Title: Department Assistant, Natural & Behavioral Sciences

Pay Rate: $33,060 - $40,310.00/per year. Pay will be determined based on related work experience above required. To be considered in determining pay, all related work experience must be listed on the application.

Number of Positions: 1

Position #: 600030

Classification: 3 on-campus

Division: 204005

Type of Appointment: Full-Time

FLSA Status: Non-Exempt

Required Documents Needed to Upload at Time of Application:

·    Resume

·    Unofficial Transcripts

·    Three Professional References (See below)

Reference check requirements:

​ Non-supervisory roles: three (3) current or former supervisors

·    Personal references (friends, clergy, customers, relatives) are not considered acceptable references

Job Summary: The overall purpose of this job is to administratively aid the Natural and Behavioral Sciences (NBS) dean, discipline chairs, program coordinators, all full-time and adjunct faculty members in the department, while ensuring that all needs and/or concerns of faculty, staff, students, and the external community are addressed and resolved to facilitate academic success, excellent service, and the continued growth of the College and its programs. This purpose involves coordinating administrative office services for the NBS dean; acting as a liaison between this office, departments, and the community; administering duties in a capacity that enables independent judgment in matters of significance; planning and arranging special events; and performing other related duties as assigned. This position serves as the gatekeeper for the NBS department.

Essential Functions:

32% Administrative Support:  Maintain a presence on campus and serve as the first contact for the dean and department in face-to-face, phone, and the website contact while assimilating and assisting in gathering various information to perform both administrative and general information to complete complex duties (reports, tables, projects and contracts). These reports and projects include course and faculty member information, Faculty and Load Compensation reports, tables and other documents, release time reports, workload reports, accreditation documents, Faculty Qualification Analyses, English Proficiency documents, volume orders, full-time and adjunct faculty directories, e-mail directories, full-time and adjunct faculty schedules & syllabi, textbook and software orders, etc.

Assist in collecting and distributing mail; revising and maintaining mailboxes each semester, and monitoring assigned departmental mailrooms for paper, toner, and maintenance needs.

32% Staff department office:  Respond to inquiries from both internal and external stakeholders. Internally, faculty questions frequently pertain to departmental due dates, events, or college policies and procedures regarding leave, travel, etc. Students generally seek information about faculty office hours, supervisor information, and submitting complaints. External inquiries range from basic information about departmental events to specific questions about curriculum (e.g. course offerings, course prerequisites, course transferability, course sequencing, required course textbooks, software, etc.).

Greet and handle visitors. Ascertain nature of visitors’ needs; provide appropriate and accurate information or assistance, or direct visitors to proper person or resource. Maintain the NBS office, keeping the appearance neat and professional.

Inventory office and classroom supplies and equipment, establish needs, and place orders through Pellibiz purchasing systems. Distribute office and classroom supplies to faculty at all four campuses as needed. Organize, maintain, and restock supply cabinet and walk-in storage closet. Put in service requests for set-ups and repairs.

20% Contracts: Coordinate information and generate accurate adjunct, dual service, overload, and substitution contracts, secure required signatures, route documents, and maintain record of contracts, notebooks of processed contract copies, and PDF files of processed contract copies. Faculty, adjunct, and temporary FLAC (pay) contracts are produced at least three times throughout the school calendar. Guide new adjuncts with HR and departmental paperwork. Compile all HR paperwork and send to HR for new employee processing. Enter teacher assignments in Banner, adjust section enrollment caps, find student transcripts in Banner BDMS, etc., and run Argos reports. Performs applicant tracking and on occasion discusses and determines with the dean or discipline chairs about those that are qualified for adjunct positions.

10% Schedule conference rooms and other areas through 25Live reservation system for meetings and interviews and keep track of other areas’ scheduled events daily. Arrange, schedule and create documents for any department meetings, programs, or events. Attend department meetings and create and disseminate minutes. Organize catering arrangements when needed.

4% Use Outlook email to keep faculty informed of critical information and due dates. Use a professional tone and ensure correct spelling, punctuation, and grammar to compose routine letters and memoranda and to type and edit correspondence, reports, and other documents.

Review and screen applicant tracking to determine which prospective adjuncts have the proper qualifications for teaching and report qualified applicants to program coordinators. Contact, correspond, and schedule interview appointments in collaboration with HR for new adjunct hires, or other relevant positions (ex. discipline chairs), and handle any internal hiring candidates and documentation involved for prospective new full-time candidates and documentation involved for prospective new-full-time instructors. When needed, send out email polls, collect votes of departmental faculty members, and announce results.

2% Prepare forms, secure signatures, forward to payroll, and make any necessary corrections to faculty leave records. Other duties as assigned.

Note: The College reserves the right to change or reassign job duties, or combine positions at any time.

Key Result Areas: This job's proper performance ensures correct information will be given about the department/College to both internal and external callers and visitors and that questions, needs, and problems are addressed and resolved. In addition, the dean and faculty members will receive all needed supplies, assistance, confidential problem resolution, and, for adjuncts/subs/summertime full-time teachers, correct payment.

Job Requirements: An Associate’s Degree and 3 years of administrative/office/customer or student service experience, or a High School Diploma and 5 years of administrative/office/customer or student service experience.

Part-time work experience is calculated at 50% of full-time experience.

Preferred Qualifications: At least a year of experience in higher education.

Skills and Abilities:

• The ability to communicate clearly and concisely in person and/or on the telephone, exercising tact, patience, discretion, and a professional demeanor
• The ability to function productively in an ever-changing, high-stress, fast-paced environment with numerous interruptions
• The ability to take initiative, work independently, make decisions, and display dependability in follow-through
• The ability to prioritize and manage multiple tasks concurrently and meet deadlines;
• The ability to work with a diverse group of students, faculty, staff, colleagues, alumni, and visitors
• Demonstrated organizational skills; accuracy and efficiency in filing and maintaining records
• The ability to engage in the College’s mission and values

Complexity & Creativity:

The department assistant coordinates the day-to-day operations of the Natural and Behavioral Sciences department, executing complex professional tasks requiring a high level of technical proficiency, decision-making skills, and judgment regarding complex, confidential, and/or sensitive issues.

The department assistant relies on established departmental standards to produce internal reports and documents as well as upon the College’s and TBR’s documented policy and procedures as needed. Technical proficiency is maintained by attendance of software trainings and other professional development opportunities including independent study and reading. 

The position holder will be required to work with Microsoft Office, FLAC (adjunct contract system), Outlook, the Pellibiz (Sciquest) purchasing system, Banner INB, myPellissippi (Banner Self Service) Argos, Adobe, and the 25Live room reservation system.  The position holder must also be able to scan documents, use a fax machine, use a multi-line phone, and operate photocopiers.

This is an all-purpose administrative professional position in an institute of higher learning, and the person who holds the position should be, or become, versed in polite and discreet customer service and the College’s and TBR’s policies and procedures.  The holder of the position is often on the frontline of receiving students’ and students’ parents’ complaints about instructors.  This requires tact and confidentiality.  It is necessary to participate in active listening, neutral-party assuagement of the students’ and other parties’ feelings, and then accurately communicate with all parties concerned (instructor, coordinator, dean, and students) in order to provide the background to resolve the problem.  In cases in which students’ family members issue the instructor complaints, the position holder must uphold FERPA privacy requirements, advise affected instructors to do the same, and inform the family members of necessary paperwork for student waiver of FERPA if necessary.  The position holder also must be aware of and uphold the necessity of confidentiality regarding student perception results and the dean’s evaluations of faculty members.

Magnitude of Impact:

Simple and complex issues being addressed can determine immediate, daily and long-term effects for all of the following: the deans, faculty, adjuncts, staff, and student outcomes. More than likely, the Dean and Vice Presidents, and director levels of the organization would be required to resolve errors.

Responsibility for Accuracy:

All production work regarding payment and purchases (contracts, reports, book orders, etc.) is verified by the dean as it is produced, so there is constant verification.  A typical error would involve typos, and an undetected error might result in an inaccuracy of payment for an adjunct instructor or substitute teacher.

Financial Impact:

The department assistant is responsible for annual inventory of faculty office and classroom equipment at all campuses; late or improper performance of inventory could affect assignment of expensive items.  The assistant also researches, orders, maintains, and distributes many supplies and other items besides those on the official inventory. 

Budget:

The dean of the department is responsible for budgetary decisions and tracking, and the assistant helps by meticulous maintenance of purchasing records and careful consultation and coordination with shipping and receiving.

Judgement & Decisions:

This position involves both regular and spontaneous task work and customer service carried out with a minimum of referral to the dean.  The departmental assistant also assesses departmental supply needs and orders independently, but all final departmental payments and purchases are dependent on the dean’s signature. The department assistant regularly checks and enforces faculty members’ compliance with departmental and College procedures and policies regarding such documents as instructor schedules, appropriate professional development activities, etc. This position involves both regular and spontaneous task work and customer service.

Nature of Contacts:

In addition to working with any faculty, staff and students, this position is required to make contact with staff and administrators in almost all areas of the college which include Academic Affairs, Human Resources, President’s Office, Payroll, Records, Institutional Research, Facilities, Helpdesk/Computer technicians, Event Services, Accounts Payable, Purchasing, Campus Police, Cafeteria Services, Advising, the Executive Assistant I to the Vice President of Academic Affairs, and testing. This position is also the contact for business owners, professionals, applicants, and the general public who consult with the college with regard to the Natural and Behavioral Sciences program by way of the web site, email and/or phone. Many students call and walk in for assistance and information about various matters, and there are considerable calls from the general public about course and teacher information along with issues, prerequisites, required resources for courses, tutor services, as well as about departmental and college events.

The department assistant should expect contact with outside visitors, adjuncts, book representatives, vendors, and other institutions requiring information. The nature of interaction includes responding to recommendations, community inquiries, student teacher conflicts recommendations, college procedures, and deadlines for individual departments.

Relaying of correct and current information of all inquiries made to the departmental assistant is taken as fact; however further advisement and solutions are a representation of the department dean and College policies. Knowledgeable, tactful and creative questions are used to solve problems while remaining accurate and professional

Physical Demands:

This job requires lifting, walking, standing, sitting. There is lifting of copy paper (~30lb boxes), textbooks, and packages. The department has a dolly and carts that can be used for heavier objects.

Hazards:

There is no more probability of possible physical injury or illness in this position than there is with other jobs which involve a non-lockdown work facility which allows constant walk-ins by the general public. However, this position requires exposure to large student and employee populations who could have both illness and the potential for volatile individual behavior. 

Full-time Employment Benefits:

​• Insurance Options Health, dental, vision, life, short/long-term disability, FSA/HSA Wellness Incentive Program, if​​enrolled in health plan

​• Educational Assistance Fee Waiver Spouse/Dependent discounts Audit/Non-Credit Reimbursement Program

​• Employee Assistance Program

• Retirement options Tennessee traditional pension plan option (TCRS) 401k with $50 company match/457/403b

• Employee Discount program with over 900+companies

• 13 Paid Holidays/Year Includes paid days off the last week of December

• Sick Leave Bank

​• Longevity Pay

• Many opportunities for professional development

Special Instructions to Applicants: To be considered for a position at Pellissippi State, you must create an on-line application. Your skills, abilities, qualifications, and years of experience will be evaluated using only what is recorded on your application. Work experience that is not listed on the application will not be considered towards qualifying and/or compensation. Please note: attaching a resume does not substitute for completion of the application form. Part-time work experience is calculated at 50% of full-time experience. Please note: to scan, upload, or attach documents, a computer and scanner are available at the Hardin Valley Campus Educational Resources Center, if needed.

Pellissippi State Community College is an EEO/AA/Title VI/Title IX/Section 504/ADA employer

If you have any problems or questions please contact Human Resources at Pellissippi State Community College’s Human Resource Office at 865-694-6607 or by email at recruiting@pstcc.edu.

If you are interested in this position, click on the link to the left to apply.

#mrp

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