Opportunity – Part-Time Clerical Assistant, Humanitarian Water Engineering | Global Health & Humanitarianism

Overview and Job Purpose

Under the supervision of the principal investigator and organized research unit (ORU) director, the Dahdaleh Institute is seeking a part-time clerical assistant to join our dynamic research community.

The clerical assistant will support office administration, communications, events programming, and financial administration at the Dahdaleh Institute. They will work with the director, coordinator, and other Institute staff to develop and manage an ongoing seminar series and other Institute events, prepare, and disseminate Institute communications, and ensure the smooth operation and accurate record-keeping of all Institute activities. They will also work with the Institute coordinator to process transactions, ensure accurate record-keeping, and prepare budgets and financial reports. The successful candidate will have administrative and finance experience in an academic research environment, excellent organizational and communication skills, proficiency with a range of software applications. Similar experience at York University is a strong asset.

The clerical assistant will primarily work in person at the Dahdaleh Institute office (York University, Toronto). This is a part-time position, 21 hours per week, for up to one year, starting immediately. Compensation: $23-28/hour, depending on experience and qualifications.

We welcome applications from all qualified individuals, including but not limited to women, persons with disabilities, visible minorities (racialized), Indigenous Peoples and persons of any gender identity and sexual orientation. York University is committed to a positive, supportive, and inclusive environment.

Major Responsibilities

General Administration and Support (30%)

• Provides efficient and effective client service support by responding to general enquiries (in person, by telephone, and by email) from internal and external stakeholders
• Coordinates space and workstations, including scheduling and booking meeting rooms in a shared calendar
• Provides administrative support to research projects and Institute programs and activities by drafting documents, keeping records on MS Teams and OneDrive; uploading and updating records on Airtable database, and procuring and maintaining inventory of office supplies
• Assists with developing and updating standard operating manuals for Institute processes
• Attends and takes minutes during staff meetings

Event and Communications Support (30%)

• Supports all aspects of event planning, promotion, and logistics
• Acts as a resource for Institute members and affiliates for event ideas, location selection, vendor selection, audiovisual tools, etc.
• Updates the Institute’s calendar
• Produces event and communications materials such as signage, name tags, place cards, programs, and menus
• Provides event support (tech checks, Zoom maintenance, invitations/follow-ups, room setup, etc.)
• Drafts messages for engagement on the Institute’s social media accounts (Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn)
• Collects and distributes information about Institute members
• Creates, edits, and distributes the Institute’s newsletters
• Coordinates the publication of Institute activities by collaborating with researchers and staff to write, edit, and submit articles for promotion in York’s journal of record, YFile
• Ensures all written work follows the Dahdaleh Institute Style Guide and is reviewed and edited

Financial Administration Support (30%)

• Completes all finance- and expense-related paperwork for the Institute and its affiliates, including but not limited to timesheets, payment requisitions, purchase requisitions, accountable advances, processing of invoices, preparing and submitting journals, purchase orders, claims for reimbursement, etc., for review by the finance officer prior to submission to the Institute director for approval
• Prepares monthly reconciliation of operating and endowment funds
• Maintains back-up documentation for all transactions for operating and endowment funds
• Tracks cost recoveries for the Institute and liaises with appropriate offices to ensure transfers are completed in a timely manner – includes printing, conference, workshop fees, etc.
• Provides information and assistance to Institute affiliates related to the completion of forms
• Follows up with various departments as required (e.g., missing information, incorrect charges) and resolves any discrepancies
• Brings unresolved issues to the attention of the finance officer
• Investigates proper policies and procedures upon request
• Tracks balances, commitments, and status of select grants
• Assists finance officer with preparation of draft financial reports and budgets
• Enters contact information, contract/membership details, and other data into database
• Payroll Administration:
  • Updates the payroll email template to add/remove employees as needed
  • On a biweekly basis, sends reminders, updates tracking database, prepares payroll submissions for review, and submits
  • Acts as a resource for questions related to policies and processes
  • Brings any concerns and discrepancies to the attention of the finance officer and Institute coordinator
  • Conducts data quality control and data clean up, follows up with contract holders/members for missing information

Executive Support (10%)

• Provides administrative and special projects support to the director and associate director as requested

Qualifications

• Demonstrated ability to work collaboratively in a team setting
• Able to work on-site at the Dahdaleh Institute, York University
• University undergraduate degree
• 1-2 years administrative or finance experience in an academic research environment
• Strong financial administration skills
• Strong organizational skills, including electronic file management and task management, and excellent ability to manage time and coordinate multiple priorities
• Strong written and oral communications skills
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint)
• Excellent judgment and good understanding of research environment

Application Deadline

Ongoing. Initial application review begins on April 8, 2024.

How to Apply

Submit your application package via the form here: https://airtable.com/shrhxBpRN98sBLYXL.

Your résumé should clearly reflect how you meet the posted qualifications. Only short-listed candidates will be contacted.

If you have any questions, please email dighr@yorku.ca

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