Senior Project Support Coordinator - Charleston

Purpose:

Provides administrative support to the LUCE Charleston Outreach Center. The Senior Project Support Coordinator provides vital administrative and operational support to the LUCE Charleston Outreach Center, ensuring the smooth day-to-day functioning of programs, events, and fiscal processes. This role supports the Center's mission by managing financial documentation, assisting with procurement and travel logistics, maintaining supply inventories, and acting as a liaison between staff, students, parents, volunteers, and university departments. The ideal candidate is organized, detail-oriented, and capable of handling administrative tasks with professionalism and discretion. Some overnight travel is required on nights and weekends (up to 25%) to support events, programs, or special initiatives.

Essential Job Functions:

• Provides general administrative support to the LUCE Charleston Outreach Center's administrator, including managing communications, scheduling, and data entry.
• Ensures financial and administrative records are properly maintained in compliance with university, state, and federal retention policies.
• Assists in preparing and processing contracts, Personnel Transaction Requests (PTRs), and Personnel Change Requests (PCRs).
• Prepares and tracks purchase requisitions, monitors supply inventory, and maintains audit-ready records for purchases and payments.
• Coordinates complex travel arrangements for LUCE Charleston Outreach Center events, including lodging, transportation, group meals, and site visits.
• Works under the direction of leadership to plan and execute large-scale travel logistics, connect with vendors, and host sites, and ensure compliance with university travel policies.
• Creates and updates content for the LUCE Charleston Outreach Center, including website pages, flyers, outreach materials, and required reports for federal, state, and university stakeholders to ensure timely, accurate, and relevant communication.
• Reviews timesheets and leaves documentation for completeness and accuracy before submission to HR or payroll.
• Communicates with and directs students, parents, staff, stakeholders, and volunteers regarding Center programs, policies, and procedures.
• Corresponds with nonprofit, state, and governmental agencies.
• Works with accounting and purchasing personnel to establish and maintain ongoing purchase orders (POs/BPOs) for each fiscal year.
• Assists in preparing simple financial reviews and budget projections to support program planning.
• Organizes and maintains the filing system, including the closing of previous fiscal year files and preparation for new ones.
• Assists with special projects and events as assigned by the LUCE Charleston Outreach Center Coordinator.
• Ensures timely invoice processing and follows up on payments in collaboration with accounts payable.

Minimum Qualifications:

• High school diploma or equivalent required; an associate's degree or higher in business administration, accounting, or a related field is preferred.
• Two years or more of relevant administrative or office coordination experience, preferably in a university, nonprofit, or public sector setting.
• Demonstrated experience with financial recordkeeping, preparing purchase requisitions, tracking payments, and supporting audits.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook) at an intermediate or higher level and experience working with financial/accounting software or enterprise systems (e.g., Banner, PeopleSoft, or similar).
• Strong organizational skills with the ability to manage multiple tasks and meet deadlines.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; ability to correspond professionally with staff, students, volunteers, and stakeholders.
• Experience preparing or assisting with contracts, travel arrangements, timesheets, and leave slips.
• Familiarity with university, state, or federal records retention policies is a plus.
• Ability to work independently and collaboratively with attention to detail and accuracy.
• Must have valid unrestricted driver's license.

Preferred Qualifications:

• Associate's degree in business administration, accounting, or a related field.
• Experience working in a higher education or outreach/community engagement environment.
• Familiarity with state purchasing procedures and financial regulations.
• Experience using university systems for HR/payroll, procurement, and travel management.
• Demonstrated ability to prepare financial reports or simple budget projections.
• Knowledge of filing systems and best practices for document retention and audit preparation.
• Customer service experience working with diverse populations, including students, families, and external stakeholders.

Personal Characteristics:

• Must be able to communicate effectively, both in writing and speaking, with internal and external stakeholders, including staff, students, families, and community partners.
• Must have a keen eye for detail to ensure the accuracy of records, reports, and financial documents.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality and handle sensitive information with discretion and professionalism.
• Must be professional and capable of making independent decisions.
• Flexible and adaptable, with the ability to manage a wide variety of responsibilities that may shift from day to day based on program and operational needs.
• Strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset to support a dynamic, mission-driven team.

Physical Demands:

• This position involves a combination of sedentary office work and active responsibilities throughout the day.
• Requires prolonged periods of sitting at a desk and working on a computer, especially during data entry, report preparation, and communication tasks.
• Must be able to move around the office and outreach center, assist with events, transport materials, and engage with program activities as needed.
• Occasional lifting, carrying, or moving of materials and supplies weighing up to 25 pounds is required.
• Flexibility and mobility are necessary to support events, meetings, and outreach activities, sometimes outside of standard office settings.