ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT (II)

Housing and Conference Services (HCS) directly supports the University’s goal of advancing human and societal wellbeing and Forward With Integrity’s overriding vision of ‘educating for capability’. We provide a distinctive living and learning experience for 4000 students focused on key educational priorities including community development, personal growth and wellness, academic excellence, and inclusion.

HCS concurrently drives a positive McMaster experience for guests, alumni, staff, faculty and students by providing accommodation and event coordination, which meet the highest standards of service excellence. HCS is a proud and significant ancillary contributor to the financial health of the University and the core academic and research mission of McMaster.

HCS is poised to expand our capacity by 66% over the next 5 years. Moving from 4000 to 6000 bed spaces across 13 buildings. This expansion will diversify the housing operation dramatically, from a traditional focus on the housing needs of first year undergraduate students, to the introduction of upper year, graduate, and family housing, in addition to a constantly diversifying internal and external client base.

McMaster currently owns and operates 13 on-campus residence buildings with a space of 1 million square feet. We offer housing in traditional facilities in small, medium and large building choices. Apartment style living is offered in two residences: Bates Residence and Mary E. Keyes Residence.

The Administrative Assistant is part of our Administrative Team.

Organize and perform a full range of administrative duties that require a thorough understanding of established functions, policies, and procedures. Establishes priorities for general office operations and is responsible for providing direction to others
in how to carry out work tasks.

• Establish priorities for general office operations.
• Plan and coordinate a variety of events and activities such as conferences, seminars, and workshops.
• Greet visitors, answer or redirect general inquiries in person, by telephone and via email and respond independently to inquiries that are specific in nature and require a thorough knowledge of established policies and procedures.
• Utilize discretion and judgment to screen visitors and telephone calls, and notify appropriate personnel.
• Monitor budgets and reconcile accounts. Complete financial forms such as travel expense reports, electronic cheque requisitions, purchase orders and journal entries.
• Write a variety of documents such as correspondence, procedure manuals, reports, and minutes.
• Conduct database, literature, and web searches to find references and articles used for a variety of documents, reports, and publications.
• Provide policy and procedure information to others.
• Gather and compile the paperwork required to facilitate hiring and payment processes.
• Collect, verify, and input data into a variety of spreadsheets and databases.
• Coordinate the calendar of supervisor and others and resolve scheduling conflicts.
• Write a variety of formal notes and records such as meeting minutes.
• Update and maintain information on websites and social networks.
• Format, word process, edit, and proofread a variety of documents and materials.
• Apply standard mathematical skills such as calculations, formulas, and equations to perform a variety of calculations.
• Monitor and order office supplies.
• Source and obtain pricing information for office supplies and equipment.
• Set up and maintain filing systems, both electronic and hard copy.
• Classify, sort, and file correspondence, records, and other documents.
• Update and maintain confidential files and records.
• Handle sensitive material in accordance with established policies.
• Assemble, copy, collate, and disseminate a variety of documents and materials.
• Open and distribute incoming mail and faxes.
• Prepare outgoing mail, faxes, and courier shipments.

• Provide direction to others in how to carry out work tasks.
• Ensures adherence to quality standards and procedures for short-term staff and volunteers.
 

 • 2-year Community College diploma in Office Administration or related field of study.
• Requires 3 years of relevant experience.

Physical Effort:
• A typical work day consists of greater than 3.5 hours of low physical effort for activities such as:
o Intermittent periods of keyboarding to word process documents, enter data into databases and enter financial
information into spreadsheets.
• Elements of moderate physical effort are not a regular feature of this job.
• Elements of high physical effort are not a regular feature of this job.

Mental Effort:
• A typical work day consists of up to 2 hours of routine mental effort for activities such as:
o Collecting routine information and files to word process routine documents such as correspondence and
forms, and inputting data into spreadsheets and databases.
• A typical work day consists of greater than 3.5 hours of moderate mental effort for activities such as:
o Responding independently to inquiries that are specific in nature and require a thorough knowledge of
established policies and procedures.
o Utilizing discretion and judgement to screen visitors and telephone calls, and notify appropriate personnel.
o Coordinating the calendar of supervisor and resolving scheduling conflicts.
o Monitoring and reconciling accounts.
• Elements of high mental effort are not a regular feature of this job.

Physical Environment:
• There are no adverse physical environment conditions inherent to the job.

Psychological Environment:
• Occasionally interacts with individuals who may be rude or upset.
• Frequently handles competing requests from multiple sources.

Health & Safety:
• Risk to the incumbent is no higher than for the general population.

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