability to learn new computer programs and administrative tools as needed

·       Business Acumen: Understanding of general business management principles as applied in a federal research environment

Technical Skills

·       Proficiency with the Microsoft Office 365 suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, PowerPoint, Teams, SharePoint)

·       Aptitude in mathematics and general accounting, bookkeeping, and billing

Experience creating, organizing, and maintaining electronic and physical filing systems