Administrative Assistant for the Hixon Center and the HMC Makerspace

Position Summary

Under the general supervision of the Director of the Hixon Center for Climate and the Environment (HCCE), with the consultation of the Director of the HMC Makerspace, the Administrative Assistant must be able to interact with faculty, staff, and students in two domains. The HCCE is a collection of faculty and students working to create climate curriculum and contribute to solving the problems posed by climate change. The Makerspace is a College resource heavily used by students, with a faculty director and a staff manager. The position is initially divided 75 percent for the Hixon Center, 25 percent for the HMC Makerspace. The Administrative Assistant independently performs routine and non-routine administrative duties and responsibilities to support both domains. Such functions include scheduling meetings, reserving classrooms and PDRs, and arranging travel; processing payables, reimbursement expenses, and reconciling purchase-card expenses; assisting both directors in managing the budget, including running reports from Workday; preparing spreadsheets and correspondence. The Administrative Assistant helps to manage the day-to-day operations of the HCCE, including planning and coordinating events and special projects, ordering supplies, hiring students, providing faculty-search support, distributing mail, and looking after the maintenance of office equipment.

Within the first three years of this position, we anticipate the Administrative Assistant will move entirely into the HCCE. At this time, they will additionally serve as the college Sustainability Coordinator, which is expected to occupy approximately 25% of their time.  In this additional role, the coordinator will support environmental programs and solutions on campus to achieve sustainability goals, including coordination with the other Claremont Colleges campuses and coordination with student sustainability leaders, Facilities and Maintenance, and the relevant committees within our Board of Trustees. Candidates with an interest or background related to this area are particularly encouraged to apply.

About Harvey Mudd College:

Located in the heart of Claremont, California, 35 miles east of Los Angeles, Harvey Mudd College is a highly selective undergraduate liberal arts college offering degrees in science, technology, engineering and mathematics. HMC enrolls about 800 students and is a member of The Claremont Colleges, which comprises five undergraduate colleges and two graduate institutions. According to students, professors, and alumni, what makes Harvey Mudd distinctive is its collaborative, cross-disciplinary nature. The working environment is built on collaborative relationships between and among all members of the campus community and a deep commitment to the College’s mission to educate students “so that they may assume leadership in their fields with a clear understanding of the impact of their work on society.”

Job Duties and Responsibilities:

Administrative Support

1. Provides primary administrative support to the Director of the HCCE, the Director of the HMC Makerspace, and the Manager of the HMC Makerspace.
2. Assists in event planning for the HCCE.
3. Arranges catering for meetings and refreshments for HCCE functions.
4. Prepares letters, memoranda, and spreadsheets using correct grammar and punctuation.
5. Answers HCCE phones, screens callers, assists callers and directs to appropriate offices.
6. Interfaces with internal and 5C administrative assistants and other College constituents.
7. Makes travel arrangements as necessary for the Director of the HCCE.
8. Responds independently to staff inquiries requiring knowledge of policies and guidelines.
9. Collects and distributes incoming mail for the HCCE and the Makerspace.
10. Supports faculty and students associated with the HCCE. 
11. Other administrative support duties as assigned.

Budget Support

1. Using HMC's Workday Financial System, reconcile purchase cards; process expense reports and reimbursements for faculty, staff, and students; process supplier invoices for accounts payable; process reimbursements; process cash sales for accounts receivable; submit journal entries; create and track purchase orders; while paying close attention to accounting details and policies.
2. For the HCCE, coordinates student hiring, orders office supplies and equipment, orders food and beverage supplies, stationery, and other items as needed using budgetary discretion.
3. For the Makerspace, supports the Manager in making purchases, coordinating student hiring, and administering student payroll.

Required Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities:

1. Individuals must possess knowledge, skills and the ability to successfully perform the essential functions of the position.
2. Excellent oral and written communication skills. Ability to write correspondence, business procedures and develop spreadsheets, invoices, using proper business formats, grammar and punctuation.
3. Ability to handle confidential information, files, and material using discretion.
4. Program and event planning and implementation skills.
5. Ability to work independently and in a team environment, e.g. support colleagues, share information and support the organizational goals.
6. Strong interpersonal skills and the ability to build working relationships with faculty, staff, and members of the College and 5C consortium.
7. Excellent computer skills. Proficient in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Outlook) as well as the Google-drive-based equivalents. Knowledge of Workday, Formstack, Sakai, and Event Management System is very helpful.
8. Excellent organizational skills, including the ability to effectively track files and the status of ongoing projects. Prioritize workload; handle matters expeditiously, proactively, and follow through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.

Required Education:

Graduation from high school with a minimum of two years of college or business school and or combination of education and experience related to the job duties and skills and abilities required for this position.

Required Experience:

A minimum of one year of administrative and office support experience preferably in higher education.

Required License/Certificates:

Valid driver’s license and a driving record acceptable to the College’s automobile insurance carrier.

Preferred Qualifications:

Associate’s or Bachelor’s degree and experience working in higher education.

Minimum Physical Requirements:

While performing the duties of this job, the Administrative Assistant is frequently required to sit for extended periods of time; use hands to finger, handle, or feel; talk; and hear. The employee in this position is occasionally required to stand and walk. The employee must occasionally lift and/or move up to 25 pounds. Specific vision abilities required by this job include close vision, depth perception, and distance vision.

Other:

1. Hours: 40 hours per week. Schedule may vary due to the needs of the College or department.
2. Classification and status: this is a full-time, regular, 12-months per year, benefits-eligible, non-exempt position.
3. This position reports to the Director of the HCCE, with the consultation of the Director of the Makerspace.

Hours:

The regular hours of this position are 8:00 am to 5:00pm (with a 60-minute unpaid meal period). Hours may vary due to the needs of the College or department and including select evenings, as required.

APPLICATION PROCESS

Application Procedures: Please visit www.hmc.edu/employment to view a complete job description for this position and obtain information about how to submit an application. Information about HMC’s competitive benefits package is available at www.hmc.edu/hrbenefits.

Deadline to apply:

Position will remain open until filled.

All faculty and staff (including contract workers) who are employed at HMC and for whom the COVID-19 vaccine is approved/authorized by the FDA, must be vaccinated against COVID-19 and provide proof of vaccinations and booster, unless a medical or religious exemption has been granted. 

This job description defines the essential job duties of the position. Harvey Mudd College expects that employees hired for this position can perform the essential functions of the job without imposing risk of substantial harm to the health or safety of themselves or others. It may also include marginal functions, generally defined within Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act.

Regular employment at the College is for no specified period of time; conditions and status of employment (hours, pay, title, duties, etc.) are subject to change at any time. Employment is at-will and employees, and likewise the College, are free to end the employment relationship at any time, for any reason, with or without notice or cause, unless otherwise prohibited by law.

May 2022

CA

NO Security Clearance