Job Summary

Under the general supervision of the department chair, with lead work supervision provided by the Administrative Support Coordinator II (ASC II), this position provides administrative assistance to Department Chair as well as to the Department’s Administrative Support Coordinator. The Administrative Support Assistant (ASA) is responsible for providing information and support for administrative tasks related to faculty, students, parents, and the general public. The position serves as the initial primary contact for the department, greeting and providing assistance to faculty, students and guests with general information and referrals to appropriate individuals and offices.

This position is paid under the 11/12 pay plan, where salary for 11 months is distributed over 12 months with JULY off (with pay, benefits, and vacation/sick leave accrual continuing through months off). This position is eligible for full benefits, including medical, dental, vision and CalPERS retirement. 

Department Summary

The Political Science Department is one of the larger departments in the College of Liberal Arts. The department offers a Bachelor of Arts degree with four concentrations to approximately 350 students; three minors to over 200 students; and a Master of Public Policy (MPP) program to twenty-plus students. The department also offers general education courses as well as courses that meet the United States Cultural Pluralism requirement. Overall, the department currently produces over 16,000 Student Credit Units annually, split evenly between major /minor courses and service courses through general education. Co-curricular activities are provided through four departmental clubs (POLS Club, MPP club, Pi Sigma Alpha, Undergraduate Law Association) and four IRA activities (Mock Trial, Model UN, Paideia, Latin American Studies Internship); Model UN and Mock Trial are also competitive club teams. The department is currently staffed by one department chair and one graduate coordinator (both of whom are tenured faculty), thirteen additional tenured/tenure-track faculty, one Administrative Support Coordinator II and one Administrative Support Assistant II. Part-time faculty vary by quarter but are typically no fewer than three.

Key Qualifications

• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Demonstrated competence in understanding, interpreting, and communicating procedures, policies, information, ideas, and instructions.
• Thorough knowledge of office methods, procedures, and practices.
• Ability to apply independent judgment, discretion, and initiative to address problems and develop practical, thorough and, at times, creative solutions.
• Ability to perform standard arithmetic functions of a transactional nature, including tracking and comparing data, purchasing and ordering.

Education and Experience

High school diploma or its equivalent. Type 45 wpm. Three years of general office support experience. (Training at a vocational school or full-time college education may be substituted for two years of the required experience on the basis of one year of college education for 6 months of experience.)

Salary and Benefits

Anticipated Hiring Range: $39,216 - $46,860 per year

This position is paid under the 11/12 pay plan, where the salary for 11 months is distributed over 12 months. The salary will be received every month. The incumbent will have one month off every year (with pay, benefits, and vacation/sick leave accrual continuing through the month off). The one month off will be July.

Classification Range: $39,216 - $56,016 per year

Factors in determining the appropriate compensation for a role include experience, skills, knowledge, abilities, education, licensure and certifications, and other business and organizational needs. The Anticipated Hiring Range referenced in the job posting is the budgeted salary or hourly range that the University reasonably expects to pay for this position. The Classification Range may be broader than what the University anticipates paying for this position, based on internal equity, budget, and collective bargaining agreements (when applicable).

Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees' Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information. 

Cal Poly

Cal Poly is a nationally ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 22,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo and Cal Poly Maritime Academy in Solano County to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities, maritime and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit www.calpoly.edu.

Please watch the video linked here to learn more about the CSU system. 

Equal Opportunity and Excellence in Education and Employment

This position is open and available to all regardless of race, sex, color, ethnicity or national origin. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, Cal Poly provides equal opportunity in education and employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every student and employee has access to the resources and support they need to thrive and succeed in a university environment and in their communities. Cal Poly complies with Title VI of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California’s Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws, and CSU’s Nondiscrimination Policy. We prohibit discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all university programs, policies, and practices.

Cal Poly is a diverse community of individuals who represent many perspectives, beliefs and identities, committed to fostering an inclusive, respectful, and intellectually vibrant environment. We cultivate a culture of open dialogue, mutual respect, and belonging to support educational excellence and student success. Through academic programs, student organizations and activities, faculty initiatives, and community partnerships, we encourage meaningful engagement with diverse perspectives. As a higher education institution, we are dedicated to advancing knowledge and empowering individuals to reach their full potential by prioritizing inclusive curriculum development, faculty and staff training, student mentorship, and comprehensive support programs. At Cal Poly, excellence is built on merit, talent, diversity, accessibility, and equal opportunity for all.

Supplemental Information

Satisfactory completion of a background check (including a criminal records check) is required for employment. Cal Poly will make a conditional offer of employment, which may be rescinded if the background check reveals disqualifying information, and/or it is discovered that the candidate knowingly withheld or falsified information. Current employees who are offered positions on campus will be required to undergo a background check for any position where a background check is required by law or that Cal Poly has designated as sensitive. Failure to satisfactorily complete the background check may affect the continued employment of a current CSU employee who was conditionally offered the position.

The person holding this position is considered a 'mandated reporter' under the California Child Abuse and Neglect Reporting Act and is required to comply with the requirements set forth in CSU Executive Order 1083 as a condition of employment.

Cal Poly is not a sponsoring agency for staff or management positions. Applicants for staff and management positions must be authorized to work for any employer in the U.S. We are unable to sponsor or take over sponsorship of an employment Visa at this time.

Education Code 89521 Requirements: Applicants will be required to disclose whether they have received a final administrative decision or final judicial decision determining that they have committed sexual harassment within the last 7 years only after a determination is made that they meet the minimum qualifications for the position, and before an offer of employment is extended.  Applicants who reach the final stages of the application process must also sign a release form that authorizes the release of information by the applicant’s current and/or former employers to the CSU concerning any substantiated allegations of misconduct.

Positions are posted for a minimum of 14 calendar days.