Brief Job Overview/Summary

The Hughes Public Policy Center is located within the School of Social and Behavioral Sciences. This role supports the core function of finance and administration for the Center, functioning of the office, and coordination across campus partners. The specialist serves as a central point of contact for Administration & Finance, SOBL, and the Provost Office, ensuring the Center complies with university policies and procedures. Effective communication, organization, and follow-through are essential for this role.

Descriptions of Essential Duties/Responsibilities:

• Organize and maintain the Center’s fiscal and grant accounts, approximately 12 in number.
• Prepare fiscal reports and budget summaries for annual reports and periodic program reviews (Salary and Non-Salary) for the Director and Assistant Director.
• Process all revenue deposits, payments, requisitions, reimbursements, foundation check requests, and Supplemental / EPAF Payments through Banner.
• Process all Center expenses and monitor and reconcile receipts for Bank of America purchases.
• Process travel approvals for Center staff, ensuring that appropriate funds are available.
• Communicate any University procedural changes in travel, purchasing, and accounts payable to Center staff and faculty.
• Ensure University guidelines are met for travel, budgeting, and purchasing.
• Conduct budget transfers, account posting and reconciliation.
• Communicate with vendors and solicit necessary compliance documentation based on university policies.
• Write or review vendor contracts, including for speaker events.
• General Office Support
• Manage general Center inquiries and route requests to appropriate offices or stakeholders.
• Support onboarding and coordination of student workers.
• Generate work orders as needed to ensure office space is properly maintained.
• Monitor the Center's shared calendar & coordinate conference room space in the Hughes Center for Public Policy.
• Oversee the inventory and ordering of all office supplies.
• Perform other duties as assigned by the Director and Assistant Director.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• Knowledge of administrative office operations and records management.
• Strong organizational skills for managing multiple accounts and tasks.
• Effective written and verbal communication skills for interacting with staff, faculty, and vendors.
• Proficiency with financial processing tools, spreadsheets, and Microsoft 365 applications.
• Strong analytical and problem‑solving skills for account reconciliation and report preparation.
• High attention to detail in fiscal transactions, documentation, and contract review.
• Strong interpersonal and customer‑service skills.
• Time‑management skills with the ability to prioritize and follow through independently.
• Ability to maintain accurate financial records and prepare clear fiscal reports.
• Ability to interpret and apply university policies related to finance, travel, and purchasing.
• Ability to work collaboratively with multiple campus offices and stakeholders.
• Ability to handle sensitive information with discretion.
• Ability to coordinate daily office operations, scheduling, and supply management.
• Ability to support and guide student workers.
• Ability to adapt to procedural changes and evolving administrative needs.

Required Qualifications:

• High School Diploma or equivalent combination of training and experience required
• Prior administrative/office support experience

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate's or Bachelor's degree
• One year prior administrative/office support experience preferred
• Prior experience in a university environment
• Knowledge of university financial procedures, including budgeting, reconciliation, and fiscal reporting; financial/ERP systems such as Banner; and purchasing, travel, and vendor policies in a higher‑education setting.