Administrative Specialist, Housing & Residence Life

Department: UL

Classification: Admin Office Specialist 3

Job Category: Classified Staff

Job Type: Full-Time

Work Schedule: Full-time (1.0 FTE, 40 hrs/wk)

Location: Fairfax, VA

Workplace Type: On Site Required

Pay Band: 03

Salary: Salary commensurate with education and experience

Restricted: Yes

Criminal Background Check: Yes

About the Department:

Housing and Residence Life (HRL) is a self-supporting auxiliary organization within the University Life unit of George Mason University. HRL serves a highly diverse population of approximately 6,200 students, the majority of which are undergraduates living in traditional, suite, and apartment-style residence halls in three campuses within the vibrant Northern Virginia area. HRL employs over 170 full-time and graduate staff members and over 350 undergraduate student staff members. HRL is committed to providing a safe, well-maintained student-centered environment that is innovative and inclusive of the global community. It is dedicated to creating a home that enriches the experiences of our students, staff, and faculty.

About the Position:

The Administrative Specialist for Housing & Residence Life at George Mason University fulfills three primary areas for the department: customer service & office management, administrative & housing tour logistics, and student office assistant supervision.

The Administrative Specialist works in a team with 1-2 other Administrative Specialists to oversee the daily management of the Housing & Residence Life desks in Eisenhower and Piedmont/Tidewater Halls. This position serves as a front-line representative for residential students, parents & families, faculty & staff, and campus visitors. The position co-supervises and manages student employees that staff the Housing Desks and is responsible for serving as administrative/clerical support for the professional staff in the assigned areas. In addition, the Administrative Specialist coordinates the logistics for HRL Housing Tours provided to prospective students. The position reports directly to the Assistant Director of Operations and Special Projects.

Responsibilities:

Customer Service & Office Management

• Oversees the daily operations of assigned Housing & Residence Life (HRL) desk to a professional and efficient environment for all students, staff, and visitors;
• Assists residential students, faculty, staff, and other guests with questions or concerns related to HRL through in-person and over-the-phone interactions;
• Collaborates with other HRL administrative staff to provide thorough and professional responses to all inquiries received at the official departmental e-mail addresses;
• Ensures the assigned desk and surrounding area remain neat, clean, and free from safety or egress issues;
• Reports maintenance and housekeeping concerns as necessary;
• Assists residential students with lockouts by distributing keys or encoding cards via the access control system;
• Oversees various fiscal processes related to student billing, including but not limited to, lockout and key charges, room damage billing charges, and damaged/lost equipment charges;
• Receives work orders from residents and submits all requests into the SchoolDude platform;
• Directly contacts maintenance and housekeeping staff for urgent issues;
• Assists in preparing the assigned desk for semester openings, closings, and holidays that may impact typical staffing assignments and services;
• Actively supports and complies with all University policies, HRL regulations and departmental vision and goals;
• Assists with large-scale HRL events such as residence hall openings and closings each semester, summer student move-in/out, etc.; and 
• Evening and weekend hours may be required during these times.

Administrative & Housing Tour Logistics

• Assists the Residential Services team with preparing residence hall keys/cards for new arrivals and room changes;
• Assists in the organization and maintenance of confidential student files; Reviews the HRL Student Staff Daily Log and follows up on any questions, concerns, or issues as necessary;
• Develops, communicates, and maintains systems and procedures for desk management in collaboration with the Assistant Director of Housing Operations and Special Projects;
• Manages daily housing tours in coordination with University Office of Admissions and Assistant Director of Housing Operations and Special Projects;
• Creates and continuously updates tour materials such as routes, information, promotional materials, etc.;
• Selects and purchases tour guide polos, nametags, and other necessary materials;
• Accompanies Fall, Spring, and Summer housing tours regularly to ensure program consistency;
• Creates and revises student training materials for tour guide training;
• Facilitates tour guide trainings as needed; and
• Other related duties as assigned by immediate supervisor or designee.

Student Office Assistant Supervision

• Supervises student Office Assistants (OAs) assigned to the designated HRL desk;
• Provides indirect supervision and leadership to other HRL student staff assisting at the desk during business hours;
• Provides ongoing feedback and guidance to student Office Assistants;
• Completes performance evaluations for student staff in assigned area each semester;
• Assists with the annual recruitment and selection process for HRL Student Staff, including but not limited to facilitating candidate interviews, co-leading information sessions, and designing marketing materials;
• Oversees the weekly and monthly scheduling of Office Assistant desk shifts to ensure equal distribution of tasks and work hours among the student staff; and
• Reviews and approves timesheets for Office Assistants in the assigned area on a biweekly basis.

Required Qualifications:

• Associate’s degree in related field or equivalent combination of education and experience;
• Customer service or administrative experience;
• Customer service skills;
• Effective oral and written communication skills;
• Effective organizational and clerical skills;
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite, e-mail, and internet;
• Demonstrated ability to utilize, and learn, computer programs/applications;
• Demonstrated ability to work autonomously and with others in a fast-paced, ever-changing environment; and
• Ability to work in a team.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Prior experience in an administrative support or office management role is strongly preferred; and
• Prior experience coordinating and facilitating tours and/or orientation events, especially in a higher education setting.

Instructions to Applicants: 

For full consideration, applicants must apply for Administrative Specialist, Housing & Residence Life at https://jobs.gmu.edu/. Complete and submit the online application to include three professional references with contact information, and provide a Cover Letter/Letter of Intent for review.

Posting Open Date: July 31, 2024

For Full Consideration, Apply by:  August 14,2024

Open Until Filled:  Yes