Department Administrator

Job Duties/Qualifications, Skills and Abilities(QSA)

Job Duties Job Duties Reporting to the Director, Advancement Services, the Department Administratorperforms senior level office support, specialized support for both directors and managers, and skilled and confidential support to the out of scope (OOS) staff, while operating as a liaison for the Department with other external offices, Saskatchewan Polytechnic departments, and external agencies.

The Department Administrator handles administrative activities to fulfill institutional and department goals providing administrative expertise for the core function areas, including procedures and processes required for successful business operations, program implementation, lead working groups, and staff and clients on Advancement procedures. You will focus on departmental communication and special projects and initiatives, and provide administrative overview of financials, administrative compliance, filing and database management, and other duties and responsibilities such as:

• conducting research,
• coordinating onboarding of new employees,
• managing communications,
• reviewing reports and financials,
• handling information requests,
• planning meetings,
• purchasing,
• travel arrangements, and
• maintaining calendars and schedules,

The department administrator provides effective representation and interaction with various external stakeholders including other educational institutes, agencies, vendors, business and industry and the public to answer queries or redirect stakeholders to the appropriate internal resources. If you have the qualifications and are interested in this position we welcome your application! Join Us!


QUALIFICATIONS, SKILLS, ABILITIES AND EXPERIENCE Specific Accountabilities Administrative Support

• Coordinate day-to-day operational administration and support for the departments’ EA, directors and managers.
• Effectively prioritize workload to support Advancement directors, managers, and staff.
• The Department Administrator is the contact for the directors, this includes interaction with various stakeholders, staff, and faculty. Answer and direct Advancement office telephone and e-mail inquiries, follow up to ensure matters are handled in a timely manner.
• Initiate, sort, prioritize, direct and/or follow-up on correspondence with internal and external clients, including donors and prospective donors, alumni, volunteers, committee members and others.
• Format, file, distribute proposals, terms of reference/contracts, donor project and prospect briefs, following Advancement procedures.
• Schedule internal and external meetings for the directors and managers.
• Assist and coordinate deadlines for design, print and production of materials and mail-outs as required.
• Coordinate material for publication and distribution.
• Prepare general correspondence – email, letters, memoranda, forms and reports.
• Organize and coordinate electronic information and retention systems for the directors and the departments – coordinate the effective use of departmental online collaboration and sharing sites (e.g. OurCollaborate, Sharepoint).
• Ensure employees have accurate and correct access to key documents, office procedures and templates.
• Take and distribute meeting agendas and minutes as identified by the EA, directors or managers.
• Assist to gather, compile, create and maintain lists for alumni, events, staff, donors, etc.
• Maintain high level of confidentiality for donor related information.
• Anticipate administrative requirements and handle routine matters on behalf of the directors and managers.
• Organize director’s schedules, assist with booking meetings both in person and Zoom.

Department Coordination

• Coordinate all aspects of travel for all of Advancement as required. Ensure staff tracking and FTE
• Coordinate and implement administrative stages of onboarding plans for new employees.
• Assist in creating and maintaining administrative procedures, standards and expectations to be followed by the departments’ staff, following Sask Polytech policies and procedures.
• Guidance on HR and finance matters such as time reporting, expense claims, etc.
• Guidance on travel, meeting and conference logistics– assisting team members with events – coordination, planning invitations, travel, payment information, conference coordination, etc.
• Facilitate the purchase of any office furniture, equipment, etc. following the procurement policies and procedures.
• Provide directors, managers and staff with assistance on any research requests.
• Coordinate space and office needs and requests for the departments’ existing and new employees.
• Coordinate and provide training on systems, procedures and software to employees, when required.
• Coordinate and assist with the delivery of Advancement programs and events.
• Develop and maintain an inventory system of Advancement materials at each campus, including assistance of stewardship donor signage inventory.
• Lead work groups and continually identify efficiency and process improvements with exemplary client service in mind.
• Work collaboratively with team members to determine daily priorities and timelines for organizing priority work, ensuring support of team members and back-up to other administrative core function areas as they become identified.
• Use CRM database and related Advancement technologies to accurately input input and maintain various types of data, assisting directors and team with coordinating report requirements.

Relationship and Communications Support

• Respond to higher level inquiries and requests with proficient customer service, tact, sensitivity, confidentiality, accuracy, and attention to detail.
• Point of contact for inquiries regarding student awards and alumni.
• Maintain level of knowledge regarding advancement initiatives and mandates including general knowledge of fundraising principles and ethics, charitable donations, institutional policies, and best practices in stewardship and scholarship administration.
• Provide effective representation and interaction with various external stakeholders including other educational institutes, agencies, vendors, business and industry and the public to answer queries or redirect stakeholders to the appropriate internal resources.
• Provide administrative expertise for the core function areas, including procedures and processes required for successful business operations and program implementation and lead working groups, staff and clients on Advancement procedures.
• Ensure confidentiality of data with student, staff and faculty, donor and alumni at the highest standard. This includes updating and maintaining constituent files and records in databases and producing reports on demand to support fundraising and engagement activities.
• Assist the directors, as well as other Advancement staff in the implementation of Advancement initiatives (special events, fundraising campaigns, etc.).

Financial Operations Support

• Procurement support-ensure office supplies and or equipment in place.
• Prepare expense claim forms for volunteers and committee members as required.
• Ensure the accuracy and completeness of expense claims for approval.
• Prepare web requisitions for approval.
• Prepare financial action memos for approval.
• Follow-up on inquiries from accounts receivable and accounts payable.
• Follow-up on finance issues (e.g., incorrect reporting, codes, charges).
• Assist directors with operations budgets as required.

Duties Required Qualifications, Skills and Abilities (QSA)

• Diploma in Office Administration/Business, or an equivalent combination of education, training and experience.
• Minimum of 3 years of recent and relevant experience in administrative work.
• Ability to manage and complete tasks while working in an environment with many distractions, tight timelines and changing priorities with minimal supervision.
• intermediate level computer skills – Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access)
• Experience with a variety of software –web requisitions, financial, CRM database
• Excellent communication skills; written, spoken, and interpersonal.
• Demonstrated critical thinking and problem-solving skills.
• Ability to understand and interpret a variety of policies – internal and external, including various levels of government and CRA legislation.
• Demonstrated valuing diversity.

Desired QSA Required Competencies