Office Administrator, Residential Life
Work type: On Campus
Location: Normal, Illinois
Title: Office Administrator, Residential Life
Division Name: Student Affairs
Department: University Housing Services
Job Summary
This position is responsible for managing the operations of Residential Life Operations, which reports to the Associate Director of Residential Operations.
They will supervise the efforts of recruitment and selection for the department. Given that many of those roles have a 5-year limit, this is a large ongoing area of responsibility. This position will liaise with areas within the department to help answer students' and parents' questions about residence hall living, residence hall contracts, policies/procedures, etc.
They will provide supervision for the front desk of the Office of Residential Life, which is the artery of the university housing services department. This includes hiring, training, and scheduling front desk student staff.
In addition, this position is responsible for managing administrative duties for the associate director of residential operations. Including support/secretarial and accurate record-keeping functions such as screening incoming calls, visitors, and mail, composing reports and memos, creating and maintaining electronic and paper files, scheduling and maintaining event calendars, tracking appeals and project/communication timelines, and assisting with processing student and staff requests.
Additional Information
University Benefit Highlights:
- Insurance benefits, including health, dental, vision, and life
- Retirement and supplemental retirement planning options
- Tuition waiver benefits available to staff as well as their eligible dependents
- Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
- Paid benefit time
Additional University Benefit information, including information regarding eligibility to participate in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program, can be reviewed here: https://hr.illinoisstate.edu/benefits/
Salary Rate / Pay Rate
$20.11 - $23.00 per hour
Required Qualifications
1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Any one of the following from the categories below:
- Four (4) years (48 months) of work experience comparable to the third level of this series. This work includes performing a wide variety of office support tasks, which require the use of judgment and initiative and the ability to operate computer systems, using word processing, database and software packages. Knowledge of the organization, programs, practices and procedures of a department/unit is central to the performance of the duties.
- Two (2) years (24 months) of work experience comparable to the fourth level of this series. Function as an agent of the unit or organization by performing highly specialized administrative support duties. An in-depth knowledge of the organization, programs, policies and procedures of the unit/department is essential to the performance of the duties. Ability to use good judgment, operate computer systems, using word processing, database and software packages, and to exercise discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.
Preferred Qualifications
1. Knowledge of principles and procedures for personnel recruitment, selection, training, compensation and benefits, and personnel information systems.
2. Knowledge of principles and processes for providing customer and personal services, including needs assessment and evaluation of customer satisfaction.
3. Detail-oriented, proficient in administrative procedures such as word processing, filing systems, and online information systems.
4. Outstanding communication and ability to relate well with external constituencies and provide excellent information services to prospective staff, students, administrators, and faculty.
5. Ability to perform work with diplomacy, accuracy, and thoroughness, and see the big picture relative to event planning, recruitment, selection, assessment.
6. Excellent time management and problem-solving skills.
7. Must be able to work independently as well as part of a team.
8. Ability to prioritize numerous projects with a variety of constituents and timelines.
9. Ability to exercise a high degree of confidentiality, professionalism, dependability, and accuracy.
10. Experience with hiring, supervising, scheduling, and training student staff.
Work Hours
8am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. Occasional overtime in peak times of the year.
Functional Expectations
Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:
1. Effectively communicate.
2. Remain at a workstation for extended periods.
3. Move about in various locations across campus as needed to complete day-to-day work.
Proposed Starting Date
October 2025
Required Applicant Documents
Resume
Cover Letter
Reference List
Please Note: These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"
Optional Applicant Documents
Transcripts - See Special Instructions section for additional options
Certification of Retirement Annuity
Please Note: These documents may be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior to clicking on "Apply"
Special Instructions for Applicants
Please fully complete the entire application including, but not limited to, the education and work history portions. Be specific on your work history, including employment dates (if part-time you must list the number of work hours) and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Please do not put "see resume" in the duties and responsibilities section of the work history. This will be considered an incomplete application and incomplete applications will not be considered.
If you are using college or university coursework to qualify for this position, then transcripts (may be unofficial) must be submitted prior to the application deadline to receive full consideration. Transcripts can either be uploaded with your application or submitted via the options listed below.
To be eligible for Veteran's Preference points on the exam, appropriate military service documentation such as a DD-214 must be submitted prior to the application deadline.
Fax: 309.438.0011, Attn: Mackenzie Chapman
Address: Illinois State University
Human Resources
Campus Box 1300
Normal, IL 61790-1300
The Civil Service examination for this classification is based on your application materials and responses to the supplemental questions. No participation other than submission of applicant materials is required from applicants that qualify to take the exam. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score calculated based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register by exam score. After the application deadline, the names within the top three scores will be referred to the department for interview.
Illinois State University is authorized to do business within the State of Illinois. All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois.
Applicants for this position must be authorized to work in the U.S. without ISU sponsorship. Sponsorship for work authorization will not be considered for this position.
Contact Information for Applicants
Mackenzie Chapman
Human Resources
309-438-3092
mrchap1@ilstu.edu
Important Information for Applicants
This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.
Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.
If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at (309) 438-3383. The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.
If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at (309) 438-8311.