The College of Biological Sciences (CBS) is a college of approximately 2,300 undergraduate students pursuing degrees in the life sciences at the University of Minnesota. The college offers eight majors and ten minors to prepare students to solve biological problems facing our world. CBS Student Services is a team of 19 professional staff members, each contributing to the shared responsibility of advancing the mission and vision of the college. These staff serve students in three main functional areas: academic advising, career coaching, and student engagement. The Student Services Associate coordinates the officeâ™s internal and external operations to support the Student Services team in providing inclusive and equitable student support. Functions of this position include working with internal and external communications, program and event logistics, financial operations, and student records. This position reports to the Operations + Planning Associate. Success in this position is dependent on attention to detail and being able to anticipate the needs of the Student Services unit.

Percentage of Responsibilities
35% - Student Services Center Operations
⢠Serve as CBS Student Services Office Manager; apply a racial equity and social justice lens to initiate, evaluate, and operationalize practices to create an inclusive office environment, planning for and resolving operational issues, developing new procedures as needed, and documenting all processes and procedures.
⢠Oversee front of physical and virtual office operations that provides proactive, inclusive, and equitable customer service, accurately answers questions and makes appropriate referrals to assist students, parents, faculty, and academic units with navigating processes and procedures within CBS Student Services and beyond.
⢠Recruit, hire, train, and supervise a team of student employees to provide exceptionally nuanced and culturally competent customer service, and manage office operations.
⢠Conduct bi-weekly student staff meetings, monitor project completion, and conduct performance reviews. Provide coaching and feedback for employee development and to ensure high quality customer service.
⢠Direct and delegate work, approve hours worked, facilitate work-requests, check for accuracy and completeness of assigned tasks, and monitor timelines and deadlines.
⢠Manage staff coverage for unit operating hours and office traffic data collection.
⢠Serve as a back-up coverage for the front desk, as needed.
⢠Serve as liaison to building management to ensure a safe and accessible work environment for staff and students; coordinate staff emergency protocol.

20% - Event Planning and Logistics
⢠Serve as a member of the CBS Commencement Planning Committee. Coordinate student communications, event logistics, and manage on-site event execution.
⢠Assist with coordinating and executing event logistics for student recruitment events to create an accessible and welcoming environment for all identities (Sneak Preview, Deanâ™s Reception, and other commitment activities). 
⢠Design and implement new systems, manage logistics and develop procedures for effective project management.
⢠Participate in other unit and collegiate events as needed.

15%- Communications and Project Support 
⢠Prepare and distribute BioBrief, a weekly student-facing electronic newsletter, to communicate opportunities and programs, and in-office newsletter.
⢠Update the office's website content as needed and ensure accuracy of information.
⢠Manage departmental email accounts daily, respond to inquiries, and determine the appropriate action and use the appropriate resources for delivery of information.
⢠Schedule CBS Student Services academic course offerings each semester.
⢠Manage directed research administrative process through approving contracts, work with technology staff, students and faculty to coordinate the application process and contract database, and troubleshoot challenges.
⢠Prepare materials for CBS Review Committee for Undergraduate Research Opportunities Program during each funding period.
⢠Manage architecture and maintain the unitâ™s suite of electronic files via Google Drive.

15% - Financial + Purchasing Operations
⢠Serve as point person on financial policy through developing materials and creating reimbursement worksheets for staff.
⢠Create and file expense reports and reconcile purchasing card statements for office staff.
⢠Complete purchasing process for student services units and programs.
⢠Oversee office inventory and the ordering of office supplies, technology and materials in accordance with University policy.
⢠Serve as point person for technology inventory and maintenance to increase usability and accessibility of individual and shared work spaces.

10% - CBS Student Records Coordination
⢠Oversee the maintenance of an accurate student records system for CBS students, including PeopleSoft data entry and management for: advisor assignments, majors/minors, adding/removing holds, and student groups.
⢠Process 13-credit exemption requests and reactivation of reinstated students. 
⢠Maintain electronic student records filing system (Perceptive Content).
⢠Provide support for probation and suspension review and degree clearance processes
⢠Review readmission and leave of absence forms to confirm eligibility and process.

5% - Professional Development & Service
⢠Commitment to identifying, challenging, and removing barriers to access at the individual, community, and system level through an equity lens.
⢠Engage in professional development and service activities related to the role, within the University of Minnesota community and beyond.
⢠Serve on Student Services, College and University-wide committees as needed.


 

Preferred Qualifications
⢠Previous experience within operations roles and/or a student services unit.
⢠Project coordination and collaboration experience, including special event management.
⢠Experience in applying an equity lens to create an inclusive work environment and policies, procedures, and practices.
⢠Previous experience working with U of M systems such as Peoplesoft, APLUS, UMReports.
⢠Prior experience working in a fast-paced, service-oriented, teamwork-driven environment.
⢠Evidence of ability to work effectively with co-workers on a large team.
⢠Evidence of ability to create a welcoming and inclusive environment.

Minimum Qualifications
⢠BA/BS or a combination of related education and experience to equal four years.
⢠Commitment to providing high quality and supportive service to clients with differing identities, needs, and experiences for in-person, phone, and virtual communications.
⢠Ability to manage details, independently organize workflows, and meet deadlines.
⢠Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks simultaneously and prioritize competing and time-sensitive tasks.
⢠Demonstrated ability to juggle multiple priorities for multiple people.
⢠Demonstrated excellent interpersonal, written and verbal communication skills.
⢠Experience in office management and customer service operations.
⢠Proficient in Google Suite of applications, as well as Microsoft Word and Excel.
 

About University of Minnesota Twin Cities

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