Clerk IV (Office Manager)

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

Provide excellent student and family facing customer service and communication in the Residential Life Assignments Office, including day-to-day management of the office, receiving and responding to email and phone communication, maintaining accurate records in database systems such as Salesforce, providing administrative support for the assignment's professional staff, completing payroll for student office staff, and maintaining and auditing accurate residence hall occupancy data.

Essential Functions

• Provide high quality and timely reception and customer service for the Residential Life Assignments Office. Respond to in-person, telephone, email, and social media inquiries. Maintain accurate records of inquiries and communications in databases such as Salesforce and SPIRE.
• Support response to second level student and family concerns including completing research and information gathering and documenting and supporting findings. Make appropriate referrals to campus departments and services.
• Provide leadership for student office staff including providing functional supervision of student staff, training student staff on customer service and office processes, and supporting student staff to provide a high level of customer service and support.
• Manage overall operations of the Assignments Office including creating and maintaining student staff office schedule, maintaining office inventory and ordering needed supplies and equipment, distributing correspondence and mail, ensuring that office opening and closing processes are completed daily, maintaining the conference calendar, and keeping office systems updated.
• Execute anticipatory planning of office processes and staffing to respond to the overlapping cycles of student assignments and occupancy management. Manage and track office budget and provide quarterly, mid-year and year-end information for budget reviews.
• Provide administrative and project support for the professional assignments staff including drafting correspondence, maintaining staff calendars and scheduling meetings, completing assigned projects, and reviewing and providing feedback on a range of processes and procedures. Provide administrative support for the Residential Appeals Committee. Review and provide recommendation for housing exemption applications.
• Support assignments and occupancy management processes for a residential system of over 13,500 beds.
• Complete regular audits of occupancy data including blocked rooms, student withdrawal processes, student check ins and check outs, living learning community assignments, no-shows, cancellations, break and summer housing, and a range of other data sets to ensure that occupancy data is maintained at a high level of accuracy. Run queries and reports in data systems such as Salesforce and SPIRE to support occupancy audits and other job functions.
• Maintain strong working relationships with student services offices such as Residential Services, Bursar, Dean of Students, Financial Aid, Registrar, Disability Services, and others.
• Serve as primary liaison for the U.S. Census Bureau representatives related to census activities in the residence halls.
• Prepare and complete data entry for weekly time and attendance processes for student office staff and full-time staff. Complete hiring and onboarding processes for new student office staff. Audit and confirm data from HR Direct and other related time and attendance tracking systems.
• Participate in Residential Life meetings, trainings and other functions. Provide back-up support for administrative support team functions such as reception and payroll processing.
• Operate a motor vehicle to transport supplies and equipment as well as to travel to campus work sites.

Other Functions

• Perform related duties as assigned or required. Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.
• Demonstrate capacity, skill, and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
• Understand responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with University policy.
• Contribute toward creating a positive and respectful workplace. Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public university related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High School Diploma and two (2) years' of related experience or Associate's Degree and one (1) year of related experience.
• Valid Class D Driver's License required.
• Ability to maintain accurate records.
• Ability to answer incoming telephone calls and emails and respond and refer appropriately. Maintain a high level of customer service.
• Ability to generate, sort, and audit data sets related to customer service and occupancy management.
• Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work with diverse populations such as students, parents, department staff.
• Previous office experience to include office management, and the operation and application of various office machines.
• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft Office programs and related desktop tools.
• Ability to exercise sound judgement and discretion in management of confidential information.
• Ability to functionally supervise, assign, and review work of student staff, which includes the planning and assigning of work and assessing training needs.
• Ability to work under pressure in a fast-paced environment with ability to multi-task, think critically, and problem solve with minimal direct supervision.
• Ability to organize, plan and complete work assignments with minimal supervision.
• Willingness to accept new projects or tasks.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Office experience preferably in a housing assignment operation or college/university setting.
• Knowledge of Residential Life and University policies, procedures and protocols.
• Competency in using specialized software applications utilized by Residential Life including performing data entry, query and audit functions.
• Remain current with the changing software and database systems utilized by Residential Life.
• Ability to handle difficult or emergency situations in the appropriate manner.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

• Typical office environment.
• Some travel required to transport supplies and equipment as well as to drive to campus work sites.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday.
• 8:30am-5:00pm.
• Some weekend and evening work is required, including during residence hall move-in and move-out, winter session, and summer school housing transitions.

Salary Information

Grade 13

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with your application, please submit your resume, cover letter and contact information of three (3) professional references. Posting will remain open until filled.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Advertised: Dec 12 2023 Eastern Standard Time Applications close: Mar 12 2024 Eastern Daylight Time