Administrative Assistant 1 (NY HELPS)

Position Details

Position Information


Budget Title
Administrative Assistant 1 (NY HELPS)


Campus Title
Administrative Assistant 1 (NY HELPS)


School/Division
Academic Affairs, Division of


Department
Biological Sciences


Staff Sub-Type
Staff & Administration


Salary Level
SG011


Salary Range
$40,391-$47,695


Salary Determination


Starting salary rates are based on negotiated labor contracts.

Position Effort
Full-Time


If Part-Time, enter FTE:

Is this a temporary position?
No


If Temporary, enter End Date:

Position Summary


The Administrative Assistant 1 provides comprehensive support to the Biological Sciences Department. This position manages daily office operations, coordinates course scheduling, and oversees budgets to support 12 full-time tenured and tenure-track faculty, four full-time lecturers, an Instructional Support Associate, 6-8 adjunct instructors, and 250+ students across 4 major programs. The role requires high organization, clear communication, and the ability to use specialized campus databases.

Hours for this position are 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. Monday through Friday.

Salary: $40,391-$47,695 dependent upon experience.

Watch to learn more about careers at SUNY Cortland:

What makes SUNY Cortland a great place to work?
• Our positions provide predictable salary progressions, and many offer permanency.
• Generous benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, various retirement program options, paid family leave and/or parental leaves, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, long term disability and tuition reimbursement.
• SUNY Cortland prioritizes work-life balance and well-being in all forms. The university's state-of-the-art Student Life Center is free for employees to use, with membership options for families. Alternate work schedules are available with a supervisor's approval.
• Professional development opportunities exist through training, continuing education programs, tuition reimbursement and conference travel, based on funding.
• Cortland County and surrounding areas offer easy access to arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation and much more. Experience Cortland dives deep into the region's offerings

Major Responsibilities

Department chair and administrative support:

• Manage general correspondence, interdepartmental administration communications, mail distribution, and office phones, directing inquiries from students, parents, and visitors.
• Use specialized databases to create and schedule courses in coordination with Student Registration and Records Services, including creating specialized sections and assigning instructors to classes.
• Organize and secure campus space via the Event Management System for departmental events.
• Compile applicant files, communicate with candidates, coordinate interview schedules, and arrange on-campus itineraries for search committees.
• Assist the chair with onboarding new full-time and adjunct faculty, including preparing job ads, managing the August Adjunct Group Ad, and submitting annual/semesterly appointment forms to the Dean.
• Input faculty-approved textbook orders via online system.
• Verify faculty, full-time-lecturer, and adjunct time records as authorized.
• Organize and secure department files, student records, and degree conferral checklists.
• Attend department meetings to record, transcribe, and distribute minutes.
• Submit work orders, key requests, and faculty/lab transportation requests.
• Coordinate and cooperate with the Departmental Instructional Support Associate on shared tasks.

Budget and Procurement:

• Monitor department budget via online processes.
• Order computers, phones, keys, nameplates, and special equipment as needed.
• Support faculty searches by arranging lodging, travel arrangements and travel reimbursement.
• Utilize and reconcile office P-card consistent with purchasing guidelines to make purchases, prepare purchase orders, and process invoices.
• Process any departmental or faculty forms, including travel reimbursements and standard vouchers.
• Order and maintain sufficient stock of office supplies and forms.
• Utilize specialized databases (Banner/Argos, Room Reservation System) and Microsoft Office to input student overrides, assign advisors, compile annual reports, archive syllabi, and manage web page updates.
• Order award plates for Tri-Beta and Honors Convocation.
• Work with the Departmental Instructional Support Associate on tracking expenditures.

Faculty Support:

• Compile faculty class schedules/office hours each semester and distribute to the Dean and post in the department snapshot book.
• Assign and track student advisees to ensure equal workloads.
• Oversee copier operations, scan or photocopy course materials, and submit work orders and key requests.
• Submit Course Teacher Evaluations to students as needed.
• Request funds for professional development and travel for faculty from the Cortland College Foundation Office.
• Serve as a proxy to approve time records for faculty.

Student support:

• Complete the student hiring process through the Applicant Tracking System.
• Review and approve time records via the Time and Attendance System (TAS) for student workers.
• Assign academic advisors to new students.
• Request or send student files for change of majors to/from other departments.
• Provide necessary Banner permissions for students during registration periods. Aid students and faculty during registration and drop/add with Banner overrides.
• Process student request forms such as course withdrawals, course exceptions, change of major, etc., as needed.
• Draft and send invitations and congratulatory letters to Honors Convocation and Tri-Beta recipients; design and print student award certificates.
• Request funds for professional development and travel for students from the Cortland College Foundation Office.
• Distribute information via paper or electronic mailings to science majors throughout the academic year.

Building Administrator support:

• Approve conference room requests in EMS and send confirmation emails.
• Prepare room use charts each semester and distribute to custodial staff.

Functional and Supervisory Relationships

• Reports directly to the Department Chair
• Works closely with students and faculty.

Required Qualifications


Appointment to this position could be a permanent competitive appointment or a permanent non-competitive appointment.

1. Permanent Competitive Appointment Options:

Eligible List Appointment: Candidates must be reachable on the Civil Service eligible list for this title. If you are on the Civil Service eligible list for this title, you may receive a canvass letter via email. You must record your response via NY.gov and follow instructions in the canvass email.

Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant 1, SG 11 : Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-09 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework through the NYS CSEA Partnership website.

Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 1, SG 8 : Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-06 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.

Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 2, SG 10 : Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-08 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory core coursework.

For information regarding the transfer options of your current title, please visit the Civil Service Career Mobility Office Website:

For information regarding the Administrative Assistant Traineeship mandatory and elective coursework, please visit the NYS & CSEA Partnership website:

Candidates appointed at the trainee level will be required to successfully complete the traineeship to advance to the full performance level title and salary.
• $40,391 (Trainee 1- NS equated to SG-8)
• $45,081 (Trainee 2- NS equated to SG-10)
• $47,695 (Full Performance level SG-11)

2. Non-Competitive Appointment Option: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS- To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.

This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.

The qualifications are:

Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (NS Salary Grade 8 $40,391):

Six months of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory core coursework as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2.

Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (NS Salary Grade 10 $45,081):

One year of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework, you will advance to the full level of this title without further examination.

Administrative Assistant 1, Salary Grade 11 $47,695:

Two years of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. You must also complete all mandatory and elective core coursework.

Substitution:

Certification (e.g., IAAP Certified Administrative Professional) or associate's degree* in office administration, secretarial science, administrative assistance, paralegal, business technology, or office technology substitutes for two years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Preferred Qualifications:

• Experience with SUNY systems.
• Strong customer service background.
• Experience handling confidential information.

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities (KSA's)

• Effective written and verbal communication skills.
• Attention to detail, with a focus on accuracy and consistency when processing and reviewing information.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks, prioritize responsibilities, and meet deadlines.
• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills, with the ability to maintain accurate and accessible files.
• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.
• Problem-solving and critical-thinking skills to identify issues.
• Proficiency in using Microsoft Office, spreadsheets, and data-entry systems.

About the University


A top public university of approximately 6,600 students located in the geographic center of New York State, SUNY Cortland provides accessible, affordable education to students from across the U.S. body. One of 13 comprehensive universities in the State University of New York system, SUNY Cortland prides itself on its rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, education, and professional studies. For more than 150 years, SUNY Cortland has provided unmistakable value for students seeking a well-rounded academic, athletic, and social experience. The University ranks among the top campuses in the nation on Money magazine's "Best Colleges for Your Money List," fields a powerhouse Division III athletics program and boasts an impressive network of alumni making a difference in education, business, government, fitness, medicine and many other fields.

EEO Statement


The State University of New York at Cortland is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (AA/EEO/ADA) employer. The university actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the university.

Job Close Date
07/17/2026

Posting Detail Information


Posting Number
S25154


Review Start Date
07/20/2026


Open Until Filled
Yes


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