Senior Administrative Assistant, Academy of Food Marketing

Senior Administrative Assistant, Academy of Food Marketing

The Senior Administrative Assistant plays a key role in the daily operations of the Academy of Food Marketing (AFM) and the Food Marketing Educational Foundation (FMEF). This position is responsible for managing line-item budgets, ensuring accurate accounting and reporting, supporting scholarship administration, and serving as a liaison with vendors, university departments, and board members. The role also includes office management and executive-level administrative support and requires the ability to maintain confidentiality with student and financial records. This is a high-impact role that supports the mission of AFM and FMEF by ensuring operational excellence, financial integrity, and smooth coordination of initiatives, events, and communications.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial Operations & Budget Management

• Manage daily accounts payable and receivable, including invoice processing, revenue collection, and reconciliation of accounts through the University's electronic record-keeping system.
• Maintain and update accounting ledgers; collaborate with the Controller's Office to verify transactions and resolve discrepancies.
• Prepare and file financial records and support annual audits and reporting, as needed.
• Assist the Executive Director in developing and tracking the annual operating budgets for AFM and FMEF.
• Work directly with vendors, auditors, bankers, attorneys, and insurance agents to manage AFM finances and daily operations

Scholarship Administration

• Manage external Food Marketing scholarships: maintain website content, process applications, schedule interviews, and coordinate recognition events.
• Serve as the primary point of contact for donors, partner organizations and student applicants.
• Communicate with the Office of Financial Aid to ensure proper allocation of scholarship funds.
• Coordinate and serve as the main contact for department events such as the annual Food Marketing Scholarship Donor Brunch, including logistics, scheduling, invitations, menu, etc.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Executive Director and AFM team, including scheduling, calendar management, and office operations.
• Serve as the receptionist/first point of contact for students and other visitors to the AFM suite
• Manage hiring, scheduling, and payroll for student workers and graduate assistants.
• Coordinate logistics for faculty travel and expense reimbursements associated with the Peck Fellowship.

Event & Board Coordination

• Plan and flawlessly execute logistics for three annual board meetings and other events, including meeting space, AV setup, catering, materials preparation, name tags, travel details and hotel reservations, and timely transcription of meeting minutes.
• Maintain board directories, monitor tenure, and track member commitments.

Co-op and Student Development Support

• Assist the Director of Co-op with co-op interview logistics, including booking interview rooms, creating and managing interview schedules between company representatives and students.
• Support logistics coordination for student experiential learning trips and events, including room and travel reservations and itinerary details.

Communications & Project Management

• Help manage AFM communications: email blasts, event updates, website content, and promotional materials.
• Create presentations and generate customized reports for recruitment, student development, the co-op program, and donor relations.
• Collaborate on special projects and cross-functional initiatives as needed.

Minimum Qualifications (Education/Training and Experience):

• 5+ years of experience in operations or administrative support.
• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities with on-time deliverables.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset.
• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel and PowerPoint), Google Workspace, and Zoom.
• Experience with web content management and basic social media platforms.
• Self-starter with a proactive, team-oriented approach.

Pay Transparency:

The estimated pay range for this position is $23.00-$26.00 per hour. Offered compensation will be commensurate with work experience and educational background.