Academy Administrative Professional

Administrative Assistant

The administrative assistant provides direct administrative support for both the Department of Philosophy and the Department of English. then, beginning in January 2027, it will be divided equally between Philosophy and English. The administrative assistant will maintain a regular presence in both departments and coordinate responsibilities across both units as mutually arranged by the Department Chairs of Philosophy and English.

The administrative assistant works closely with the Chairs of each department and department members, other university offices, and other administrative assistants across campus; manages a database of degree program majors for each department; Budget Administration

Maintain departmental budgets, expenditures, and records using Workday, including credit card reconciliation, payments/transfers, and invoice processing

Order and process payments for departmental supplies and equipment

Assist faculty with processing spend authorizations and reconciling expenses

Office Operations

prepare correspondence, tests, and handouts for faculty as requested

Assist faculty with organizing classroom materials, as requested

Assist with administrative tasks related to job searches

respond to phone, email, and in-person inquiries with diplomacy, tact, and confidentiality

prepare and distribute news, updates, and invitations

Work and communicate effectively with faculty, staff, administration, and external constituencies at all levels and locations

Maintain department website, digital and physical signage, and departmental calendar with current information on events, faculty activities, and student opportunities

Communicate with appropriate university offices regarding issues with classroom and office spaces

Plan and oversee logistics of special events as requested by the Chairs, including promotion, catering, travel arrangements, and coordination with relevant campus entities

Reserve rooms in university buildings for faculty and student groups

Assist in gathering data on student engaged learning, outcomes, and other assessment needs

Assist students with routine questions regarding registration, major declarations, departmental procedures, and university policies, referring students to appropriate offices when necessary

Supervision & Reporting Structure

May supervise student employees not assigned to other faculty or staff

Work under the joint supervision of the Department Chairs of Philosophy and English, with one Chair serving as primary supervisor per evaluation cycle

Participate in annual performance review and implement constructive feedback

Often interacts with all department faculty and the wider campus community to address administrative issues. Reports To: Department chair serving as primary supervisor. For the upcoming 2026-2027 academic year, this will be the Philosophy Department Chair, Prof. Work is generally performed in collaboration with both Philosophy and English Chairs and other faculty.

Minimum Education/Skill Requirements

High School graduate with two or more years of experience in an office environment or related field required.

Dedication to a culture of Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

Proficient in MS Office Suite (MS Word, MS Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, Calendar, Teams), Adobe Acrobat, website maintenance, social media (Facebook, Instagram, LinkedIn), video conferencing software, cloud-based storage.

Associate's or Bachelor's degree with two or more years of experience in an office environment or related field.

Experience with Workday or similar software is strongly preferred

Furman University