Job no: 501525
Work type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Dean - Pub Health & Health Sci
Union: USA/MTA
Categories: Administrative/Office Support

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Job Summary

Serve as assistant to School Director of Human Resources, Office of the Dean of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences (SPHHS). Assist in the preparation, tracking and filing of personnel related documents including but not limited to: time and labor, searches, personnel actions, sabbaticals, merit, tenure, promotion and Periodic Multi-Year Review. Assist in the preparation of Human Resource (HR) and Financial Reports, proposals, and miscellaneous office material through the use of various software packages such as Microsoft Office Suite and PeopleSoft and Summit. These administrative duties require extensive knowledge of School and University policies, procedures, systems as well as a high level of discretion when handling confidential material and information.

Essential Functions

• Entering data into the Access database of all items processed.
• Preparing personnel review schedules for academic departments and contacting department personnel officers to ensure timely submission of materials required for personnel actions.
• Retrieving data; running and creating reports using the statistics formulated from the local database and PeopleSoft HR system.
• Organizing reappointment, promotion and tenure files for review by the personnel committee, Dean and Provost’s office.
• Reviewing faculty and search documentation; following up with respective academic departments, ensuring the completion and accuracy of documentation submitted.
• Providing support for the Time and Labor Management, including weekly data entry, running the time and labor report to check for errors, making corrections as necessary.
• Calculating and tracking faculty buyouts against the multiple grant funding situations.
• Maintain internal Database of information for the personnel and related financial records.
• Filing and retrieval of confidential personnel documentation including the maintenance of existing files and the setup of new files.
• Typing of HR forms and additional statistical entries as needed on typewriters or through the use of software programs such as the Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Access database, PowerPoint, Excel) consistent with the needs.
• Processing Family Medical Leave Act (FMLA) requests and paperwork, including the employer’s response form and follow up on timekeeping and physician verification & eligibility to return to work.
• Processing, maintaining and coordinating sabbatical leave application files for SPHHS. This includes but is not limited to: determining eligibility, completion of forms/documents and the timely processing/routing of information to the Provost’s Office.
• Performing hand-carries of data/time sensitive documents to academic and administrative departments.
• Serve as backup, during the absence of the Director of Human Resources.
• Reconcile monthly reports for the Dean’s office as directed by the Director of HR.
• Maintain database system for reports to be used for tracking and troubleshooting purposes.
• Ensure accurate and timely submission of SPHHS Graduate Teaching Assistantships (TA) and Health Fees. Ensure the information is within the policies and procedures of the Dean, Graduate Employment Office and University. Prepare reports for distribution to departments and HR Director. Notify HR Director of potential problems concerning appointments before they become an issue and document.
• Maintain the database for the graduate student appointments on grants and state accounts.
• Maintain the course buyout, research buyout and additional compensation information for database purposes, information retrieval and State fund balancing.
• Sorting, distributing and filing monthly reports for various fund types for the Dean’s Office.
• Performs other duties as requested.

Qualifications Required At Hire

• Ability to communicate in the English language (reading, writing, comprehension) including proper grammar, punctuation, spelling, word meaning and word usage.
• Ability to communicate effectively in oral expression, and to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships, and to deal tactfully with others.
• Ability to interact with individuals from diverse backgrounds. Excellent interpersonal skills required.
• Ability to perform mathematical and statistical computations accurately and with reasonable speed.
• Experience in bookkeeping and other general clerical functions.
• Experience in personnel and payroll functions.
• Skill in typing (typewriter, computer) forms and correspondence with accuracy.
• Ability to understand and apply rules, policies and procedures of assigned office activities.
• Excellent organization skills; ability to prioritize workload effectively and efficiently.
• Ability to maintain records, including accuracy with names, numbers, codes and/or symbols.
• Ability to file material in accordance with standard filing procedures.
• Excellent written communication skills.
• Ability to exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
• Ability to use personal computers with experience in word processing and spreadsheet software (Microsoft: Word Excel, Access.)
• Working knowledge of Windows and electronic mail services.
• Ability to travel across campus in order to hand carry and deliver time sensitive documents.
• Attention to detail.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High school diploma required
• 5 years full-time or equivalent part-time experience in an office setting. (Data entry secretarial, and/or suitable business background.)
• Ability to use personal computers with a knowledge of word processing, spreadsheet and database software.
• Working knowledge of Microsoft Office Suite of Products.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Knowledge of the School of Public Health and Health Sciences policies and procedures.
• Knowledge of University academic, administrative and policies and procedures related to personnel.
• Knowledge of University Human Resource functions, including types and uses of appropriate forms.
• Knowledge of specific word processing spreadsheet/database systems used in the School and University.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday 8 am - 4 pm (37.5 hours per week)

Salary Information

Grade 13

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please include with your application a resume, cover letter and contact information of three professional references. Applications will be accepted until position is filled.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.

Advertised: Sep 5 2019 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Sep 18 2019 Eastern Daylight Time