Administrative Coordinator / Project Coordinator

Administrative Coordinator / Project Coordinator

The Department of Afroamerican and African Studies (DAAS) is seeking an enthusiastic, personable, task-oriented Administrative / Project Coordinator to join our team. We seek a dynamic individual with excellent computer applications ability / knowledge and a desire to grow. Applicants with adaptability, creativity, critical thinking skills, and experience with process improvement are strongly encouraged to apply. As the Administrative / Project Coordinator for DAAS, you will use a variety of project management and communication skills. You will work as a liaison between faculty, students, and administration while maintaining workflow processes and managing activities. DAAS seeks an individual who will deliver exceptional customer service to faculty, collegiate fellows, staff, students, alumni, and visitors. The position is often the first point of contact with the department for prospective and current faculty, collegiate scholars, students, as well as parents, staff from across campus, and beyond. This position reports directly to the Chief Administrator and receives additional guidance in specific areas from other program directors. This is a Main Office, reception position with responsibilities as outlined below.

This is a nonexempt position with a Monday-Friday, 8am-5pm work schedule, occasional evening work does occur. This position has a high level of contact with faculty and students, providing faculty instructional and student related support.

As the Administrative Coordinator / Project Coordinator for DAAS, key responsibilities include but are not limited to the following :

• 20% / Office Operations and Communication
• Management of common areas. Purchase office and event supplies. Prepare and distribute info packets, Collaborate on DAAS bulletins and newsletters. Sort, distribute, and forward campus and U.S. mail. Assist with providing internal controls and resource stewardship. When directed, provide office and event purchasing support : office equipment, electronic equipment, books and other instructional supplies purchased with unit funds.
• 20% / Liaise and collaborate on DAAS website and newsletter
• Attend training for website maintenance. Provide routine maintenance in terms of revising text, writing text, and creating new pages. Troubleshoot faculty requests, working with Staff and UM tech support to resolve miscellaneous issues.
• Collaborate on the unit newsletter, solicit articles, provide layout input and work with the Communication Coordinator on design, write articles and coordinate interviews. Maintain an email distribution list and promulgate the newsletter when it is completed.
• 15% / Support Graduate Certificate Program (GCP) and various components of DAAS' Community Engaged Learning (CEL) Pedagogy
• As GCP coordinator, serve as liaison between DAAS and Rackham Graduate School. Under general supervision of GCP and / or CEL leadership, perform a variety of complex duties to prepare, process, maintain, and provide information regarding student academic records and / or reports. As needed by leadership, implement / execute special projects or activities in support of the GCP and CEL programs. Because of the nature of these programs, be prepared to proactively conduct analysis, prepare reports, prepare project plans and maintain records, make recommendations to GCP / CEL leadership, and ensure regulatory and / or UM compliance for special projects or ongoing programs. In collaboration with stakeholders and other staff members, apply an overall understanding of procedures and systems related to the record function to identify potential problems, initiate complex queries and brief stakeholders on possible corrective courses of action
• 15% / Collaborate with Gallery Director to ensure all DAAS and Gallery DAAS protocols and procedures are followed
• Serve on the Gallery Committee
• Track incoming revenue and monitor / track Gallery finances
• Prepare monthly reports and submit to the Gallery Director
• Maintain Gallery Space
• In consultation with Gallery Director, develop and administer exhibition production schedules that include the following :
• Arrange transportation of artwork for each exhibition
• Oversee installation / uninstall of exhibits (hiring of preparer)
• Oversee production of exhibit catalogs (Liaise with curator, copy editor, printer)
• Oversee exhibition programming including opening reception and artist talks
• Manage logistical arrangements for artist residences : Arrange travel (air & ground) and accommodations. Maintain schedule of artist activities during residence
• Plan opening reception to include vendor hiring, set up and clean up. Assist in hire and supervision of any Gallery temporary employees
• 10% / Provide Du Bois-Mandela-Rodney Postdoctoral Fellowship, and SAIO Grant & Fellowship Program support
• Update website. Troubleshoot emails and calls from applicants and from reference letter writers. Process / organize applications for research grant and fellowship review. Schedule and attend fellowship committee meetings and maintain a record of the review process. Subsequent to Committee decision(s), write / mail letters of acceptance and denials. Liaise between Committee, applicants, and Chief Administrator creating archival / knowledge retention reports.
• 10% / Provide Visiting Scholar, Event Support, Event Back-up and Staff Support
• When directed, initiate visitor travel arrangements and Purchase Card procurement of event supplies. Assist with visitor travel arrangements, assist with some travel reimbursements, travel / hosting forms, and other miscellaneous transactions as needed. Assemble Purchase Card documents for reconciliation and maintain pertinent files. Assist in implementation of financial best practices (timely processing of all transactions and prepare documents for reconciliation). Schedule Lemuel Johnson Center and conference room and assist in event preparation acting as back-up for non-curricular room scheduling. As needed, assist with travel arrangements for the study abroad program.
• 5% / Facilitate Appointments
• Greet everyone and assist visitors, faculty, and students. Answer department phones, route / direct callers, and / or take messages as needed. Assist with all aspects of correspondence. Notify applicable department staff / faculty of visitor arrival. Facilitate Faculty, Staff, and Advisor meeting appointments.
• 5% / Facilities Liaison
• Initiate Maintenance requests as needed and track maintenance and other building services to satisfactory completion. Assist with coordination and tracking of office assignments and keys. Observe, record, and track DAAS space issues for resolution. Generate forms for turn-in of surplus equipment to Property Disposition, coordinating pickup and drop-off as needed. Collaborate with DAAS' Chief Administrator to ascertain and prioritize equipment and space refurbishment projects. Coordinate with Chief Administrator to complete annual space survey.

Selected candidate in this role will be expected to demonstrate but are in no way limited to the following organization competencies for success :

Required Qualifications

Desired Qualifications

Occasional evening work is required.

This is an in-person Main Office, reception position with responsibilities as outlined above. The position would be eligible for transition to hybrid status upon successful attainment / demonstration of the competencies noted above.

Positions that are eligible for hybrid or mobile / remote work mode are at the discretion of the hiring department. Work agreements are reviewed annually at a minimum and are subject to change at any time