Reporting to the Department Manager, and receiving work direction from the Department Head, the Administrative Assistant performs day-to-day administrative duties to support operations in the Department of Geography and Planning. This includes acting as a resource and contact person for the unit, providing general reception duties, providing administrative support on the hiring process for casuals and managing the allocation of keys and fobs in the department.  As the departmental resource person, this position provides administrative support to the Department Head, and serves as program liaison with faculty/staff and all department committees.

The Administrative Assistant provides administrative support to the Chair of the Appointments and Renewal, Tenure and Promotion Committees, and provides day-to-day administrative support to the Department. This may include preparing reports and general correspondence including but not limited to faculty workload letters, drafting thank you responses to alumni donations, posting material to Sharepoint, compiling information for processes such as the Queen’s Quality Assurance Process (QUQAP), scheduling and coordinating meetings.

KEY RESPONSIBILITIES:

• Provide administrative support to Geography and Planning governance processes: coordinate Renewal, Tenure & Promotion (RTP) processes and maintain the official files; coordinate Appointments Committee with searches for new faculty (including advertising, processing applications, organizing visits and itineraries with interviews and seminars). Schedule interviews and ensure that hiring processes as well as promotions and renewals, are compliant with University, union and external labour regulations and liase with the Equity Representative on these committees.
• Initiate and coordinate Adjunct-1 and Emeritus appointments.
• In consultation with the Head, assist with the Merit process and prepare faculty workload assignment letters.
• Prepare employment contracts for casual, work study and SWEP staff. Act as timekeeper for casual employees.
• Initiate and track mandatory equity training for faculty and staff and monitor compliance.
• Create and support a Records Managers framework for Geography and Planning, working from Queen’s Record Management Policy.
• Provide administrative support to the Chair of the Department meeting. The Department meeting is the policy making and ratifying forum of the Department. Prepare and distribute agendas, record minutes and distribute accompanying materials. Provide guidance to the Chair about the preparation or revision of the terms of reference.
• Record minutes and provide administrative support to department committees as assigned. Take appropriate follow-up action, i.e. forward proposed changes that require approval to a Departmental Meeting. Serve as program liaison for the Unit Research Ethics Committee.
• Assist the Department Manager and Department Head with fund-raising and Advancement initiatives. Under the guidance of the Manager and Head and in consultation with the Advancement Officer, Arts and Science, assist in the design and implementation of programs to initiate and enhance donor relations. Assist in identifying, recruiting and nurturing new and potential donors. Coordinate all departmental public displays and information venues. Manage and maintain donor database. Provide feedback and make recommendations on new and existing fund raising programs and correspond with alumni.
• Organize Homecoming activities for the Department and alumni.
• Develop and maintain a system for managing key and fob assignments for faculty, staff and students and monitor deposits.
• Collect information for the Departmental self-study, cyclical program review, and other quality assurance processes.
• Support departmental communication strategies, disseminate unit details and weekly news to the Communication and Research Coordinator and provide up-to-date information for social media sites, website and newsletters.
• Provide general reception; communicate with faculty, staff, students and the public; manage office supply inventory and ordering, distribute daily mail, reserve rooms and space on campus, maintain department bulletin board space and manage the sign out systems for department rooms and equipment.
• Provide backup Timekeeping support for the Department Manager.
• Serve as the Department Field Teaching/Research Safety Planning coordinator. This involves coordinating and gathering OCASP (Off Campus Activity Safety Policy) safety plans and release forms.
• Act as a resource person for the department, including providing assistance to faculty and instructors on relevant University, Faculty and Departmental policies and procedures. Keep the Department Manager and Department Head advised and aware of important matters and refer complex and/or sensitive matters, as needed.
• Foster a positive and inclusive work environment that supports and promotes a culture where a diverse range of ideas and perspectives are incorporated into decision making.
• Undertake other duties and special projects as assigned in support of the department and its programs.

SPECIAL SKILLS:

• Demonstrates commitment to contributing to a high-performing team that is respectful and collaborative.
• Excellent communication (verbal and written) skills and interpersonal skills to deal with a wide variety of individuals in a helpful and professional manner, with an ability to write concisely for a variety of audiences.
• Demonstrated ability to build relationships and engage diverse groups of stakeholders.
• Highly-developed organizational and time-management skills to ensure completion of administrative tasks with competing priorities, with strong attention to detail to achieve high level of accuracy in administrative reporting.
• Ability to think and act creatively, dynamically, and compassionately in a high-pressure, fast-paced work environment; ability to assess and resolve administrative problems, enhance policy decisions, and improve overall efficiency within the Department.
• Demonstrated capability to cultivate and maintain positive relationships with internal and external stakeholders, handle issues with tact, discretion, diplomacy and provide assistance in handling confidential or sensitive matters.
• Ability to identify and respond to the needs and interests of varied audiences.
• Ability to take initiative, work with minimal supervision, and make independent decisions in the coordination of the department’s programs with tight deadlines and frequent interruptions.

DECISION MAKING:

• Determine best way to present answers and decide whether question should be redirected to other staff. Decide on how to deal with new information at hand. Recognize urgent requests and prioritizes information that needs to be dealt with immediately.
• Make decisions in support of Appointments committee work, determining information and data distribution before / after meetings.
• Make recommendations regarding general office administrative procedures, including proposing workflow changes.
• Determine which communication methods will be the most effective to engage various audiences. This may require working closely with the Communications and Research Coordinator.
• Determine best approach to facilitate and resolve issues in a professional manner. Recognize when it is appropriate to involve senior administrators to take advantage of their expertise and develop strategies, resolve disputes and address challenges.
• Selects best means to find needed information; determine when and to whom to delegate enquiries.
• Determines optimum practices, systems and procedures needed to support the administrative needs of the office. Determines process and activities that enhance the department’s function; seeks approval and implements.
• Independently determine work priorities to ensure all commitments are met.