Position Title: Senior Administrative Specialist

Department: Study Abroad

Advertised Pay: $16.69/hour potential for a higher entry rate commensurate with experience

Campus Location: Washburn University

Application Deadline:  Application review will begin as applications are received and will continue until the position is filled. Applicants can be assured of full consideration if submitted by: August 11, 2025.

Position Summary: The Senior Administrative Specialist provides administrative support for the programs and services provided by the Center for Undergraduate Scholarly Creative Projects and the Study Abroad Office. This position serves as the primary contact, facilitating daily communication with faculty, staff, students, and the public. Organizes and documents activities and financial processes, shares information, and communicates updates with professionalism, sound judgment, and adaptability.

Washburn University is a teaching-focused, student-centered, public institution located in the metropolitan setting of Topeka that has earned national recognition for its high-impact programs for first-generation students. Washburn has a student body of over 5,500 undergraduate, graduate, and law students, a significant and growing number of whom are first-generation and Pell-Grant eligible. The University has created educational pathways for all students to be successful and achieve their educational goals.

Washburn is dedicated to recruiting and retaining a dynamic faculty, staff, and student body and cultivating a robust learning and working environment and curriculum. We employ more than one thousand faculty and staff on our campuses throughout Topeka and strive to offer competitive wages, an excellent benefits program, and a supportive culture and a healthy work/life balance. Washburn seeks to create an environment that reflects our core values for creating positive IMPACT: inclusion, modernization, partnership, achievement, community and transformation. In 2024, Washburn was recognized as one of the best colleges in the nation to work for, according to Great Colleges to Work For® program.

Essential Functions:
The Senior Administrative Specialist is responsible for contributing to a work environment that encourages knowledge of respect for, and development of skills to positively engage with individuals from all backgrounds and provides administrative support functions for the offices and staff assigned, including but not limited to the following.
• Provides prompt front office reception and effective customer service by providing information to students, staff, faculty and the public about programs, policies, services, and processes provided by the areas in a courteous and professional manner.
• Organizes the full lifecycle of student applications for departmental grants and scholarships, including submission, tracking, and compliance. Introduces students to available program options and guides them through the application procedures, as well as pre- and post-program requirements, to support successful participation.
• Manages departmental communications. Utilizes Microsoft Office and related software to draft correspondence, complete forms, design flyers and print materials to support area initiatives. Attends area meetings and accurately records meeting minutes, as needed, for documentation.
• Assists staff with accurate and timely reporting. Maintains and updates the grants database and confidential department and student records to facilitate accurate tracking, documentation, and reporting of departmental activities. Monitors the completion of program requirements and the awarding of scholarship funds to ensure accuracy, completeness, and up-to-date student records.
• Aids with semester planning and preparation. Enters class schedules into appropriate software program. Compiles information and updates program details in relevant departmental systems.
• Organizes purchasing cards, online accounts for routine purchases, and submission of purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and journal transfers to other departments. Accurately allocates transactions, attaches receipts, and submits approvals in a timely manner, ensuring compliance with university purchasing policies.
• Facilitates reimbursement requests for disbursement in accordance with established policies and timelines, ensuring all documentation is complete and compliant with institutional guidelines.
• Assists staff with monitoring the operating budget, endowed funds, and scholarships, to facilitate tracking of account balances and expenditures to ensure accurate financial oversight and compliance with university guidelines.
• Facilitates meeting logistics by scheduling appointments, reserving meeting spaces, arranging catering as needed, and distributing agendas and notifications to participants to ensure effective meeting preparation. Supports the planning, coordination, and execution of special events hosted by the department or in collaboration with other campus and external partners.
• Preserves both traditional hard copy and digital filing systems, including SharePoint and OneDrive. Develops and implements schedules for purging, scanning, and storing records.
• Maintains and coordinates the areas’ logistical needs (e.g., distributes mail, orders office supplies, submits IT and facilities request tickets).
• Supports website management by updating content, ensuring accuracy, and coordinating with appropriate staff to maintain current and accessible online information.
• Engages in professional development and process improvement efforts in coordination with area directors to enhance operational efficiency and service quality.
• Assists to ensure the overall success of the office and programs by performing additional job-related duties as assigned or as appropriate.

Required Qualifications:
• High school diploma, GED, or equivalent.
• One year of full-time equivalent work experience or relevant education or a combination of relevant education and experience equal to one year of full-time work experience.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office applications (Excel, Word, Outlook) with a demonstrated ability to learn new software systems.
• Proven effective organizational, interpersonal, communication, customer service and problem-solving skills.
• Skilled in managing multiple tasks with attention to detail.
• Exhibits professionalism and discretion, with the ability to handle sensitive and confidential information appropriately.

Preferred Qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree.
• Previous relevant experience in a higher education setting.
• Experience facilitating or reconciling financial transactions.

Hourly, Full-time, Mon-Fri, 8am-5pm   
Background Check Required