Administrative Assistant

Administrative Assistant

This position serves as the primary administrative support and reception contact for the University of South Carolina Purchasing Department, providing customer service to faculty, staff, students, suppliers, and visitors. The Administrative Assistant coordinates departmental calendars, schedules meetings and training sessions, manages conference room reservations, and supports procurement card administration by processing applications, verifying employment status, and responding to inquiries. As the department's bid clerk, the position receives, logs, safeguards, and coordinates the opening of sealed bids and solicitations while ensuring confidentiality and compliance with procurement procedures. The role also serves as a sourcing support resource by expediting requisitions, directing purchase requests to appropriate buyers, and identifying procurement card opportunities. Additionally, the position manages incoming communications, distributes departmental mail, and troubleshoots inquiries to ensure efficient departmental operations and customer service.

Typically holds a high school diploma or GED. Requires 2 or more years of job related experience.

Knowledge of procurement policies and procedures, PeopleSoft familiarity, Blackboard scheduling, P-Card familiarity.

Ability to greet visitors with a professional demeanor at all times. Excellent verbal and written customer service skills. Knowledge of Microsoft Office and/or other database and word-processing software. Above average typing skills. Knowledge of office procedures, practices and equipment. Good organizational skills and attention to detail. Professionalism in an office environment.

Provides Administrative Support to the Purchasing Department. Schedules meetings, tracks department calendar, manages conference room calendar to ensure availability for bid openings, vendor pre-bid meetings, etc.

Serves as bid clerk by receiving solicitations, handling incoming quotes and all sealed bids, logging and safeguarding bids to insure security and confidentiality. Serves as a witness for bid openings and oversees the bid opening process.

Researches employee payroll/listing to verify employment status for procurement card applicants, administers notifications for Blackboard procurement card testing, updates procurement card chart field information, assigns roles, processes procurement card applications, and answers procurement card inquiries.

Serves as sourcing clerk by expediting requisitions and identifies designated buyer for processing of purchase order. Reviews requisitions prior to expediting to determine possible use of the procurement card.

Opens incoming mail and distributes to appropriate persons within the department. Handles incoming telephone calls and assists and/or directs faculty, staff, students, vendors, etc. Transfers calls to appropriate areas. Troubleshoots telephone inquiries for problem resolution.

Greets walk-in customers, handles incoming telephone calls and assists and/or directs faculty, staff, students, suppliers, etc. Transfers calls to appropriate resource.

Performs other administrative duties as assigned.