Office Administrator - Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering

The Department of Chemical and Biomedical Engineering in the Statler College at West Virginia University is currently accepting applications for an Office Administrator.

About the Opportunity

This position will be responsible for administrative and financial management tasks in the Chemical and Biomedical Engineering Department. This includes all payroll and grant budget management. Including, but not limited to Department administration and financial management and planning as well as analyzing and interpreting accounting records and making recommendations to the Chairperson on actions needed. The Department employs 16 tenure-track faculty, 3 non-tenure track teaching faculty, 3 non-tenure track research faculty and 3 support staff. The department has approximately 180 undergraduate students and 65+ graduate students. The department has over $5 million in research expenditures yearly.

We strongly believe in work-life balance and keeping time for things we love outside our work. WVU offers generous benefits, including:

• 37.5-hour work week
  
• 13 paid holidays (staff holiday calendar)
  
• 24 annual leave (vacation) days per year or more based on years of service (employee leave)
  
• 18 sick days per year (for when you're ill, for when you need time to care for sick family, for your own, or your family's, regularly scheduled medical appointments. Who is family for the purpose of this leave? A lot of people in your life including immediate relatives and in-laws as well as others considered to be members of your household living under the same roof)
  
• WVU offers a range of health insurance and other benefits
  
• 401(a) retirement savings with 6% employee contribution match, eligibility to continue health insurance, and other retiree perks. Looking for more retirement benefits information? Check out retirement health insurance benefits, retirement income, and FAQ's.
  
• Wellness programs

What You'll Do

Departmental Fiscal and Administrative Support; External Funding and Reporting

The position supports the daily operation of the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering. Duties include, but are not limited to:

• Serves as a financial administrator responsible for financial activities for the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering of the Statler College of Engineering and Mineral Resources.
• Maintains sole responsibility for the day-to-day operations of the Department of Chemical & Biomedical Engineering and maintains direct accountability to the Chair and the Dean. Works closely with the Chair and Expert Business Office of the Statler College.
• Provides daily oversight, support, and guidance for the Chemical & Biomedical Engineering faculty on all fiscal matters. Manage and monitor research grants and contract expenditures. Authorize transfer of funds and/or payments. Review monthly reports from system on a regular basis.
• Serves as a primary contact to central administrative fiscal units including Business and Procurement Services, Office of Sponsored Programs, Sponsored Research Accounting, and Office of Budget Planning regarding day-to-day financial activities for the Department of Chemical Engineering
• Process all departmental payroll requests. Prepares and manages hourly and cost share payroll. Process faculty release payroll and summer supplemental payroll for 70+ graduate students and faculty.
• Reconciles cost share accounts to ensure cost share requirements are met. Process faculty academic release for cost share. Process tuition waiver verification forms for submission for cost share purposes.
• Reconcile grants and contract expenditures with reports either in MyReports or MAP.
• Process travel expense accounts and reimbursements for faculty, staff, students on research grants and contracts.
• Monitor grants for over expenditures, incorrect expenditures and any other problems that might arise. Actively seek solutions to grant management questions/problems that arise.
• Serves as primary Procurement Officer for the department. This includes submitting requisitions/purchase orders for items that cannot be obtained with a procurement card. Processing procurement card purchases for faculty on research grants and contracts. Completing receiving of items in WVU Marketplace. Requesting IT approval for computer needs. Must maintain knowledge of the various policies and procedures for each entity (State, Research Corp, WVU Foundation) involved in departmental financial operations and work in conjunction with the procurement personnel of those organizations. Follow up on open purchase orders on research grants and contracts to resolve any issues that arise.
• Distribute, collect, and submit effort reports for signature that are required for charging salaries and wages directly to grants, contracts and other agreements as required.

Departmental Academic Support

• Departmental liaison with Office of International Students and Scholars to help in obtaining the necessary visas and work permits.
• Promotes open communication and relationship building with other departments, internal and external groups, and other individuals in the coordination of departmental activities.
• In the event of new faculty hires, incumbent may serve on search committees and assist with arrangements for interviewing and hiring of new faculty members. Includes contacting making advertisement arrangements with magazines and other publications that would be in areas of interest to the field. Oversees preparation of position descriptions for staff.
• Serve on departmental and college committees as requested.
• Process and submit all graduate student tuition waivers - check to make sure they are registered for the correct number of hours before submission of tuition waivers.
• Research media outlets to obtain articles concerning faculty, staff, students and alumni achievements for various meetings and informational reports concerning the Department, College and University.
• Participate in training and professional development sessions to enhance job performance. Perform other related duties as assigned.
• Other assigned duties as necessary.

• Bachelor's degree in a related field.
• A minimum of one (1) year of experience in each of the following:
  
  
  
  • Management - daily operation of a complex unit, problem solving, decision making.
  • Budgetary - experience in accounting/budgetary matters regarding research grants and contracts. A thorough knowledge of Generally Accepted Accounting Principles and their application to recording financial information and the preparation of financial statements and other financial reports.
  • Hardware/Software - Work experience using personal computers and automated information systems with experience in tracking large volumes of information.
  
  
  
  
• Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
  
• All qualifications must be met by the time of employment.

Knowledge, Skills, and Abilities

• Demonstrated ability to problem solve, prioritize, reason and analyze.
• Ability to multitask.
• Management skills and be able to cope well with several priority situations at one time.
• Ability to understand WVU procedures and policies.
• Ability to create new avenues of approach when faced with new and unique problems.
• Decision making skills, the ability to facilitate teamwork, and the ability to provide clear directions.
• Accounting and budgetary skills with a working knowledge of accounting system.
• Supervisory skills to handle different individuals and a variety of situations that arise.
• Ability to articulate at public meetings, committees, or on a one-to-one basis with a variety of individuals.
• Demonstrated ability to work independently.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of sensitive information.

West Virginia University is a place of purpose and community. We take pride in our profound impact on the state of West Virginia and are committed to the personal and professional growth of our employees.

From the groundbreaking R1 research at our flagship campus in Morgantown to the career-oriented programs at WVU Potomac State in Keyser, and the technology-intensive programs at WVU Tech in Beckley, the contributions of WVU employees resonate across the state, touching lives and shaping futures.

At WVU, you will discover a supportive community that champions work-life balance and fosters a collaborative atmosphere. Our core values - service, curiosity, respect, accountability and appreciation - unite us as Mountaineers.

Join us at West Virginia University, where your work will make a lasting impact. To learn more about WVU, visit wvu.edu.

West Virginia University is an Equal Opportunity Employer. We invite all qualified applicants regardless of race, color, religion, sex, national origin, age, disability, genetic information, or Veteran status.