Review Vacancy
TitleAdministrative Assistant 1, Geography (NY HELPS)
Occupational CategoryClerical, Secretarial, Office Aide
Bargaining UnitASU - Administrative Services Unit (CSEA)
Salary RangeFrom $40391 to $47695 Annually
Duties Description Position Summary:
The Administrative Support position provides comprehensive operational, clerical, fiscal, and student support for the Philosophy and Geography departments and their related programs. Serving as the primary liaison between campus administration, students, and outside agencies, this position dynamically prioritizes tasks to meet the needs of both departments. This ensures seamless daily operations, accurate data management, and excellent front-office reception.
Schedule: Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Salary: $40,391 – $47,695
Watch to learn more about careers at SUNY Cortland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98njPbVKNFY
What makes SUNY Cortland a great place to work?
• Our positions provide predictable salary progressions, and many offer permanency.
• Generous benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, various retirement program options, paid family leave and/or parental leaves, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, long term disability and tuition reimbursement.
• SUNY Cortland prioritizes work-life balance and well-being in all forms. The university’s state-of-the-art Student Life Center is free for employees to use, with membership options for families. SUNY Cortland’s Child Care Center welcomes the children of employees and community members, as space allows. Alternate work schedules are available with a supervisor’s approval.
• Professional development opportunities exist through training, continuing education programs, tuition reimbursement and conference travel, based on funding.
• Cortland County and surrounding areas offer easy access to arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation and much more. Experience Cortland dives deep into the region’s offerings.
Major Responsibilities:
Administrative Support
• Update and provide information resources (e.g., departmental files, record-keeping tracking, and archival filing) for both departments and related programs.
• Order Course Teacher Evaluations (CTEs) each semester in consultation with faculty.
• Prioritize daily work assignments dynamically according to the operational needs of both departments.
• Attend department meetings to take and distribute accurate notes.
• Organize, follow up on, and expedite operational tasks, including maintenance/repair orders, key requests, office supply procurement, and ongoing projects.
• Remain informed on the latest information technology and systems directly related to the position (e.g., Banner, Argos, Microsoft Word, email, and voicemail) by attending corresponding training.
• Leverage the Banner/Argos database system to input and retrieve student and faculty information.
• Assist Chairs with orientation of new staff (including office machines and Banner systems).
• Utilize the applicant tracking system to post and process faculty/adjunct positions. • Assist with faculty searches as directed by the Chair.
• Maintain and update physical bulletin boards for both departments as needed.
• Utilize the course creator system to assist with course building and make changes as necessary.
• Assist in scheduling meetings and room reservations for events.
• Print awards, certificates for Honors Convocation, Sophia’s Garden, and the Ethics Institute.
• Compile data for reports as requested.
• Provide programmatic support to the interdisciplinary Computer Applications Minor, Center for Ethics, Peace and Social Justice (CEPS) and its initiatives (e.g., Sophia’s Garden).
Communication
• Provide professional telephone and office reception for both departments, extending auxiliary coverage to other units upon request by the Dean, Chair, or other administrative support.
• Sort and distribute incoming and outgoing mail.
• Maintain and routinely update websites for both departments.
Budget and Procurement
• Maintain records for both departments’ procurement cards (p-cards) and budget, as well as CEPS reimbursements.
Student Support
• Represent both departments to the students and public; address inquiries regarding registration policies, major/minor changes, and withdrawal processes.
• Facilitate the drop/add course-scheduling process each semester for both departments.
• Act as an administrative liaison between administration, other academic departments, and outside agencies.
• Assist Chair in assigning academic advisors to incoming students.
• Supervise students’ payroll (e.g., student internship for CEPS and Sophia’s Garden)
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
• Proficiency in advanced office administration and clerical procedures to ensure seamless operations.
• Strong understanding of SUNY procurement, accounts payable workflows, and fundamental budget reconciliation.
• Proven aptitude for independently mastering new software systems and evolving institutional procedures.
• Effective verbal and written communication, including professional email etiquette and clear phone skills.
• Demonstrated ability to manage calendars, coordinate schedules, and keep digital and physical files in order.
• Strong attention to detail and organizational skills.
• Prioritize tasks effectively to meet deadlines in a busy environment.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks simultaneously without losing focus or quality.
• Demonstrated knowledge of MS Office, including Word, PowerPoint, and Excel
• Demonstrated ability to work independently and as part of a team
• Demonstrated interpersonal skills to work effectively with faculty, staff and students
• Strong organizational and record-keeping skills, with the ability to maintain accurate and accessible files.
SUNY Cortland:
A top public university of approximately 6,600 students located in the geographic center of New York State, SUNY Cortland provides accessible, affordable education to students from across the U.S. body. One of 13 comprehensive universities in the State University of New York system, SUNY Cortland prides itself on its rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, education, and professional studies. For more than 150 years, SUNY Cortland has provided unmistakable value for students seeking a well-rounded academic, athletic, and social experience. The University ranks among the top campuses in the nation on Money magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money List,” fields a powerhouse Division III athletics program and boasts an impressive network of alumni making a difference in education, business, government, fitness, medicine and many other fields.
Minimum Qualifications Appointment to this position could be a permanent competitive appointment or a permanent non-competitive appointment.
1. Permanent Competitive Appointment Options:
Eligible List Appointment: Candidates must be reachable on the Civil Service eligible list for this title. If you are on the Civil Service eligible list for this title, you may receive a canvass letter via email. You must record your response via NY.gov and follow the instructions in the canvass email.
Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant 1, SG 11: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-09 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework through the NYS CSEA Partnership website.
Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 1, SG 8: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-06 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.
Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 2, SG 10: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-08 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory core coursework.
For information regarding the transfer options of your current title, please visit the Civil Service Career Mobility Office Website: https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/title-search/index.cfm
For information regarding the Administrative Assistant Traineeship mandatory and elective coursework, please visit the NYS & CSEA Partnership website: https://nyscseapartnership.org/administrative-assistant-traineeship
Candidates appointed at the trainee level will be required to successfully complete the traineeship to advance to the full performance level title and salary.
• $40,391 (Trainee 1- NS equated to SG-8)
• $45,081 (Trainee 2- NS equated to SG-10)
• $47,695 (Full Performance level SG-11)
2. Non-Competitive Appointment Option: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS- To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.
This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.
The qualifications are:
Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (NS Salary Grade 8 $40,391):
Six months of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory core coursework as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2.
Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (NS Salary Grade 10 $45,081):
One year of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework, you will advance to the full level of this title without further examination.
Administrative Assistant 1, Salary Grade 11 $47,695:
Two years of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. You must also complete all mandatory and elective core coursework.
Substitution:
Certification (e.g., IAAP Certified Administrative Professional) or associate’s degree* in office administration, secretarial science, administrative assistance, paralegal, business technology, or office technology substitutes for two years of experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Experience with budget record keeping, reimbursement paperwork, and purchasing processes.
Additional Comments The State University of New York at Cortland is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (AA/EEO/ADA) employer. The university actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the university.
SUNY Cortland employment offers eligibility for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information and to see if you qualify, visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.