Administrative Assistant

• Job Type: Support Staff - Union
• Bargaining Unit: Local 2110
• Regular/Temporary: Regular
• End Date if Temporary:
• Hours Per Week: 35
• Salary Range: $59,312-$60,312

Position Summary

Reporting to the Associate Director of Finance and Administration under the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities, the Administrative Assistant provides comprehensive administrative support to the office and the Executive Director. This includes coordinating calendars, arranging meetings, and providing additional support. 

Founded in 1975 to support postdoctoral research in the humanities, the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities is dedicated to fostering innovative scholarship and applying critical, reflective, and interpretive practices to address real-world challenges. The SOF/Heyman offers opportunities for faculty, postdoctoral scholars, students, artists, practitioners, and community members to engage in cross-disciplinary inquiry intent on illuminating the past, engaging the present, and imagining new ways to produce knowledge that promotes the public good.

Responsibilities

Office Operations 

• Daily interaction with faculty, students, and visitors of the Heyman Center. 
• Answer all telephone and email inquiries, route messages, respond to requests, and manage mail, packages, and deliveries. 
• Maintain supplies and manage purchase orders for the Society of Fellows and Heyman Center for the Humanities, the Society of Senior Scholars, the Friends of the Heyman Center, and other events. 
• Compose correspondence, research and updates internal database and directories as needed.  
• Organize tasks and provide guidance to staff, supervises work-study, and casual employees in fulfilling Center projects and goals. 

Programming & Space 

• Arrange catered lunches for regular weekly meetings and other events.
• Maintain the room reservation calendar for the Heyman Center meeting spaces. 
• Assist the Director of the Friends of the Heyman Center with colloquia organizing, including publicity, participant registration, and other tasks. 
• Work closely with the Program Manager on event logistics, providing onsite support as needed. Collaborate with the Associate Director for Communications and Special Projects to publicize conferences, lectures, and special events, and with the Outreach and Education Manager to support projects such as the Rikers Youth Program (part of the Justice-in-Education Initiative).
• Assists the Associate Director of Finance and Administration with facilities maintenance requests. 
• Provide administrative support for the Society of Fellows annual recruitment competition, including handling phone and email inquiries.

Minimum Qualifications 

• High school diploma or equivalent; some college preferred. 
• Three years of related experience. 

Other Requirements

• Excellent communication, organizational, interpersonal, and administrative skills.
• Strong proficiency in computer applications (Access, Excel, PowerPoint, and Word).
• Ability to work independently, manage multiple tasks, and adapt to changing priorities in a busy environment.
• Ability to learn electronic financial systems.

Equal Opportunity Employer / Disability / Veteran Columbia University is committed to the hiring of qualified local residents.