Admin Asst II, Smith Institute

Job Description

Job Description

This position is fully in-person (not remote or hybrid).

GENERAL STATEMENT OF JOB

Reporting to the Director of The Smith Institute, the Administrative Assistant II provides comprehensive administrative, operational, financial, and program support for the Institute’s student success, career readiness, experiential learning, leadership development, employer engagement, and postgraduate readiness initiatives. The position serves as a central point of coordination for students, faculty, staff, employers, alumni, community partners, and other external constituents and helps ensure that Institute programs and services are delivered with a high level of professionalism, responsiveness, accuracy, and student-centered service.

The Administrative Assistant II supports the Institute’s evolving model of connecting students to purposeful career exploration, leadership development, internships and other experiential learning opportunities, professional development, employer engagement, and pathways to employment and graduate or professional education. The position also provides administrative support for Title III-funded activities and is responsible for maintaining appropriate documentation, records, purchasing materials, and other evidence necessary to support institutional and grant-related accountability. This position is fully supported by Title III grant funds and is contingent upon the availability and continuation of grant funding. Duties may include grant-related administrative support, expenditure tracking, documentation, data collection, activity records, and assistance with required reporting consistent with University and applicable grant requirements.

• Provides high-level administrative support to the Director of The Smith Institute and supports the day-to-day operations, priorities, programs, and initiatives of the Institute.
• Serves as a welcoming first point of contact for students, employers, alumni, faculty, staff, community partners, and visitors; responds to routine inquiries and appropriately routes matters requiring professional or leadership attention.
• Coordinates the Director’s calendar and assists with scheduling meetings, appointments, partner engagements, student programs, employer visits, and Institute events.
• Supports the planning and execution of career readiness, experiential learning, leadership development, employer engagement, internship, postgraduate readiness, and student professional development activities.
• Provides logistical and administrative support for signature Institute initiatives, including Career and Leadership Expo, Leadership Institute, Undergraduate Research Institute, employer-facing events, workshops, student engagement activities, and other special programs.
• Supports student engagement and follow-up by assisting with communications, appointment coordination, event registration, attendance records, participant rosters, surveys, and related documentation.
• Assists with the administration and routine use of career and student-success technology platforms, including Handshake and other University-approved systems, to support appointments, events, employer engagement, student participation, and program records.
• Maintains accurate electronic and physical records for Institute operations, student participation, employer and partner engagement, experiential learning activities, events, expenditures, and grant-supported activities in accordance with University policies.
• Supports data collection and routine reporting by compiling participation, engagement, program, event, and service-delivery information for the Director and other authorized stakeholders.
• Assists with Title III grant administration by organizing supporting documentation, maintaining activity and expenditure records, monitoring deadlines, and preparing materials needed for internal and external reporting.
• Supports departmental budget administration; tracks expenditures and commitments, prepares and processes purchase requisitions, invoices, reimbursements, and related documentation, and assists the Director in monitoring budget activity.
• Coordinates travel arrangements, meeting logistics, catering, facilities, supplies, technology, and other resources needed for Institute operations and programs.
• Maintains employer, alumni, community, and campus partner contact information and supports professional correspondence, invitations, follow-up communications, and stewardship activities.
• Assists with communications and promotional coordination for Institute programs, opportunities, deadlines, events, and student resources in collaboration with appropriate University offices.
• Supports the coordination of internship, experiential learning, leadership, and career-readiness opportunities by maintaining records, tracking participation, and helping connect students with the appropriate Institute staff member or campus resource.
• Handles student and institutional information with discretion and maintains confidentiality in accordance with FERPA, University policy, and applicable grant requirements.
• Provides administrative support for assessment and continuous improvement efforts, including survey administration, collection of participation data, documentation of outcomes, and maintenance of evidence files.
• Coordinates multiple concurrent projects and deadlines in a fast-paced, student-facing environment and proactively identifies administrative needs that support the effectiveness of the Institute.
• Provides administrative coverage and operational support for the Institute as needed, including coordination with student employees and front-desk coverage.
• Participates in University and divisional meetings, trainings, events, and professional development as assigned.
• Performs other duties as assigned to support the mission, goals, and evolving priorities of The Smith Institute and Johnson C. Smith University.
• Maintain accurate and secure records of all Title IX reports, investigations, and outcomes.
• Prepare reports and documentation for internal leadership, audits, and accreditation purposes.
• Support institutional readiness for external reviews, including compliance audits and accreditation processes.
• Collaborate with campus partners, including Human Resources, Campus Safety, Athletics, Academic Affairs, and other relevant University units.
• Provide regular updates and escalate high-risk matters to the Senior Vice President for Strategic Enrollment and Retention Management and other senior leadership, as appropriate.
• Promote a campus environment that supports equity, safety, and compliance.

MINIMUM TRAINING AND EXPERIENCE

Demonstrated commitment to student success, career readiness, experiential learning, leadership development, and high-quality constituent service. Must possess excellent organizational, time-management, and project-coordination skills, with the ability to manage multiple priorities and deadlines effectively. Strong written, oral, interpersonal, and professional communication skills are required, along with the ability to interact effectively with students, faculty, staff, senior leaders, employers, alumni, and community partners. Requires a high level of accuracy, attention to detail, follow-through, discretion, and sound judgment, including the ability to maintain confidential student, personnel, financial, and grant-related information. Proficiency with Microsoft 365 applications, including Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, and Teams, as well as Canva or similar graphic design platforms, is required, along with the ability to learn and effectively utilize University technology systems. Must be able to work with spreadsheets, rosters, budgets, participation data, and routine reports. Familiarity with Handshake, student success platforms, CRM systems, event-management tools, or similar technologies is preferred, as is knowledge of purchasing, budget tracking, grant documentation, and higher education administrative processes. Must demonstrate the ability to work independently, exercise initiative, collaborate effectively as part of a team, adapt to changing priorities, and support occasional evening or special-event responsibilities as program needs require.