Job Description: |
- The Administrative Specialist plays a central role in managing the department’s financial operations and ensuring fiscal accountability across multiple funding sources.
- Oversees the preparation and monitoring of administrative budgets in collaboration with the Department Chair and the College’s Financial Services Office.
- Works closely with college accountants to establish, track, and reconcile departmental budgets, including general revenue, block salary, salary savings, indirect cost (IDC), and royalty accounts.
- Leads the collection and analysis of budgetary data related to teaching and administrative needs to inform budget development.
- Reviews departmental expenditures and initiates budget transfers for OPS (Other Personnel Services) salaries and operating expenses (OE).
- Manages payroll distribution across various funding streams, including grants and contracts, and conducts biweekly payroll reviews for accuracy.
- Administers the departmental procurement program, ensuring timely and compliant purchasing processes.
- Advises faculty and staff on University and Federal Cost Accounting standards, ensuring proper use of grant and contract funds from both public and private sources.
- Supports faculty in monitoring and reconciling grant and contract expenditures, aligning spending with project goals and compliance requirements.
- Assists faculty with forecasting personnel costs and effort allocations for externally funded research projects.
- The Administrative Specialist oversees and executes the core administrative operations of the Department. This role involves managing special projects, compiling sensitive information, and preparing detailed reports for the Department Chair and College Administration.
- Coordinates and submits departmental reports required by various University administrative units, including Faculty Assignment Reports, Effort Certifications, Academic Activity Reports, and space utilization documentation.
- Drafts correspondence, announcements, meeting minutes, and other communications on behalf of the Chair, and ensures timely dissemination of information to faculty and staff.
- Maintains up-to-date knowledge of university policies and procedures and provides guidance to faculty and staff on compliance with Departmental, College, University, State, and Federal regulations.
- Ensures all administrative activities align with institutional standards and regulatory requirements.
- The Administrative Specialist oversees and coordinates a wide range of personnel actions, including recruitment, offer letter requests, appointments, and salary distribution adjustments for faculty, postdoctoral associates, graduate assistants, USPS/TEAMS employees, and OPS staff.
- Collaborates with the CVM Human Resources Office to ensure HR policies are current and effectively communicated to faculty, staff, and students.
- Manages tuition payment processes for graduate assistants.
- Coordinates faculty appointments on sponsored projects in consultation with the Department Chair, ensuring compliance with UF Cost Principles, Cost Accounting Standards (CAS), CAS Exemptions, and OMB Uniform Guidance. These efforts directly support the department’s salary recovery initiatives.
- Advises on and implements administrative actions to support faculty and staff across various employment and academic processes.
- Provides comprehensive support to the Chair and faculty for Promotion and Tenure, Post-Tenure Review, and Mid-Term Review processes.
- Assists the Chair in interactions with Employee Relations as needed.
- Conducts quality control reviews to ensure all Promotion and Tenure documentation is complete, accurate, and properly formatted prior to submission through the online system.
- The Administrative Specialist manages the clerical staff within the department’s administrative office, setting priorities and deadlines to ensure efficient support of departmental operations, Chair directives, and faculty needs related to teaching, research, and service.
- Oversees the implementation of teaching evaluation procedures for both professional and graduate-level courses taught by department faculty.
- Coordinates the peer-review process for faculty teaching evaluations, ensuring timely and accurate documentation.
- Manages the preparation and submission of U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services (USCIS) documentation for J visa requests, including those for short- and long-term scholars, exchange visitors, and student interns.
- Plans and coordinates departmental meetings and seminars, ensuring that all relevant notices, invitations, and postings are appropriately created and distributed.
- The Administrative Specialist is responsible for maintaining the department’s online presence, ensuring that both public-facing webpages and internal content on the College intranet are accurate and up to date.
- Updates departmental websites with current policies, personnel lists, and relevant resources.
- Conducts online surveys to facilitate anonymous faculty voting processes.
- Provides support to faculty in utilizing web platforms for instructional and informational purposes.
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Preferred: |
- Prior supervisory experience is highly desirable.
- Prior experience in a higher education or research environment is strongly preferred and considered essential for success in this role.
- Demonstrated ability to build and sustain effective working relationships while upholding strict confidentiality.
- Proven capacity to work independently, manage multiple priorities, meet deadlines, and exercise sound judgment.
- Strong verbal and written communication skills.
- Familiarity with policies and procedures specific to University, HSC (Health Science Center), IFAS (Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences), and CVM (College of Veterinary Medicine).
- Skilled in data collection, evaluation, and analysis to support decision-making and reporting.
- Proficient in drafting professional correspondence and preparing comprehensive administrative reports.
- Solid background in fiscal management and grant administration.
- Experience in coordinating assignments and supervising personnel effectively.
- Thorough understanding of administrative principles and operational practices.
- Working knowledge of personnel management, payroll processing, immigration documentation, contracts and grants, and graduate/professional education systems.
- Proficiency in a range of software applications including Microsoft Word, Excel, Publisher, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat Pro, MS Teams, OneDrive, and WordPress.
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