Administrative Specialist III

Bachelor’s degree and five years of appropriate experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

The Department of Geological Sciences in the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences at the University of Florida is seeking a detail-oriented and highly organized Administrative Specialist III to serve as the department’s lead administrator. This pivotal role oversees core business functions including budget management, personnel processing, office operations, and grants administration. As the central point of contact for faculty, staff, students, and administrative offices across campus, this position plays a key role in ensuring the department runs smoothly and in compliance with university and college policies. We are looking for a professional with strong leadership and communication skills who enjoys working in a collaborative academic environment and has a proactive approach to solving problems and streamlining operations.

Fiscal and Budgetary

• Responsible for the supervision, processing and reporting of accounting and bookkeeping functions of the department. 
• Supervise the collection and presentation of data for use in preparation of departmental budgets and assisting the Chair with the Academic Assistant II’s help in their development. 
• Attend budget meetings with the Chair and provide input as needed or requested. 
• Responsible for the review of all purchase requisitions, expense-to-expense (E2E) requisitions department reimbursements to faculty members and staff members, and invoices/vouchers for payment to vendors.
• Reconcile all department accounts (state, indirect costs (IDC), and miscellaneous donors.
• Recharge Centers – Oversight of all internal and external payments to auxiliary accounts in the department.
• Oversee purchasing and monthly accounting for auxiliaries. 

Human Resources Management

• Responsible for processing all personnel appointments. 
• Enter tuition waivers and provide semester Letter of Appointments to graduate students. 
• In conjunction with the Chair; Associate Chair; Graduate/Undergraduate Coordinators, assist in the counseling, hiring, dismissal, and preparing all evaluations for USPS/TEAMS personnel. 
• Assist the Chair of faculty search committees with posting positions and managing logistics of candidate visits.
• Liaises with Dean’s office to facilitate employee leave. 
• Coordinate tenure and promotion processes for the department, provides guidance on preparation of packets and ensures proper procedures are followed.
• Certify payroll and distributions for the department. 
• Responsible for the emergency check requests and the reconciliation of paycheck discrepancies.
• Maintain payroll records for all employees.
• Provides guidance on human resources activities, including Annual Activity Reports and sabbatical requests.

Office Management

• Manage and supervise all office operations daily. 
• Communicate daily with office staff on management and procedures. 
• Work with staff engineers on accounting for building maintenance, renovations and security.
• Advises faculty and staff on University of Florida policies, award and grant processes, and faculty group appointments.
• Compile, review, and authorize all departmental reports, such as annual research, teaching, office space reports, and other miscellaneous reports (as requested or assigned).

Award/Grants Management

• Oversight of all proposals through University of Florida Integrated Research Support Tool (UFIRST) and manage grants post-award activity.
• Oversight of post-award activities, including modifications.
• Works with contracts and grants
• Review all grant reconciliations for accuracy. 

The salary is $60,000 - $68,000.

This is a TEAMS position—UF’s designation for staff roles—eligible for a comprehensive benefits package, including paid leave, retirement plans, and health insurance. Learn more about TEAMS benefits here.

Bachelor’s degree and five years of relevant experience; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration, accounting, human resources, or a related field.
• At least five years of progressively responsible administrative experience, preferably in a higher education setting.

Experience with:

• University-level personnel appointment and payroll systems
• Budget oversight, reconciliation, and reporting
• Research administration (UFIRST, post-award management)
• Strong working knowledge of University of Florida systems, including PeopleSoft, myUFL, and UFIRST.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite and other common administrative software.
• Excellent organizational and multitasking skills, with attention to detail and deadlines.
• Proven ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures accurately.
• Experience supervising staff, OPS employees, or student assistants.
• Professional communication skills and the ability to collaborate effectively with a wide range of stakeholders.
• Discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential information and HR matters.

To be considered for this position, please upload your cover letter, resume, and the names and contact information of three professional references.

Application must be submitted by 11:55 p.m. (ET) of the posting end date.