Job no: 503252
Work type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: Biology
Union: USA/MTA
Categories: Administrative/Office Support, Human Resources

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

Personnel manager and assistant to the Biology Department Chair, with administrative responsibility for personnel actions and appointments of all faculty, professional/classified staff, research staff, postdoctoral research associates and graduate students. Provides executive and administrative support to the department Chair as well as the Departmental Personnel Committee and search committees. Helps assure compliance and confidentiality on all personnel procedures, rules, and regulations.

Essential Functions

Examples of duties:

• (50%) Oversees all departmental appointments and reappointments including but not limited to faculty, staff, graduate student RA, postdoctoral, and research fellows. This includes salary adjustments and expirations and terminations of contracts. Assures continuity of funding sources for grant-funded personnel. Administers visa application process.
• (20%) Administers faculty and staff searches including (but not limited to) search initiation and preparation and placement of advertisements both on and off campus. Receives, maintains, and records all application materials in accordance with Federal, State, and campus (Office of Equal Opportunity & Diversity) guidelines. Provides administrative support to department search committees.
• (10%) Administers all faculty reviews including (but not limited to): tenure, promotion, reappointment-through-the-tenure-decision-year review, and professional staff off-cycle reviews. Assures adherence to review procedures and protocols while maintaining applicants' files and compiling applicant data. Provides administrative support to the Department Personnel Committee.
• (5%) Oversees the distribution, preparation, signature, and submission of all annual faculty reports, sabbatical leave reports, and other faculty-related procedures. Maintains records and notifies faculty of timelines to help assure compliance with submission deadlines to the department chair.
• (5%) Maintains complex data files and generates statistics for all instructor and faculty teaching evaluations each semester.

Other Functions

• Maintains database of assistantships for all fund types; generates statistics for departmental use and information with reference to budgets and teaching loads.
• Generates, updates and maintains content of Biology faculty web pages.
• Keeps the Chair's calendar, takes the minutes of the faculty meetings, and schedules meetings of Departmental committees.
• Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and University policy.
• Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace defined by personal and professional competence, integrity, and collaboration.
• Understands and contributes to implementation of departmental and institutional goals for achieving non-discrimination and creating a respectful, inclusive environment that is supportive of diversity.
• Uses access to sensitive and/or not-yet-public university-related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of the position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.
• Supervises and evaluates the work of Clerk III.
• Works collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality and inclusiveness. In the performance of work, takes initiative and operates with self-direction. Works in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Performs other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the College of Natural Sciences.

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

• Associate Degree (in Business Administration or related field of study) or an equivalent combination of education and training.
• Minimum of two years of relevant experience, preferably in academia.
• Ability to work with diverse populations and all levels of the University community in internal and external communications including faculty, staff, students, administrators and the public.
• Excellent written and oral communication skills including the ability to write concisely and accurately.
• Excellent organizational skills, with ability to prioritize and balance multiple time-sensitive projects with critical deadlines amid constant interruptions.
• The ability to apply independent judgment in performance of routine tasks.
• Knowledge of standard computer operating systems and proficiency with word processing, spreadsheets, and use of databases.
• Experience with online data entry systems/programs.
• Knowledge of basic accounting principles and practices.
• Ability to work independently to organize multiple tasks and set priorities for action, take initiative and operate with self-direction in a fast-paced office environment.
• Excellent interpersonal skills and ability to interact effectively and work productively in establishing and maintaining harmonious working relationships with a diverse population of staff and students.
• Ability to organize and prioritize goals; ability to collaborate well to formulate plans and objectives in accordance with overall college goals; ability to identify and implement process improvements.
• Ability to manage multiple projects simultaneously and to set and meet deadlines while maintaining high standards of accuracy and quality.

Additional Details

This position reports directly to the Biology Department Chair, with functional supervision from the Director of Human Resources for the College of Natural Sciences.

Work Schedule

Monday – Friday 8:30am – 5:00pm

Salary Information

Pay Grade 15

Special Instructions for Applicants

Applications should include a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three references.

As part of a commitment to their own multicultural community, CNS seeks an individual with a commitment to diversity and one who will understand and embrace university initiatives and aspirations: http://www.cns.umass.edu/diversity-equity-inclusion.

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: Oct 17 2019 Eastern Daylight Time
Applications close: Oct 30 2019 Eastern Daylight Time