GENERAL DUTIES
Assignment Level 1, 2 and 3 - Under supervision, performs office or secretarial work in various units, following relevant departmental, College, and University procedures. Typical duties are outlined below:
Documentation and Information
- Types and prints materials such as letters, memoranda, forms, purchase orders and vouchers, using typewriter/word processor/personal computers and all peripheral equipment.
- Proofreads typed material for accuracy, correcting errors as necessary.
- Uses commercial office software packages in typing, data entry, filing, updating files, and preparing various reports.
- Collects information or data from various sources; files and retrieves books, documents and/or data as needed. Updates existing files.
- Creates filing systems.
- Maintains departmental records; keeps separate confidential records when instructed.
- Retrieves and formats computerized data.
- With proper training, may take dictation and transcribe notes (written or recorded).
- Prepares and proposes various forms, e.g., financial aid applications, personnel papers and other college forms.
Communications and Customer Service
- Provides information, as directed, to faculty, students, employees, and the general public.
- Responds to routine inquires regarding departmental affairs.
- Answers telephone calls; screens incoming calls and forwards/refers calls; assists in maintaining up-to-date mailing and telephone directories.
- Provides receptionist services; sets up appointments; keeps calendars; refers students, faculty, other CUNY employees and general public to proper areas or persons.
- Furnishes information on the department’s rules and regulations, when authorized.
- Assists with arrangements for special events (e.g., conferences, reservations of rooms, travel arrangements, catering services, informing the relevant departments/units, etc.)
- Interviews and supervises College Assistants, College Work Study Students, Student Aides, Summer Interns, Volunteers, etc.
- Assists in training new employees in various office duties/use of office machines.
- Communicates with other academic or administrative departments or outside agencies to expedite the processing of work.
Transaction Processing
- Prepares routine reports, including drafts, using information received from various sources.
- Receives and processes financial transactions following prescribed procedures (e.g., tuition payments, library fines).
- Processes purchase orders and supply orders; verifies deliveries.
- Verifies inventory and supplies reports on request.
- Completes Time & Leave calculations and keeps up-to-date records.
- Assists supervisors in specialized office functions, e.g., fingerprinting, I-9, reference and background checking, unemployment insurance.
- Calculates payroll figures; verifies amounts on financial forms; prepares deposit records; refunds authorizations, and similar documents; keeps related records.
- Makes routine petty cash purchases and disbursements, and maintains petty cash account; keeps necessary records.
- Receives mail for the unit/department/college and distributes it among the proper persons; may sort mail per instructions.
- Prepare the department/unit/college mailings within or outside CUNY, arranging special mail services when authorized.
- Duplicates, collates and distributes materials. Coordinates the work of others to produce and distribute materials; confers with printing department and mailroom personnel as needed.
- Assists in preparing and distributing materials such as recruitment documents.
- Assists in registration activities within the department or as assigned; when authorized, processes drop/add and over tally requests for course registration.
Other
- Performs routine upkeep of office machines, e.g., photocopier, typewriter, computer terminals, printers, fax machines.
- May serve on committees when authorized.
Assignment Level 4 - Under supervision, performs moderately complex office or secretarial work in various units of CUNY. Perform tasks at assignment Level I, at a more complex or responsibility level or with significant expertise and masterly performance.
- May serve as secretary to an executive or to a small group of professional, managerial, or technical personnel.
- Organizes, supervises and coordinates the workload of a moderately complex office, including the supervision of full and part-time office support staff.
- Initiates administrative procedures on behalf of the department.
- Administers a specialized area, requiring unique training and/or experience within a large office.
- Interviews and recommends full and part-time office support staff, including College Assistants and CUNY Office Assistants in Level 1.
- Prepares and compiles complex reports, including simple research and analysis.
- With approval, makes improvements to department forms.
- Develops record-keeping systems.
- Trains office employees and others (as directed) in routine office duties, rules, procedures, etc. and related matters.
Levels 1, 2 and 3 are contractual pay steps based on length of employment. Employees are not given additional responsibilities when moving from Level 1 to Level 2 or from Level 2 to Level 3. However, Assignment Level 4 is an assignment level based on duties performed and is discretionary.
CONTRACT TITLE
CUNY Office Assistant
FLSA
Non-exempt
CAMPUS SPECIFIC INFORMATION
Guttman Community College is seeking a CUNY Office Assistant for the Office of Academics Affairs. Reporting to the Director of Academic Operations, the CUNY Office Assistant will perform a variety of office support tasks across procurement, events, space management, and record management.
In addition to the general duties, other key duties include, but are not limited to, the following:
- Serve as Guttman North’s reception team lead under the direction of the Director of Academic Operations
- Support the administrative team with the composition of various documentation with the use of different technical systems (Microsoft 365 and online processes).
- Create and maintain various filing systems and comply with record retention policies.
- Assist the administrative team with event/meeting organization and event set-up.
- Process unit requisitions through the procurement system.
- Assist with team member training, partake in training, workshops, or professional development, and participate in staff meetings.
- Collaborate with various units and team members to expedite work processes, work on building and space logistics, work orders, and other priorities.
- Assist in managing the general inboxes for the Provost and Dean of Academic Affairs
- Receive and distribute correspondence.
- Maintain and track databases and records; create reports as needed.
- Serve as a representative for the unit in committees and meetings - as needed.
- Other duties as assigned.
ABOUT GUTTMAN COMMUNITY COLLEGE
The Stella and Charles Guttman Community College is a beacon of innovation and knowledge creation in higher education, a two-year college where evidence-based high-impact practices in curriculum design and delivery permeate the educational model and have yielded graduation rates that are the highest in CUNY’s community college sector and above the national average. Located in midtown Manhattan, Guttman draws a culturally diverse student body from across New York City and is a federally designated Hispanic Serving Institution.
The College is committed to using a range of innovative approaches to achieve its goals and to improve student persistence, retention, completion, and transfer. The centerpiece of Guttman’s educational model is an integrated first- year core curriculum, where students examine current world issues and use New York City as a living text and laboratory. Thus, connecting information and concepts across multiple disciplines, contexts, and perspectives. This immersive approach equips Guttman students with the foundation of knowledge and skills essential to their intellectual, social, civic, and professional endeavors in and beyond the classroom. The College admitted its first cohort of 300 students in August 2012 and has established a bold goal to increase enrollment as informed by its new strategic plan (Guttman Forward 2028). Before applying, candidates are strongly encouraged to visit the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College website (www.guttman.cuny.edu) to learn more about the institution.
MINIMUM QUALIFICATIONS
Proof of meeting requirements 1 - 4 is needed before the close of a Civil Service Examination filing period. You may be asked to provide proof of meeting these requirements at any time between your application and the close of the filing period.
- A four-year high school diploma or its educational equivalent
- Two (2) years of experience performing general office work, which may be met by one of the following:
- A) Two (2) years of satisfactory, full-time experience performing general office work; or
- B) One (1) year of satisfactory, full-time experience performing general office work and 30 semester credits from an accredited college or university; or
- C) An associate’s degree or 60 college credits from an accredited college or university.
- Passage of a qualifying Work Experience Test.
- English Language Proficiency. All candidates must be able to speak, read, write, and comprehend the English Language. English proficiency will be evaluated at the time of interview.
CUNY considers full-time work to be at least 35 hours per week. Part-time experience of at least 20 hours per week may be prorated by half and credited instead of, but not in addition to, full-time experience during the same period (e.g., two month’s related work experience at 20-34 hours per week equate to one month’s full-time related work experience.) Part-time experience of fewer than 20 hours per week will NOT be credited at all.
The high school diploma or its educational equivalent must be approved by a State's Department of Education or a recognized accrediting organization. The college or university must be accredited by regional, national, professional, or specialized agencies recognized as accrediting bodies by the U.S. Secretary of Education and by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA).
Candidates who meet the above requirements must also meet requirements 5 - 7 after the close of the filing period.
- Candidates must take and pass a job-related Civil Service Examination that measures critical competencies for the position.
- Candidates must undergo a background check, including a fingerprint screening and a verification of their education and work history.
- You will be required to meet the skill requirement of keyboard familiarity by demonstrating the ability to type accurately at a minimum speed of 100 keystrokes (20 words) per minute after errors are deducted. You must meet this requirement in order to be appointed. Additionally, candidates may be asked to demonstrate technical competence in using job-related software (e.g., word processing or other).
COMPENSATION
New Hire Rate: $36,700*
Incumbent Rate: $41,472
*This amount reflects a 13% salary suppression in effect for the first 24 months of employment only.
BENEFITS
CUNY offers a comprehensive benefits package to employees and eligible dependents based on job title and classification. Employees are also offered pension and Tax-Deferred Savings Plans. Part-time employees must meet a weekly or semester work hour criteria to be eligible for health benefits. Health benefits are also extended to retirees who meet the eligibility criteria.
HOW TO APPLY
Before applying, candidates are asked to visit the Stella and Charles Guttman Community College "Prospective Employees" webpage (https://guttman.cuny.edu/human-resources/prospective-employees/) to learn some of the many reasons to join us at Guttman.
Visit www.cuny.edu, access the employment page, log in or create a new user account, and search for this vacancy using the Job ID (#31644) or Title (CUNY Office Assistant - Academic Affairs (Provisional)). Select "Apply Now" and provide the requested information.
In order to be considered for the position, candidates must upload as one document, by the closing date:
- A cover letter that highlights your education and experience and what would make you a Model Guttman Employee
- Resume/CV
- Contact information for 3 professional references.
Incomplete applications will not be considered.