Department Administrator, Biology

Job Summary

Drexel University’s College of Arts and Sciences (CoAS), Department of Biology, is seeking an organized, analytical, courteous, and proactive Department Administrator who is skilled in managing multiple tasks independently while delivering superior support to our team of 20+ faculty and staff.

Under the direction and supervision of the Department Head, the successful candidate will be responsible for planning and administering the operational and financial activities of the Department as an academic unit and provide attentive support to all faculty, staff, and students. The Department Administrator will manage all day-to-day purchasing, hiring, and business processes of the ongoing teaching, research, and scholarship activities within the Department while maintaining compliance with relevant College, university, and government policies. While reporting to the Department Head, this key role will also liaise with the Dean’s Office and will help analyze office processes and policies, develop creative solutions to problems, answer operational questions, and take part in decision-making that supports increased efficiencies for the Department and College.

Essential Functions

• Financial Tasks:
  • Ensure that all relevant departmental cost-centers (i.e., unrestricted, restricted, designated, gift), personnel and operating expenses are appropriate, in compliance, and within budget.
  • Support departmental leadership on departmental spending, financial objectives, and compliance.
  • Oversee all purchasing for the department as well as monthly reconciliation of purchasing card statements.
  • Independently manage and document all financial transactions. Complete labor redistributions, journal entries, and other expenses-related tasks as needed.
  • Provide guidance and support to departmental employees on best practices for purchasing, reimbursement and awards/prize distribution, when relevant.
  • Prepare annual budget reports, business activity reports, and expense tracking reports.
  • Serve as primary budget/administrative contact for the Office of the Dean (CoAS).
  • Under the supervision of the Department Head, liaise with various offices (e.g., Procurement, Office of General Counsel, Human Resources, Comptroller’s Office, Tax Office, Payroll Office, Work Study Office, Drexel Central, Scheduling Team, Graduate Support Team, ISSS, Facilities, Institutional Advancement, University programs and schools, College Grant Administrators, etc.)
• Personnel Tasks:
  • Process all departmental hiring paperwork for adjuncts, faculty, staff, students, temporary employees, visitors/guests.
  • Support the recruitment and onboarding processes for all employees associated with the department.
  • Ensure compliance with Human Resources hiring policies.
  • Certify that personnel labor is charged to the appropriate funding source.
  • Approve timesheets for employees as needed.
  • Establish an active network of professional contacts to support the execution of departmental business operations.
  • Help create and maintain a database of all departmental contracts and track faculty teaching loads in collaboration with CoAS.
  • Supervise support staff within the department.
• Administrative Tasks:
  • Execute all day-to-day business processes, developing and implementing procedures in compliance with university policy, federal regulations, and contractual requirements.
  • Manage and/or provide oversight of departmental space, where pertinent, including stocking departmental space with business and academic supplies, submitting work orders, overseeing phone lines and office equipment, and attending to space requests.
  • Oversee and support routine departmental events including advertising, reserving space, arranging meetings, booking travel, and ordering food, etc.
  • Maintain departmental physical and digital records in compliance with the University’s record retention policy.
  • Support faculty life-cycle processes, including the Promotion & Tenure Process of tenure track and teaching faculty.
  • Provide direction and advice to all employees, students, and vendors with business and academic operational questions.
  • Resolve problems with the highest level of customer service.
  • Oversee select department-specific academic processes such as curriculum updates in Courseleaf and language placement exams Liaise and coordinate with the College scheduling team to ensure proper instructional assignments, course offerings, classroom spaces, etc.
• Other related duties as assigned.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of Bachelor's Degree or the equivalent combination of education and work experience. 
  • Pleas