Job Title: Administrative Assistant
Classification: C5
Department: Social Justice Centers and Office of Multicultural Affairs
Updated: October 2025

Job Summary

As part of the Division Student Affairs, the Social Justice Centers and Office of Multicultural Affairs play an essential role in advancing GVSU’s strategic priorities related to equity, inclusion, and social justice. The Administrative Assistant provides support to the Assistant Vice President for Student Affairs - Social Justice Centers, the Director of the Office of Multicultural Affairs, and Associate/Assistant Directors of the Office of Multicultural Affairs (OMA) for the planning, coordination, and implementation of projects, events, and services.

Essential Functions

• Assists the Assistant Vice President and Director of Office of Multicultural Affairs in carrying out the operations of the office responsibilities.
• Responsible for specific projects, programs, and events conducted by the unit whether self-initiated or initiated by the Assistant Vice President and/or Director of Office of Multicultural Affairs, which may involve planning and coordinating work, analyzing data, preparing reports, making recommendations, and other duties associated with the successful completion of a project/program.
• Performs administrative work of a confidential nature for the Assistant Vice President/Director.
• Responsible for compiling, processing, and logically formatting statistical data and reports by utilizing various software applications.
• Communicates and coordinates with multiple departments/programs in the Division as well as across colleges, and with other units across the university campus.
• Edits correspondence, reports, and materials for publication.
• Develops, prepares, and/or composes responses and correspondence requiring research, judgment, and discretion; routinely writes, edits, and submits materials for internal/external communications.
• Maintains and analyzes sets of complex budgetary records by performing bookkeeping related duties such as reconciling, monitoring, making, and tracking expenditures, preparing budget statements regarding the status of accounts, and making recommendations as to projected budgets.
• Conducts on a recurring basis self-initiated or Assistant Vice President and Director initiated projects and prepares reports.
• Acts with high degree of independence as liaison with inside and outside contacts and in preparing meeting materials, minutes, programs, updates, recruiting, and other support functions related to work area.
• Assists professional and student staff with administrative problems or concerns.
• Coordinates employment search processes.
• Provides information to students and prospective students of a complex nature, as well as to outside agencies, visitors, etc.
• Acts as a liaison for the division in situations outlined by the Assistant Vice President and Director.
• Originates correspondence, contracts and appointment letters, reports, and other materials.
• Responsible for scheduling appointments, which may include the Assistant Vice President and Director’s calendar, special events, divisional events, and academic scheduling.
• Compiles data and materials for presentations and proposals.
• Assists with the marketing of events and programs.
• Supervises student employees.
• Processes various university forms.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Non-Essential Functions:

Not Applicable.

Required Qualifications

• High school graduate or equivalent.
• Minimum of five years of relevant work experience.
• Demonstrated administrative and organizational skills.
• Experience with various computer software applications such as Microsoft Office and/or equivalent.
• Data entry experience.
• Typing and spelling competency with grammar and proofreading skills.
• Possess strong verbal and written communication skills.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully provide quality customer service.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully work independently, organize own work and coordinate work activities of others.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully coordinate large projects.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully handle multiple demands efficiently.
• Demonstrated experience in a supervisory role or equivalent.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully organize and prioritize workload.
• Demonstrated experience to handle complex budget records and assist with financial concerns.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully navigate challenging situations in the workplace, while using good judgement.
• Ability to work under pressure and meet deadlines.
• Demonstrated experience to successfully maintain satisfactory work performance and attendance records.
• Ability to maintain positive intercultural and interpersonal relationships.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree.
• Experience in higher education.
• Supervisory experience.

Supervision Received

Receives minimal supervision from a designated supervisor. Much of the work is self-initiated. Person is expected to function with considerable independence and apply appropriate policies and procedures within the assigned area of responsibility.

Supervision Exercised

Hire, train, schedule and coordinate the work of student employees and may act as lead worker to PSS staff members within the department/unit/division.

Physical Demands

• To perform this job successfully, an individual must be able to perform each essential function satisfactorily. Must have the physical stamina to work long hours and/or more than 5 days per week. The requirements listed are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• The information contained in this job description is for compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (A.D.A) and is not an exhaustive list of the duties performed for this position. Additional duties are performed by the individuals currently holding this position and additional duties may be assigned.

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