Administrative Assistant/Faculty Support Lead

About the Department of Psychology

The Cross-College Department of Psychology spans The College of Arts and Sciences (CAS) and Cornell Human Ecology (CHE) and is recognized for excellence in advancing knowledge of psychological science. We focus on the investigation of behavior and its cognitive, neural, and hormonal underpinnings in the full range of environmental situations. Our strengths lie in four broadly defined areas of development, cognition, neuroscience, and social and personality psychology. We develop and conduct theoretical and translational research to advance health and well-being.

The Opportunity

As the Administrative Assistant/Faculty Support Lead, you will be an integral part of our academic team, coordinating and providing a broad range of administrative support to faculty members and their research groups. You will play a key role in supporting teaching, research, extension, and departmental operations with an emphasis on proactive problem-solving, effective and efficient facilitation of tasks, and clear communication.

Key Responsibilities:

The Administrative Assistant/Faculty Support Lead will coordinate and provide a wide range of administrative support to faculty members and their direct reports (e.g., postdoctoral associates, graduate students, lab managers and members) for their research and teaching-related activities in the cross-college Department of Psychology. Provide front desk/reception services as well as back-up support to office colleagues.

Responsibilities include, but are not limited to: providing support for instruction and research, often independently and with short notice; serving as a departmental reference and problem-solver for travel and procurement policies and issues; assisting faculty and visiting scholars with international and domestic travel arrangements and processing related, and often complex travel reimbursements; processing participant payments for human subject studies, and providing organizational direction and coordination with multiple researchers; processing procurement card and direct charge receipts; facilitating purchases and payments utilizing the University’s e-SHOP and Procurement Card systems; serving as a reference for policies and as a liaison among faculty and academic staff, independent contractors, and vendors, the University Shared Service Center (SSC), CHE/CAS IT staff, and Cornell Information Technologies (CIT); providing research and document support for faculty and academic staff including creating and formulating complex spreadsheets, developing databases and materials from a variety of information systems; formatting, proof-reading, and editing documents; scheduling routine in-person and Zoom meetings for faculty using Outlook, phone, and email communications, scheduling non-routine and periodic video- and teleconferences; responding to faculty requests for facsimile, copying, and bulk print jobs; producing and printing cards, flyers, or posters for research subject recruitment or professional presentations as well as brochures, handbooks, or posters for departmental programs; and responding to routine and non-routine mail inquiries.

In addition, this role is responsible for planning and facilitating departmental social events.

This is a full time, fully on-site, regular position based in Ithaca, New York on Cornell University’s campus.

What We Need

• All applications must include a resume and cover letter for consideration. 
• Associate's degree and 2-4 years of forward-facing, administrative experience, preferably in an academic environment, or an equivalent combination of education and relevant professional experience. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills and considerable initiative, supported by a strong work ethic to complete tasks in a timely fashion with frequent interruptions.
• Extensive ability to work quickly and effectively under pressure, use judgement in accomplishing tasks that are time sensitive and balance conflicting priorities.
• Superior organizational skills and attention to detail is a must. Excellent writing skills to formulate and present written material in a logical and comprehensive fashion. Outstanding verbal communication skills.
• Ability to locate, extract, identify, organize, and format important information and data; analyze, synthesize, and compile data.
• Demonstrated ability to work in a complex, high-pressure environment dealing with diverse constituents and situations using diplomacy and tact, while maintaining a positive, professional, and customer-oriented attitude. Ability to positively influence others by example.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office (Outlook, Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and video conferencing software (e.g., Zoom, Microsoft Teams).
• Experience in and/or demonstrated comm