Administrative Specialist
Vanderbilt

JOB DESCRIPTION

Position Summary:

The Administrative Specialist is a key individual contributor responsible for supporting the day-to-day administrative activities of the Blair School of Music. Reporting directly to the Assistant to the Dean, this position serves as the initial point of contact for all external constituents, including but not limited to collegiate students, prospective students and family members, Academy students and family members, faculty, staff, deliveries, and greeting all guests. Assisting with daily operations within the administrative suite, the Administrative Assistant must demonstrate excellent communication, coordination, and organization skills, attention to detail, and time management. The Administrative Specialist is responsible for purchasing, managing supplies, coordinating guest and faculty-led student travel, and overseeing the instrument loan program. This position also serves as an active participant on the Blair Commencement and Student Award Reception teams, and works on administrative assignments and special projects, as needed. The Administrative Specialist must demonstrate problem solving skills and the ability to take responsibility for the success of various tasks and projects, as well as maintain a thorough understanding of University policies and procedures.

About the Work Unit:

Situated on Vanderbilt Campus in the heart of Nashville, TN, the Blair School of Music is a vibrant and fast-paced school at Vanderbilt University, focused on the personal and professional education of highly talented young musicians who demonstrate an exceptional capacity and motivation to shape our increasingly diverse and complex global century-through music, with music, and in music. The school has approximately 140 full and part-time faculty members and industry professionals who teach approximately 220 music majors, 650 Blair Academy students (comprised of pre-college and adult students) and 2,000 non-music Vanderbilt majors. https://blair.vanderbilt.edu/.

Vanderbilt is a private research university in Nashville, Tennessee. It offers 70 undergraduate majors and a full range of graduate and professional degrees across 10 schools and colleges, all on a beautiful campus-an accredited arboretum-complete with athletic facilities and state-of-the-art laboratories. Vanderbilt is optimized to inspire and nurture cross-disciplinary research that fosters discoveries that have global impact.

Key Functions and Expected Performance:

• Manages traffic flow and greets and directs students, visitors, faculty, and delivery personnel to the Blair School of Music.
  
• Manages the Blair main phone line with professionalism, responding to or delegating calls as appropriate.
  
• Advises and assists faculty with operational questions and general office under the guidance of the Assistant to the Dean.
  
• Tracks and monitors expenses in accordance with approved budget and purchasing requirements.
  
• Processes all collegiate and Blair Academy payments, reimbursements, requisitions, purchase orders, and One Card transactions through Oracle, in accordance with One Card, Procurement, and Travel and Expense policies.
  
• Processes all Presenting Services payments, requisitions, and purchase orders, except for guest artists, in accordance with Procurement and Travel and Expense policies. The Box Office Manager handles all guest artist contracts and payments, as well as issuing ticket sales revenue to rental clients.
  
• In collaboration with the Senior Director of Presenting Services and Senior Administrative Officer, Finance processes all requisitions for Vanderbilt Opera Theatre including, but not limited to designer agreements and performance rights.
  
• Acts as the guest travel coordinator for all guests, as well as guest artists, coordinating and procuring all travel required for visits in accordance with university travel and expense policies.
  
• Monitors and utilizes REDcap platform for purchasing requests from faculty and staff as related to the collegiate and Academy programs.
  
• Maintains ownership of Vanderbilt One card for business purchases.
  
• Serves as a key partner for event planning and execution, including but not limited to, Fall and Spring Faculty and Staff Receptions.
  
• Completes projects on an as-needed basis, including filing, organizing, inventory, name badge orders, etc.
  
• Assists faculty with scanning, copying and collation requests, as time permits.
  
• Assists with collection and tracking of student or faculty related data (i.e., faculty syllabus and schedule collection).
  
• Ensures general order and functionality of the work room and the faculty lounge are maintained, manages lost-and-found, and ensures that supplies are ordered as needed.
  
• Assists CampusPrint copiers at the School as needed, oversees copy paper supply and stock printers daily, troubleshoots and places maintenance calls when problems arise.
  
• Manages general supply inventory in Faculty Lounge.
  
• Receives and distributes mail/packages, assists with sending mail and packages (including coordinating instrument shipping), maintains Blair office mailboxes as new faculty and staff arrive and exit, receives / sends FedEx and UPS packages.
  
• Receives and re-routes Academy tuition payments, if received by mail or at the front desk.
  
• Assesses and establishes procedure for instrument rentals including inventory assessment, repairs (coordination of repairs and budgetary requests), availability, and tracking faculty and student rentals.
  
• Works closely with the Assistant to the Dean and Associate Deans, as needed, on projects and weekly administrative tasks.
  
• Creates and manages projects in REDCap to help support the functions of the school.
  
• Serves as a backup for Facilities Manager including checking out keys, monitoring security cameras, submitting facilities work orders, and assisting with weekly Academy classroom setup during the Fall and Spring semesters.
  
• Assists with event setup and/or breakdown for school and Academy events as requested by faculty and staff.
  
• Oversees the piano key sign-out process.
  
• Other duties as assigned.
  

Supervisory Relationships:

This position may supervise part-time Blair student workers. Reports administratively and functionally to the Assistant to the Dean.

Education and Certifications:

• A high school diploma or GED is necessary.
  
• An Associate's or Bachelor's degree from an accredited institution of higher education is preferred.
  

Experience and Skills:

• Four years of relevant experience is preferred.
  
• Consistently pleasant greeting style and friendly, helpful nature is necessary.
  
• Strong interpersonal and communication skills and the ability to work effectively with a wide range of constituencies in a diverse community is necessary.
  
• Ability to communicate effectively, both orally and in writing is necessary.
  
• Being resourceful with great attention to detail is necessary.
  
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office is preferred.
  
• High level of professionalism is necessary.
  
• Strong technical skills with comfort in learning new technology is preferred.
  
• Excellent ability to organize and coordinate by being self-motivated is necessary.
  
• Ability to maintain confidentiality of records and information is necessary.
  

ABOUT US

At Vanderbilt University , our work - regardless of title or role - is in service to an important and noble mission in which every member of our community serves in advancing knowledge and transforming lives on a daily basis. Located in Nashville, Tennessee, on a 330+ acre campus and arboretum dating back to 1873, Vanderbilt is proud to have been named as one of "America's Best Large Employers" as well as a top employer in Tennessee and the Nashville metropolitan area by Forbes for several years running. We welcome those who are interested in learning and growing professionally with an employer that strives to create, foster and sustain opportunities as an employer of choice.

We understand you have a choice when choosing where to work and pursue a career. We understand you are unique and have a story. We want to hear it. We encourage you to apply today so that you might become a part of our story.

Vanderbilt University is an equal-opportunity employer. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national origin, disability, or status as a protected veteran, or any other characteristic protected by law.

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