Administrative Assistant

Staff - Union

Job CategoryBCGEU Okanagan Support Staff

Job ProfileBCGEU OK Hourly - Support Services Assistant II

Job TitleAdministrative Assistant

DepartmentUBCO | Administrative Support | Library

Compensation Range$30.96 - $35.51 CAD Hourly

Posting End DateSeptember 16, 2024

Note: Applications will be accepted until 11:59 PM on the Posting End Date.

Job End Date

Mar 31, 2025

At UBC, we believe that attracting and sustaining a diverse workforce is key to the successful pursuit of excellence in research, innovation, and learning for all faculty, staff and students. Our commitment to employment equity helps achieve inclusion and fairness, brings rich diversity to UBC as a workplace, and creates the necessary conditions for a rewarding career.

Job Summary
As a key member of the Library Administration Team, this position is responsible for providing comprehensive administrative and operational support to the Office of the Deputy University Librarian, Okanagan (DUL-O) and the UBCO Library, working collaboratively with campus partners. This position supports and promotes a positive, "can-do" culture in the library. It provides direct support to the DUL-O, two Associate Chief Librarians, and the Manager, Planning and Operations. It maintains the confidential calendar of the DUL-O. It supports financial functions, including preparing, processing, tracking and reconciling financial transactions. It supports human resources functions for the library's student staff complement, from recruitment and onboarding through termination. It coordinates and maintains all records for the Office of the DUL-O. This position is the primary support for library employees for UBC system queries. It supports internal and external events, preparing budgets, summary reports and recommendations as well as managing event details. The incumbent exercises initiative and judgment on complex, confidential matters, to assess and quickly respond to issues, resolving administrative challenges while projecting a positive image.

Organizational Status

This position reports to the Manager, Library Planning and Operations. Takes direction from the Deputy University Librarian, Okanagan (DUL-O) and the Associate Chief Librarians (ACLs). Works closely with and as a collegial member of the Library Administration Team.

Functions as part of the University of British Columbia (UBC) Okanagan library team, as well as interacting with various departments on both Okanagan and Vancouver campuses. Liaises regularly with colleagues in Facilities Management, IT, Media and Classroom Services, Central Receiving and Mail Services, Finance Operations, Human Resources and other University departments, as well as with a number of external suppliers and donors.

Work Performed

Direct support to Deputy University Librarian, Okanagan (DUL-O), Associate Chief Librarians (ACLs), and Manager, Planning and Operations.

• Maintains the confidential calendar of the DUL-O.

• Coordinates and schedules appointments with senior campus leaders, donors, department members, other University members, students and the general public.

• Works with administrators across campus, ensures appointment conflicts are minimized. Adjusts meetings as needed based on priority of issues. Maintains confidentiality of appointment materials.

• Provides support for the DUL-O, ACLs and Manager on strategic Library projects.

• Supports assessment activities. This may include space and service reviews, and survey delivery.

Administrative support for the Office of the Deputy University Librarian - Okanagan (DUL-O):

• Creates a positive, cheerful and welcoming customer service environment.

• Processes and supports queries directed to the Office of the Deputy University Librarian - Okanagan in all formats, exercising initiative and judgment to assess and respond to issues with a cheerful attitude.

• Maintains an accurate and efficient records system for the Office of the DUL-O including confidential financial and employee records. Follows UBC Records Management guidelines.

• Maintains and supports access to Library online collaboration tools (i.e. MS Teams), cloud storage (i.e. OneDrive), network file storage (i.e. K drive), and mass email solutions.

• Provides administrative support at Library meetings as needed. Prepares agendas, takes minutes of meetings, transcribes and distributes minutes of meetings.

• Responds to students' questions in the course of undertaking activities in the public areas.

Administrative support for the UBCO Library:

• Supports humans resource functions for student staff.

  • Generates and processes human resources documentation. Coordinates and supports all student hires utilizing UBC systems, following Library procedures.

  • Works collaboratively with supervisors and coordinators to ensure successful onboarding of student employees. Coordinates onboarding processes, including entering IT and Facilities requests. Liaises with new hires to meet their needs. Works with supervisors, coordinators and managers regarding orientation process.

  • Ensures access to required spaces, systems, technology and software. Works with IT and Facilities to ensure set-up is adequate and complete.

  • Assigns access cards to library employees as directed.

• Supports financial functions.

  • Generates and processes financial documentation as needed.

  • Prepares financial documents and performs accurate and timely entry of financial transactions (i.e. cash deposits, internal service transactions, invoices, travel claims, purchase requisitions, and expense reports) using UBC systems. Reviews invoices for tax implication accuracy and corrects as required.

  • Prepares and processes faculty and staff expense reports, ensuring appropriate documentation and receipts are attached and appropriate authorization has been received per Library procedures.

  • Reconciles Library UBC Visa transactions; assists with VISA transaction questions and anomalies.

  • Tracks rejected transactions, follows-up and resolves errors.

  • Prepares and distributes financial reports per Library procedures. Assists with month and year-end tracking, reconciliations and purchases.

  • Uses knowledge of UBC policy and practice, and Library procedures documentation to make decisions. Follows UBC's financial policies.

• Supports Library employees with UBC systems and issues (i.e. Workday - Finance, HR, Student; Confluence; MS Teams; OneDrive; K drive; Zoom).

  • First point of contact for Library employees with system queries.

  • Working with managers and coordinators, or campus partners as needed, answers system queries to the satisfaction of the employee and supervisor. May direct employees to UBC knowledge base articles if appropriate.

  • Maintains bank of Library specific system Q&A topics.

  • Coordinates and facilitates training opportunities as needed.

  • Submits service tickets on behalf of employee as needed.

• Updates and maintains web based-content and online infrastructure for study room bookings (including room booking system).

Supports UBCO Library records management for the Office of the DUL-O.

• Maintains an accurate and efficient records system for the Office of the DUL-O including confidential financial and employee records. Follows UBC Records Management guidelines.

• Manages the Library secure and complex electronic folder system (i.e. K drive), and security group matrix, ensuring appropriate people have access to confidential and sensitive information. Ensures the complex system is organized, following UBC Records Management Guidelines.

• Manages the Library internal information distribution system (i.e. Confluence). Organizes folder systems. Works with supervisors, coordinators and managers to ensure content is available, current and accurate.

• Supports Library Coordinators in developing training materials for staff.

• Manages email distribution lists, MS Teams, and OneDrive folders.

• Manages the Library Admin email, contact's list and calendar.

Supports Library events

• Primary support for staff events, donor events, informal and ad-hoc events, exhibitions and campus partnership events, small and large-scale functions and meetings including conferences and workshops.

• Works with various event stakeholders and committees, facilitators, presenters and attendees. Collaborates continually with stakeholders on event logistics, provides advice and solutions for all aspects and problems when required.

• Coordinates events and workshop bookings, ensuring the room and technology requirements are met. Ensures space is reset after events.

• Organizes all event supplies, including catering and other food requests. Arranges travel, registrations and accommodation as needed.

• Provides direct support for any public programs and events taking place in the Library or Commons when requested. Attends functions, as required, to help clear students from the space at the appropriate time and in a respectful manner. Assists with set up, registration and room reset after events.

• Processes all financial transactions and reconciliations related to events, including supplies, resources and travel.

• Prepares budget, tracks and monitors event revenue and expenses, and completes summary report with challenges and recommended improvements.

Back-up coverage for the Library Administration Team:

• Supports human resources functions for faculty and staff, as needed.

• Supports financials functions, as needed.

• Supports building maintenance and operations, as needed.

Performs other duties as required.

Consequence of Error/Judgement
Work is carried out with minimal direction and requires a high level of accuracy. This position is expected to perform professionally and make proper and sound decisions, while exercising a high degree of confidentiality and diplomacy. Critical thinking is required to coordinate activities and juggle competing demands. This position has access to a wide range of confidential information which is governed by the Freedom of Information and Protection of Privacy Act (FIPPA), including sensitive faculty and student records. This position must make informed decisions regarding the release of any information as errors in judgement would have a direct impact on faculty and staff records, and student academic records. Employee regularly works under pressure to meet deadlines with a maximum number of interruptions. Must routinely exercise judgement, establish priorities and complete projects in a timely manner, especially when working on human resource functions and monitoring financial activity. Attention to detail and the development of effective tracking systems is essential, as inaccurate or incorrect/insufficient information could have security and financial implications for the Library and the University.

Supervision Received
Reports to the Manager, Library Planning and Operations. Will take direction from the Deputy University Librarian - Okanagan, and Associate Chief Librarians. This position works autonomously and is expected to take initiative, perform duties and assignments independently with minimum supervision. Must be able to work independently with responsibility for accuracy of their work. Will seek clarification and guidance when role, duties or priorities are unclear. Work is not checked on a day-to-day basis.

Supervision Given
The position is not responsible for the supervision of others.

Minimum Qualifications

• High School graduation plus two years post-secondary education with formal training/instruction in administrative practices; over four years of related experience is required, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Willingness to respect diverse perspectives, including perspectives in conflict with one's own

• Demonstrates a commitment to enhancing one's own awareness, knowledge, and skills related to equity, diversity, and inclusion

Preferred Qualifications

• Demonstrated customer service delivery skills.

• Ability to deal with a diversity of people in a calm, courteous, and effective manner.

• Demonstrated ability to work calmly under pressure of critical deadlines or heavy volumes during peak periods in a team environment, while projecting a positive image.

• Demonstrated ability to meet deadlines while being professional, courteous, and helpful.

• Demonstrated effective interpersonal skills, with the ability to exercise tact and discretion when handling sensitive and/or confidential matters, or when dealing with faculty, staff, students, external contractors and the general public.

• Demonstrated financial, analytical and budgetary skills.

• Demonstrated high-level attention to detail.

• Demonstrated skills in verbal and written communication to support interpersonal interactions.

• Advanced knowledge of Microsoft products and ability to quickly adapt to new specialized software programs or new technology.

• Ability to exercise good judgment and diplomacy.

• Ability to multi-task and prioritize. Strong organizational skills.

• Ability to apply previously learned concepts to new situations and/or systems.

• Ability to work both independently and within a team environment.

• Flexible and comfortable working with ambiguity in a fast-paced environment.

• Ability to comprehend and interpret Library policies and procedures.

• Experience with UBC systems would be an asset.

• Knowledge of University policies and procedures, as well as academic culture, would be an asset.

• Ability to work effectively with all levels of university personnel.

• Ability to understand and apply records management policies, procedures and instructions with consistency.

• Ability to operate a normal range of office equipment.

• Ability to work flexible hours, including evenings and weekends.

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