Administrative Associate, McDonald Observatory

Job Posting Title:

Administrative Associate, McDonald Observatory

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Hiring Department:

McDonald Observatory

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Position Open To:

All Applicants

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Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

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FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

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Earliest Start Date:

Jan 02, 2024

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Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

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Location:

MCDONALD OBSERVATORY

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Job Details:

General Note

This position provides administrative support to McDonald Observatory's West Texas operations. The McDonald Observatory is a major astronomical research observatory located 16 miles from Fort Davis, Texas (440 miles from the UT Austin campus), and this position is located at the observatory. This position reports to the executive assistant in the Superintendent's office and works closely with the Austin Business Office.

The University of Texas at Austin provides an outstanding benefits package to staff. For more details, please see https://hr.utexas.edu/prospective/benefits.

• Competitive health benefits (Employee premiums covered at 100%; family premiums at 50%).

• Vision, dental, life, and disability insurance options.

• Paid vacation, sick leave, and holidays.

• Teachers Retirement System of Texas (a defined benefit retirement plan).

• Additional voluntary retirement programs: tax-sheltered annuity 403(b) and a deferred compensation program 457(b).

• Flexible spending account options for medical and childcare expenses.

Purpose

This position provides strong administrative support for the McDonald Observatory West Texas operations and works collaboratively with West Texas staff and the McDonald Observatory Austin Business Office.

Responsibilities

• Administrative Support. Support the administrative and clerical operations for the Superintendent and office staff. Helps with shipping and receiving packages and mail and ensures the proper recipients are contacted. Maintain site calendar. Process HR and payroll-related transactions and documents per University policies and procedures, including workers comp insurance. Coordinates site-wide university vehicle registrations and insurance. Coordinates travel for Superintendent and staff. Composes and proofreads departmental correspondence. Prepares required documentation for special events and assists with special event staffing. Provide notary services and drive UT vehicles as needed. Ensures confidentiality and maintains a professional manner with staff and the public. Performs other related functions to meet business needs as necessary, including evenings or weekend work.

• Financial. Prepares and processes payment vouchers for goods and services received at the Observatory. Receives, records, and deposits payments for the on-site residents. Assists with Pro-Card logs and reconciliations of the ProCard for staff reporting up to the Superintendent. Reconciles bank accounts, including the Imprest Funds, and serves as the petty cash custodian. Maintains and posts purchasing and payment information to the local accounting database. Reconciles Mt. Locke West Texas accounts and prepares detailed monthly reports, including appropriate use of funds. Prepares billing information and invoices for tenant facilities in consultation with the Austin Business Office.

• Compliance. Serves as a point of contact for West Texas staff regarding University policies and procedures, ensures compliance, including the Superintendent's office, and coordinates with the Austin Business Office as appropriate. Responsible for oversite of West Texas inventory, including issuing and maintaining inventory tags, database entry, and inventory reporting.

Required Qualifications

• High school graduation or GED and at least five years of clerical experience or one year of experience at the Administrative Assistant level with a Bachelor's Degree.

• Experience with Microsoft Office suite, including an intermediate skill level in Excel and Word.

• Strong interpersonal and problem-solving skills.

• Excellent oral and written communication skills, with strong writing and proofreading skills.

• Ability to work independently and as part of a team.

• Ability to interact and maintain productive working relationships with staff, visitors, and residents and maintain a positive and professional demeanor.

• Ability to assess workload and prioritize tasks while demonstrating attention to detail and accuracy to meet deadlines and manage concurrent projects in multiple areas successfully.

• Ability to learn quickly and be flexible.

• Experience taki