Office Administrator

Full job description

Job no: 518895

Work type: On Campus

Location: Normal, Illinois

Title: Office Administrator

Division Name: Academic Affairs

Department: Economics

Job Summary

This position manages the main office of the Department of Economics, is responsible for all budgetary and accounting issues within the department, and supports the Department Chairperson with the department operations.

Additional Information

The Department of Economics has built a strong reputation for scholarly work, with faculty members undertaking empirical research in their respective fields of expertise: labor economics, macroeconomics, industrial organization, economic development, applied econometrics, health economics, economics of education, international trade, and financial economics.


The Department offers B.A./B.S. degrees in two sequences (General Economics and Managerial Economics) and one minor in the discipline. The Department offers STEM-designated M.A./M.S. in Applied Economics degree, with five sequences: a general sequence that trains students in quantitative and applied economic skills across different fields (i.e., economic development, health economics, international economics, labor economics, public finance) and four specialized sequences in applied economics (Electricity, Natural Gas, and Telecommunications Economics; Applied Community and Economic Development; Financial Economics; Quantitative Economics).


The Department has approximately 90 undergraduate students, 40 graduate students, nine tenure-track, and four non-tenure-track faculty members.
The Department hosts the Institute for Regulatory Policy Studies (IRPS), which functions administratively under an Executive Director who oversees a Director of Outreach and a Director of Research. The Department is also a co-sponsor of the Stevenson Center for Community and Economic Development, which provides internships and assistantships for students in the Applied Community and Economic Development sequence.


For more information about our department, faculty, and programs, visit


University Benefit Highlights:

• Health, dental, vision, and life insurance
• Retirement and supplemental retirement
• Tuition waiver benefits are available to staff as well as their eligible dependents.
• Paid holiday/administrative closures during Thanksgiving and Winter Breaks
• Paid vacation and sick time

For more University Benefit information:


Information regarding eligibility for participation in the State Universities Retirement System and the State of Illinois Group Insurance program can be reviewed here

Salary Rate / Pay Rate

$23.50 - $25.36 per hour

Required Qualifications

1. High school diploma or equivalent.
2. Any one of the following from the categories below:
A. Four (4) years (48 months) of work experience comparable to the third level of this series. This includes work such as performing a wide variety of office support tasks, which require the use of judgment and initiative and the ability to operate computer systems, using word processing, database and software packages. Knowledge of the organization, programs, practices, and procedures of the unit is central to the performance of the duties.
B. Two (2) years (24 months) of work experience comparable to the fourth level of this series. This includes work such as performing highly specialized administrative support duties. In-depth knowledge of the organization, programs, policies, and procedures of the unit is essential to the performance of the duties, along with the ability to use good judgment, the ability to operate computer systems, using word processing, database, and software packages, and to exercise discretion in handling sensitive and confidential information.

Preferred Qualifications

1. Bachelor's degree.
2. Ability to work relatively independently (with minimal consultation or supervision) and take initiative when supervisors are not present.
3. Ability to prioritize and accomplish objectives while managing frequent interruptions and changing priorities.
4. Excellent working knowledge of current ISU Human Resources processes, Purchasing, and Comptrollers policies and procedures.
5. Knowledge of the Colleague, Cognos, Payment Net, Agresso, and Foundation’s ONE software.

Work Hours

8:00am to 4:30pm, Monday through Friday. Occasional work outside of these hours may be required due to department events (anticipate no more than four events in a year).

Functional Expectations

Must be able to complete the following with or without a reasonable accommodation:


1. Remain at a workstation for extended periods
2. Move about in various locations across campus as needed to complete day-to-day work.
3. Effectively communicate on a daily basis.

Proposed Starting Date

August 2024

Required Applicant Documents

Cover Letter (maximum of two pages explaining how your work experience and qualifications relate to this role)
Reference List including three contacts

Please Note : These documents are required to be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior

Optional Applicant Documents

Transcripts (see Special Instructions to Applicant section for additional options)
Certification of Retirement Annuity

Please Note : These documents may be submitted online in order to complete the application process. Please have these documents ready prior

Special Instructions for Applicants

Please fully complete the entire application including, but not limited to, the education and work history portions. Be specific on your work history, including employment dates (if part-time you must list the number of work hours) and duties for all positions held. Applicable part-time work experience will be considered toward qualifying for this position; however, it will be converted to a full-time equivalency to determine combined length of experience. Please do not put "see resume" in the duties and responsibilities section of the work history. This will be considered an incomplete application and incomplete applications will not be considered.


College or university transcripts (may be unofficial) must be submitted prior to the application deadline to receive maximum possible points on the exam. Transcripts can either be uploaded with your application or submitted via the options listed below.


To be eligible for Veteran's Preference points on the exam, appropriate military service documentation such as a DD-214 must be submitted prior to the application deadline.


Fax: , Attn: Breanna Crippen
Address: Illinois State University
Human Resources
Campus Box 1300
Normal, IL 61790-1300


The Civil Service examination for this classification is based on your application materials and responses to the supplemental questions. No participation other than submission of applicant materials is required from applicants that qualify to take the exam. If you meet the minimum required qualifications for this position, you will receive a score calculated based on your education and experience, and your name will be placed on the active employment register by exam score. After the application deadline, the names within the top three scores will be referred to the department for interview.


Illinois State University is authorized to do business within the State of Illinois. All work under this appointment is required to be performed from within the State of Illinois.

Contact Information for Applicants

Breanna Crippen
Human Resources

Important Information for Applicants

This position is subject to a criminal background investigation and if applicable, an employment history review, based on University Policy 3.1.30 and any offer of employment is contingent upon you passing a satisfactory criminal background investigation and/or an employment history review. You may not begin work until the criminal background investigation results have been received and cleared by Human Resources.

Illinois State University is an Equal Opportunity/Affirmative Action Employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran.

If you are an individual with a disability and need a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) or other state or federal law you may request an accommodation by contacting the Office of Equal Opportunity and Access at . The Office of Equal Opportunity and Access will hold any confidential information you provide in confidence.

If you are having difficulty accessing the system, please call Human Resources at .

Application Opened: 06/04/2024 04:25 PM CST

Application Closes: 06/27/2024 11:55 PM CST