Administrative Associate, People Operations

Administrative Associate, People Operations

Hiring Department : Department of Psychology

Position Open To : All Applicants

Weekly Scheduled Hours : 40

FLSA Status : Non-Exempt

Earliest Start Date : Immediately

Position Duration : Expected to Continue

Location : UT Main Campus

Purpose

To deliver high-quality administrative and HR support that enables the Director of Department Affairs to effectively manage departmental operations, personnel processes, and student employment, while ensuring alignment with university standards and fostering a well-organized and responsive office environment.

Responsibilities

1. Workday & HR Processing Support

Initiate and manage Workday business processes for faculty, staff, and student positions within the Department of Psychology. Responsibilities include creating and updating job postings, generating offer letters, coordinating background checks, completing I-9 verifications, submitting visa requests, and managing absence tracking and accrual payouts. Maintain costing allocations, timesheet approvals, and performance appraisal tracking. Collaborate with department staff and the Director to process merit increases, salary adjustments, terminations, reclassifications, and reappointments in accordance with university guidelines.

2. People Operations & Policy Guidance

Serve as a primary liaison between the department and university offices such as COLA HR, COLA Finance, Payroll Services, and International Student and Scholar Services. Provide guidance to faculty, staff, and students on departmental policies, university procedures, and HR-related matters. Ensure departmental practices comply with university, state, and federal regulations. Respond to inquiries related to employment policies, benefits, onboarding, and operational updates, and escalate complex issues to Director when needed.

3. Data Management

Maintain accurate and up-to-date HR records, including personnel files, supervisory organizations, and organizational charts. Prepare reports and summaries related to staffing, appointments, and other people operations metrics as requested by the Director or university offices.

4. Student Worker Coordination

Hire, onboard, and supervise student employees supporting the Office of the Department Chair. Act as a subject matter expert for student employment processes, providing guidance to other department units. Monitor Workday tasks and ensure timely processing of student appointments, background checks, and employment eligibility documentation. Coordinate with supervisors to ensure accurate and timely submission of student timesheets in compliance with university deadlines.

5. Other Duties as Assigned

Support special projects and perform additional administrative tasks as directed by the Director of Department Affairs. Provide backup support for departmental events and other operational needs as required.

Required Qualifications

High school graduation or GED and five years of administrative experience or Bachelor's degree and at least one year of administrative experience in a professional office setting.

Experience with HR processes, data entry, and document management.

Proficiency with Microsoft Office Suite (Word, Excel, Outlook, Teams).

Familiarity with HRIS systems (e.g., Workday or similar platforms).

Strong written and verbal communication skills.

Ability to work independently to manage multiple tasks, prioritize effectively, and meet deadlines.

Ability to work collaboratively with cross-functional teams and maintain confidentiality.

Customer service oriented with a proactive and professional demeanor.

Equivalent combination of relevant education and experience may be substituted as appropriate.

Preferred Qualifications

Experience working in a higher education or academic department setting.

Prior experience with Workday, especially in HR or finance-related functions.

Knowledge of university policies and procedures related to HR, payroll, and student employment.

Experience supervising student workers or coordinating student employment processes.

Familiarity with visa processing, I-9 verification, and background check procedures.

Ability to interpret and apply institutional, state, and federal HR regulations

Salary Range

$48,000 + depending on qualifications

Working Conditions

• May work around standard office conditions.
• Repetitive use of a keyboard at a workstation.
• Use of manual dexterity.
• Climbing of stairs.

Required Materials

Important for applicants who are NOT current university employees or contingent workers : You will be prompted to submit your resume the first time you apply, then you will be provided an option to upload a new Resume for subsequent applications. Any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) will be uploaded in the Application Questions section; you will be able to multi-select additional files. Before submitting your online job application, ensure that ALL Required Materials have been uploaded. Once your job application has been submitted, you cannot make changes.

Important for Current university employees and contingent workers : As a current university employee or contingent worker, you MUST apply within Workday by searching for Find UT Jobs. If you are a current University employee, log-in to Workday, navigate to your Worker Profile, click the Career link in the left-hand navigation menu and then update the sections in your Professional Profile before you apply. This information will be pulled into your application. The application is one page, and you will be prompted to upload your resume. In addition, you must respond to the application questions presented to upload any additional Required Materials (letter of interest, references, etc.) that were noted above.