Careers at UMass Amherst

About UMass Amherst

UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.

Slavery North Initiative
Slavery North is a one-of-a-kind academic and cultural destination where scholars, thinkers, artists, and cultural producers build community and produce research and cultural outcomes that transform our understanding of the neglected histories of Transatlantic Slavery in Canada and the US North. Slavery North seeks to advance social justice by recuperating and interrogating the complex histories of Transatlantic Slavery and European colonization of the Americas, thereby recovering and centering the cultures, experiences, lives, and resistance of enslaved peoples in Canada and the US North. At the heart of Slavery North is a fellowship program that will welcome national and international students, artists, and scholars, providing them with the space, funding, time, and community to produce transformative research outcomes. 

Job Summary

The Administrative Assistant and Institute Coordinator for the Slavery North Initiative will provide administrative support to the Institute and its Director as well as logistics support for its interested stakeholders and outside community members.

Essential Functions

• Serve as primary contact for the Institute and Director’s Office. Assist in the management of day-to-day operations of the Institute and assist the Director with all matters pertaining to the administration of the Institute, its programs, and activities. Manage Director’s calendar.
• Work with Director to develop, monitor, and implement annual Institute budget, maintain records of expenditures, maintain budget records and create budget reports for UMass and funding agencies, and process reimbursements and expenses in accordance with University policies and guidelines in collaboration with the HFA Business Office.
• Reviews grant award expenses for compliance with University and funding source policies and provides effective guidance to the PIs as it pertains to grants and contracts administration. Prepares post-grant award purchase orders that are aligned with the expenses budgeted in the grant award, and in compliance with the funding agency and state/federal policies. Serves as the main liaison with the funding source to seek modifications/edits to grant governance documents.
• Prepares financial, progress, and effort reports. Prepares forms, documents and reports required by the funding organization.
• Work with Director to gather necessary information, data, and documentation for funding applications. Funding applications involve serving as the administrative support for searches conducted via PageUp software for Research Fellows, Artists-In-Residence, and Visiting Research Professors. Responsible for all record-keeping for staff and research position searches.
• Initiate and process personnel actions for Institute employees, speakers, guests, and visiting scholars, graduate students, and others in collaboration with the HFA Personnel Office.
• Advise Director on procedures for using University funds, including endowment, grant, gift, and research funds.
• Maintaining, organizing, scheduling, coordinating, events for the Institute and serving as a liaison between the Director and various campus and external contacts and partners. Coordinating logistics for such events including accommodations, travel, and catering for Institute events. Coordinating Director’s and Associate Director’s calendars, travel, and accommodation for lectures and events. Processing reimbursements for speakers and participants for Institute events and activities.
• Provide confidential administrative support to the Director by preparing correspondence, managing Director’s and Institute’s email communications, arranging and scheduling meetings, processing expense reports, coordinating travel arrangements, and preparing logistical and substantive background materials for the Director ahead of meetings.
• Managing contact database for Director; managing Slavery North Website (including changing and updating events and activities, staff, fellows, advisory board, affiliates, associated faculty, etc.); co-supervising RA primary research and database entry; developing community, cultural, and academic partners.
• Managing Slavery North/UMass Fellow’s orientation guidelines and handbook; and managing Slavery North schedule.
• Supervise undergraduate and graduate administrative student employees as well as maintaining and submitting time reporting records.
• Serve as Building Coordinator and submit work orders and requests to Physical Plant for needed services.

Other Functions

• Performs related duties as assigned or required to meet the Institute’s, College’s, and University’s goals and mission.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High School Diploma or equivalent.
• At least three (3) years professional experience as an Executive Assistant, Administrative Assistant, Office Manager, Receptionist or other related work. An Associate Degree or above may substitute for one (1) year of this required experience.
• Experience managing a budget and tracking expenditures and revenue. Basic bookkeeping skills.
• Ability to work effectively both collaboratively as part of a diverse team and independently with minimal supervision.
• Excellent verbal and written communication skills.
• Basic website management skills.
• Demonstrated experience with Microsoft Office Suite, Google Drive, and the ability to quickly learn other systems and software.
• Strong interpersonal, time management, and organizational skills. Demonstrated ability to manage several tasks at once and the ability to prioritize.
• Demonstrated knowledge of/or interest in the issues and themes of the Institute.
• Engagement with and enthusiasm for academic and cultural engagement and outcomes.
• Past experience with confidential information.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical Office Environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday - Friday; 8:30am - 5:00pm.
• 37.5 hours per week.

Salary Information

USA/MTA Non-Exempt Grade 13.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Along with the application, please submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references.

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University.  To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.