APPLICATION INSTRUCTIONS:

• CURRENT PENN STATE EMPLOYEE (faculty, staff, technical service, or student), please login to Workday to complete the internal application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• CURRENT PENN STATE STUDENT (not employed previously at the university) and seeking employment with Penn State, please login to Workday to complete the student application process. Please do not apply here, apply internally through Workday.

• If you are NOT a current employee or student, please click “Apply” and complete the application process for external applicants.

Approval of remote and hybrid work is not guaranteed regardless of work location. For additional information on remote work at Penn State, see Notice to Out of State Applicants.

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POSITION SPECIFICS​

The Department of Human Development and Family Studies is seeking an Administrative Assistant – Senior Support to provide advanced administrative and financial support. This position supports faculty and departmental operations by processing transactions, monitoring budgets, supporting research accounts, and serving as a key liaison with the College Research Office and Financial Hubs. The successful candidate will be highly organized, detail-oriented, and able to manage multiple priorities while working both independently and collaboratively.

RESPONSIBILITIES

• Collect, verify, and submit financial documentation (invoices, receipts, travel forms, payment requests, etc.) to the appropriate financial hub for processing.
• Initiate and track transactions in SIMBA, Workday, PSUbuy, and ServiceNow.
• Serve as liaison with financial hubs and the Research Office to resolve issues and ensure compliance with university and sponsor policies at both college and university level.
• Monitor budgets, grant end dates, and matching funds; run SIMBA and Workday reports, including negative balance reports.
• Prepare financial projections and assist faculty with questions related to their accounts.
• Navigate eSteward to pull student scholarship eligibility to determine best utilization of awarding funds; submit awards for disbursement; adjust, cancel or re-award as needed.
• Approve labor distribution plans and effort certifications; serve as a Workday proxy for pay‑related actions.
• Provide backup to administrative manager and other staff to support key departmental operations such as facilities, scheduling, searches, department events, and promotion and tenure processes.
• Contribute to process improvement by identifying workflow issues and sharing feedback.

QUALIFICATIONS

The ideal candidate will be detail-oriented and able to work effectively and independently; but also comfortable, competent, and experienced working directly with faculty/staff collaborators.  Specific competencies critical to success include: excellent verbal and written communication skills; organizational skills & an excellent attention to detail; a team-oriented, collaborative approach; ability to work in a fast-paced environment; and ability to build strong professional relationships.