Careers at UMass Amherst

About UMass Amherst

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. 

Job Summary

The Assistant to the Head of the Department of Chemistry (Clerk IV) provides a range of administrative and operational support for the Department of Chemistry, including faculty searches and personnel actions.

Essential Functions

• Creates and maintains office management systems for department operation, ensures consistent and transparent records for the organization of the Head’s office.
• Coordinates and supports faculty personnel searches in accordance with Federal, State, and campus guidelines, including managing the posting of external advertisements in the appropriate professional journals and websites.
• Coordinates faculty candidate visits and invited guest speakers including, but not limited to, travel, hotel reservations, and interview scheduling.
• Administers faculty actions including, but not limited to, pre-tenure reviews, tenure, promotion, annual faculty reviews, and sabbatical requests. Ensure adherence to review procedures and protocols while assisting with compiling faculty case information and maintaining personnel files. Notify faculty of submission deadlines.
• Consults with Dean’s Office Human Resources staff to provide department faculty with current and updated information on personnel policies and procedures and eligibility for personnel actions.
• Oversees personnel actions including, but not limited to, appointments, reappointments, salary adjustments, and leaves for faculty, and provide backup for similar actions for staff, graduate student research assistants, postdoctoral researchers, and research fellows.
• Provides administrative support as needed. Records the minutes of meetings. Responsible for the archival of records. Manages department directories and calendars, including coordinating the Department Head’s calendar and prioritizes and coordinates matters requiring Department Head and Associate Head review.
• Compiles and edits major department documents, including accreditation materials and strategic plans, etc. Coordinates and compiles information for various surveys, American Chemical Society accreditation and academic quality assessment and development (AQAD).
• Assists with planning, publicizing, implementing, and attending department events, such as guest lecturers and retirement receptions.

Other Functions

• Work collaboratively and effectively to promote teamwork, diversity, equality, and inclusiveness.
• Work in partnership with colleagues within the CNS community and across the campus to support the Dean’s strategic priorities.
• Perform other duties as assigned in support of the mission and goals of the Department of Chemistry and the College of Natural Sciences.
• Functionally supervise a Clerk III’s performance of the duties that pertain to drafting response letters to major donors with little input or revision needed from the Head or Associate Head.

Minimum Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• High School diploma plus three (3) years of relevant experience. An Associate's degree or higher may be substituted for two (2) years of experience.
• Ability to effectively and with attention to detail use word processing, text editing, spreadsheet and database programs, e-mail, and internet browsers Ability to perform basic math and accounting functions.
• Ability to follow written and oral instructions; ability to assemble items of information in accordance with established procedures. 
• Ability to write, coordinate and compile reports and correspondences, including the ability to compose short memos and letters using professional grammar, punctuation and spelling, incorporating university policies and procedures. 
• Excellent interpersonal skills with the ability to communicate effectively in oral expression, and to establish and maintain positive working relationships with others, and to deal tactfully with others.
• Ability to work with minimal supervision and take initiative in carrying out projects, reports, correspondence, etc.
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of records, documents, and communications.
• Ability to prioritize workload effectively and efficiently.
• Ability to work effectively with on-campus organizations and external stakeholders.
• Ability to learn new skills and adapt to changing job requirements.

Preferred Qualifications (Knowledge, Skills, Abilities, Education, Experience, Certifications, Licensure)

• Knowledge of university policies and procedures, including rules and software related to Procurement, Accounting, Accounts Payable, OneCard, and record retention.
• Knowledge of university systems, including BuyWays, PeopleSoft, Summit, and Spire.
• Knowledge of Spreadsheets, databases, and other computer programs including MS Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and email.

Physical Demands/Working Conditions

Typical office environment.

Work Schedule

• Monday – Friday.
• 8:30am – 5:00pm (or similar schedule), 37.5 hours per week.
• This position has the opportunity for a hybrid work schedule, which is defined by the University as an arrangement where an employee's work is regularly performed at a location other than the campus workspace for a portion of the week. As this position falls within the University Staff Association, it is subject to the terms and conditions of the University Staff Association collective bargaining agreement, therefore.

Salary Information

USA/MTA Grade 13.

Special Instructions to Applicants

Please complete online application and submit a resume. References will be checked at the finalist stage. Please be prepared to provide contact information for three (3) professional references. The search may remain open until a suitable candidate has been identified.

At UMass Amherst and in CNS, we strive to be a community where every individual feels a sense of belonging, where every individual is included, and where every individual is valued. You can find these values and goals here (https://www.umass.edu/strategicplan/strategic-plan).

UMass Amherst is committed to a policy of equal opportunity without regard to race, color, religion, caste, creed, sex, age, marital status, national origin, disability, political belief or affiliation, pregnancy and pregnancy-related condition(s), veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity and expression, genetic information, natural and protective hairstyle and any other class of individuals protected from discrimination 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 UMass Amherst to comply with the applicable federal and state statutes, rules, and regulations concerning equal opportunity and affirmative action.