Clerk IV (Customer Relations Specialist)
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Job no: 517706
Work type: Staff Full Time
Location: UMass Amherst
Department: SACL Shared Services
Union: USA/MTA
Categories: Administrative & Office Support
UMass Amherst, the Commonwealth's flagship campus, is a nationally ranked public research university offering a full range of undergraduate, graduate and professional degrees. The University sits on nearly 1,450-acres in the scenic Pioneer Valley of Western Massachusetts, and offers a rich cultural environment in a bucolic setting close to major urban centers. In addition, the University is part of the Five Colleges (including Amherst College, Hampshire College, Mount Holyoke College, and Smith College), which adds to the intellectual energy of the region.
The Customer Relations Specialist provides business service support for the Student Affairs and Campus Life (SACL) Finance area including the day-to-day management of the Student Union Finance office, customer service specific duties and assisting in the procurement, bank card and Accounts Payable (AP) functions.
- Provide phone, email, and online customer support to Registered Student Organizations (RSO’s) and Student Affairs and Campus Life colleagues in support of divisional and University procurement, AP, and contract processes.
- In consultation with Assistant Director of Purchasing and Process Management, develops and implements customer engagement and satisfaction strategies.
- Researches issues needing resolution and develops solutions that comply with all applicable divisional and University policy and procedures.
- Escalates issues of a more complex nature to the Assistant Director of Purchasing and Process Management or other SACL Finance Leadership, as needed.
- Develops and maintains knowledge base from content acquired from frequent customer/stakeholder interactions.
- Creates a welcoming and professional environment for Registered Student Organizations (RSOs) and Student Affairs and Campus Life colleagues in the SACL Finance Student Union office.
- Monitors and assigns cases through SACL Finance utilized electronic systems, such as but not limited to, Salesforce, Campus Pulse and DocuSign.
- Supervises SACL Finance student staff by posting, interviewing, hiring, training, assigning and scheduling work, conducts student staff and supervisory meetings, approves weekly time submissions, ensures compliance with University student payroll policy, maintains supervisory documentation according to department procedure and maintains student employee handbook.
Purchase Order/AP/Bank Card functions
- Assists with SACL staff purchase requests and other business requests to ensure compliance with University policies and procedures, ensures proper financial approvals are followed, assists with procurement process by responding to general inquiries from both University staff, students, and vendors and serves as receiver for BuyWays.
- Assists with travel/purchasing arrangements for SACL student organizations, advises on best purchasing options, use of vendors, and methods of payment, supervises student use of department sign-out bank cards, instructs student/staff on appropriate use and penalties for improper use, assigns and tracks sign out bank cards, reviews receipts for appropriateness, tracks and monitors bank card balances to ensure that credit will be available when used and refers cases of improper use to Assistant Director.
- Acts as back-up for bank card duties in the absence of a SACL Finance Matrix purchasing team member.
General Duties for all Purchasing Transactions
- Maintains appropriate documentation for purchasing, travel reimbursements, and payables in order to meet audit and operations requirements, compiles reports and provides information by accessing the PeopleSoft and BuyWays systems, as well as departmental records and responds to audits as required.
- Serves as liaison between vendors, staff, Unified Procurement Service Team, and the Controller’s office to ensure compliance with University regulations and resolves discrepancies as they arise.
- Maintains current knowledge of University purchasing and accounts payable policies, procedures, documentation.
- Advises and consults with student group leaders on expectations and responsibilities with completing financial transactions.
- Participates in regular staff meetings; serve on University committees, teams or other groups related to SACL Finance Matrix business functions, with Assistant Director’s approval.
- Monitors staff and student compliance with policy and provides feedback in order to enhance the operation of SACL Finance, provides status information on individual transactions and requests to identify bottlenecks and propose solutions and assists and participates in the development of training workshops for student and SACL staff.
- Provides feedback for ongoing improvement and documentation of business processes and resources for SACL Finance, assists in the maintenance of templates and forms and other technologies available, such as BuyWays, DocuSign and Campus Pulse.
- As needed, maintains and troubleshoots issues for technical office equipment including network printers and photocopiers, ensures machines are appropriately stocked and assists with purchasing needs of the SACL Finance Matrix team.
- Prepares procedures manual pertaining to duties.
- Performs other related duties as assigned or required to meet Division and University goals and objectives.
- Performs related duties as assigned or required. Understands responsibilities with respect to Title IX, Clery and other compliance requirements.
- Demonstrates capacity, skill, and willingness to engage students and contribute to student success.
- Understands responsibilities with respect to conflicts of interest and behaves in ways consistent both with law and with University policy.
- Contributes toward creating a positive and respectful workplace. Uses access to sensitive and/or not yet public University related information only in the performance of the responsibilities of position and exercises care to prevent unnecessary disclosure to others.
Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- High school diploma or equivalent.
- Two years’ full-time or equivalent part-time office experience including, bookkeeping, business administration, or related experience. May substitute 2 years of business related post-secondary education for 2 years of required experience.
- Two years of full-time or equivalent customer service experience.
- Excellent organizational ability, ability to handle many tasks simultaneously and effectively.
- Ability to establish and maintain harmonious working relationships with persons from varied backgrounds and ability to work in a team setting.
- Ability to deal tactfully with others, exercise sound and independent judgment and exercise discretion in handling confidential information.
- Ability to understand and carry out oral and written instructions.
- Familiarity with spreadsheet, word processing and database packages.
- Ability to work in a highly computerized environment.
- Ability to exercise sound judgement in assessing compliance with policy where staff and/or students’ demands conflict with the University.
- Ability to communicate effectively in writing and verbally.
Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)
- Knowledge of University and SACL rules, policies, procedures, and requirements.
- Computer skills for development of spreadsheets.
- Knowledge of current University financial processing/reporting system software, i.e. PeopleSoft, Summit Reporting systems and BuyWays Procurement system.
Physical Demands/Working Conditions
Salary Information
USA/MTA Grade: 13
Special Instructions to Applicants
Applicants must complete online application, submit a resume and provide contact information of three (3) professional references to ensure consideration. Posting will remain open until filled.
UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, gender, gender identity or expression, age, sexual orientation, national origin, ancestry, disability, military status, or genetic information in employment, admission to and participation in academic programs, activities, and services, and the selection of vendors who provide services or products to the University. To fulfill that policy, UMass Amherst is further committed to a program of affirmative action to eliminate or mitigate artificial barriers and to increase opportunities for the recruitment and advancement of qualified minorities, women, persons with disabilities, and covered veterans. It is the policy of the UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.
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