Class: Assistant in Administration I
Job Posted: September 8, 2026
Search Number: MC26-006
About Southern Connecticut State University
Southern Connecticut State University is a diverse and student-centered university dedicated to academic excellence, access, and service for the public good. Southern provides a supportive and welcoming environment for all members of its community through a campus wide commitment to social justice. Founded as a teacher’s college in 1893, Southern has evolved over the past century into a comprehensive public university of more than 9,000 students, offering graduate and undergraduate programs in the liberal arts and professional disciplines. It is one of four universities in the Connecticut State Colleges and Universities System. The University is located in New Haven, a city rich with arts and culture, and less than 90 miles from New York City and 140 miles from Boston.
Class Purpose:
Positions allocated to this class perform skilled administrative support tasks for an executive at a CSU campus or at the System Office. Support services typically are provided for such executives as campus presidents, vice presidents of major functions such as Academic Affairs, Finance and Administration, Student Affairs, External Affairs, Personnel & Labor Relations, for deans and assistant or associate Vice Presidents of major campus colleges and functions and for System Office executives such as Provost and Vice President of Finance and Management. Positions in the class serve to facilitate and enhance the effectiveness of the operation of the offices to which they are assigned.
Distinguishing Characteristics:
Positions allocated to the class are distinguished from administrative support classes in the State’s classified system by virtue of the technical and professional level of assigned duties which may include compiling complex data and preparing reports for boards and legislative groups, contacting and receiving high level officials from government and industry and maintaining strictest confidence.
Work performed by incumbents in the class can include such tasks as keyboarding or typing using word processors or electric typewriters, reception in person and by telephone and the maintenance of records and files. However, the nature of these “clerical” tasks involves confidential materials and contacts and, essentially, the management of an office supporting the administrative functions of one or more executives or senior managers. Preparation of word processed or typed materials, for example, may require drafting of correspondence and other materials, compiling and preparing data in logical, useful format and assuring a high degree of document quality representing the executive’s office.
Reception tasks involve the requirement to apply courtesy and tact in a manner that portrays the office of the executive in a very positive manner while determining the proper avenues of responding to callers or visitors and, when appropriate, acting on behalf of the executive to recommend the proper course of action for callers or visitors.
Thus, in contrast to positions with a greater “clerical” component, positions in this class focus more on the administration of an office where organizational skills are balanced with clerical skills, but both sets of skills are required to be performed at a substantially higher level.
Supervision
Positions in the class receive direction from a senior executive, manager or an Administrative Assistant to the President/Chancellor.
Incumbents may supervise or provide functional directions to office staff such as one or more Secretaries (either classified or confidential) and/or student workers. Incumbents may conduct service ratings or may participate with their executive managers in providing performance ratings for the secretarial or clerical staff assigned to the office.
Representative Duties:
Essential Duties:
1. Preparation of correspondence and reports. This task usually requires the use of word processing equipment, and may involve composing letters and other correspondence for the executive manager’s signature or for the incumbent’s own signature. Correspondence may be of a confidential or sensitive nature and is expected to be of a quality which represents the executive’s office in a favorable way. Transcription from dictation equipment is required. Report preparation may involve obtaining and compiling data from sources such as financial reports, budgets, research or historical documents from previous reporting periods showing how information was portrayed. This may also require making calculations of numerical data such as costs, enrollment, employee numbers or similar information involving standard arithmetic functions using a calculator.
2. Maintenance of schedules for the executive(s) to whom assigned. This involves such steps as setting regular meeting schedules, arranging for individual meetings with the executive(s) and making such meeting arrangements as conference room reservations, audio-visual equipment and refreshments as well as preparing and sending meeting notices. The task may also involve preparation of meeting agendas and packets of meeting materials.
3. Reception. This may involve screening in-person visitors and telephone callers to determine the nature and urgency of matters and whether the executive(s) should be the one(s) to respond or if the matters should be referred elsewhere or if the incumbent is best able to respond. The incumbent is required to represent the executive office in a highly courteous and tactful manner, thus conveying the professionalism of the office.
4. Supervision, training and work direction to assigned staff. Not all positions allocated to the class have assigned staff, though most have at least part-time or temporary staff and are required to oversee or supervise their work. This includes explaining tasks, assuring that work is completed properly and timely, recording and reporting work hours and conducting or assisting in conducting their performance reviews.
5. Organizing and maintaining confidential records.
6. Performing specialized functional tasks. These tasks vary according to the functional areas under the management of the executive(s) but require a specialized area of skill and ability and a familiarity with the functional services provided. For example, positions assigned to Academic Affairs may prepare specialized documents such as letters of faculty appointment or tenure requiring an understanding of faculty credentials and their professional status. For example, positions assigned to Human Resource management may assist in recruiting tasks such as drafting standard recruiting announcements, postings and advertisements or may assist in new employee orientation in areas such as benefits enrollment. Others may maintain financial records, spreadsheets and reports and may track expenditures compared to budgets and may perform bookkeeping tasks to account for grants and donations.
Qualifications:
Demonstrated ability to produce quality typewritten materials using word processing equipment and software, to produce spreadsheets using personal computers and associated software; demonstrated ability to meet personally with a variety of people as a representative of the University System; demonstrated ability to oversee or direct the work of office staff; strong organizational skills to maintain an orderly and efficient office operation. These skills and abilities normally are acquired through a combination of experience and training in a professionally oriented office setting of at least five years. University education which enhances a candidate’s professionalism and familiarity with the collegiate academic environment is desirable.
Application
Please send electronically a resume, letter of application and the names and telephone numbers of three professional references at adminasstsearch@southernct.edu by September 30, 2026. Reference the title CSU Administrative Assistant in the subject line. Review of applications will begin immediately, and the position will remain open until filled.
Southern Connecticut State University is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity Employer. The University seeks to enhance the diversity of its faculty and staff. People of color, women, veterans, and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply.