HET Administrative Associate

Job Posting Title:

HET Administrative Associate

----

Hiring Department:

McDonald Observatory

----

Position Open To:

All Applicants

----

Weekly Scheduled Hours:

40

----

FLSA Status:

Non-Exempt

----

Earliest Start Date:

Immediately

----

Position Duration:

Expected to Continue

----

Location:

MCDONALD OBSERVATORY

----

Job Details:

General Notes

This position is at McDonald Observatory, 16 miles from Ft. Davis, Texas (440 miles west of the UT Austin campus). Occasional travel may be required, as well as working outside working hours supporting meetings or events.

Purpose

To support the Hobby-Eberly Telescope (HET) group in performing various administrative functions and to serve as the secretary for the HET Board consisting of representatives from UT, Penn State, Munich, and Goettingen.

Responsibilities

• HET Board of Directors. Serves as the secretary to the HET Board of Directors. Facilitates all HET teleconference calls and distributes written communications to the HET Board. Transcribes and publishes minutes and action items from the HET Board bi-annual meetings. Checks reports and written materials for accuracy and proofreads outgoing correspondence. Plan and coordinate the logistics of the bi-annual meetings, including travel to meetings away from the observatory.  Works closely with the staff at the partner institutions, including assisting in the set-up and breakdown of meetings.

• Procurement and Inventory. Prepares purchase orders in accordance with university policies and procedures and in coordination with the Austin Business Office. Obtains quotes prepare electronic documents and maintains records. Posts to and maintains the purchasing database. Responsible for shipping and receiving packages, maintaining packing slips and receiving forms, and forwarding non-credit card invoices to Mt. Locke and Austin Business Office for payment processing. Maintains and issues inventory tags and conducts the annual HET inventory. Works closely with the Austin Business Office on larger purchases and inventory matters.

• General Administration. Drafts correspondence, assists with placement of classified ads, prepares schedules and arrangements for prospective employee visits, and confirms the accuracy of work. Maintains HET files and manages documentation in accordance with records retention. Sends emails, scans, and copies documents as needed. Maintains office and some consumable supplies for the HET. Assists with other administrative tasks as assigned in the absence of other team members. Performs other related job-related duties as assigned to meet business needs.

• Budget and Accounting. Assist the facility manager in managing and tracking expenses. Work closely with the Austin Business Office for proper accounting processes to ensure compliance with UT policies and procedures.

• Travel Coordinator. Makes travel arrangements for employees and prospective employees for HET Operations. Prepares necessary travel authorizations. Prepares reimbursement vouchers in accordance with university travel policies in a timely, courteous, and professional manner. Works closely with the travel team in the Austin Business Office.

Required Qualifications

• High school graduation or GED and at least five years of clerical experience or at least 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.

• Demonstrable organization and planning skills.

• Accuracy and attention to detail in work product.

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

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

• Service excellence, including interacting and maintaining productive working relationships with staff, visitors, and residents and maintaining a positive and professional demeanor.

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

• Critical thinking skills, including the ability to learn quickly and be flexible.

• Experience taking ownership of projects and seeing them through to successful completion.

• Ability to undertake and complete tasks with minimal supervision and exhibit individual initiative in meeting the functions of the position.

• Relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

• Exp