This specialist position provides advanced secretarial and clerical support to assigned administrators, faculty, and departments in support of the efficient operation of the department.
Essential Duties and Responsibilities
• Manage complex administrative operations, including departmental workflows, records, calendars, communications, and correspondence.
• Serve as a primary point of contact for students, families, staff, and campus partners; route inquiries and parent communications appropriately.
• Collaborate with team members to manage and track departmental budgets, including processing purchases, invoices, payments, and reimbursements for office and program supplies as well as student payroll benefits.
• Coordinate logistics for meetings, programs, events, searches, and travel, including space reservations, catering, work orders, and expense reporting.
• Collaborate with team members to maintain departmental web content and develop non-routine communications and materials (e.g., flyers, newsletters, signage) that support student engagement and departmental initiatives.
• Submit and track work orders and collaborate with campus partners to ensure timely completion.
• Handle confidential and sensitive information involving students and families with discretion.
• Provide guidance during complex interactions and navigate organizational dynamics with professionalism and sound judgment.
• Works with team members to keep the office organized and well-maintained, ensuring an efficient and welcoming environment.
• Ensure compliance with applicable laws, policies, and regulations (e.g., FERPA, HIPAA).
• Identify opportunities to improve processes and demonstrate initiative and leadership within the department.
• Maintain accurate student records through effective use of the housing management database
• Perform other related duties as required to support the mission of Residence Life & Housing.
REQUIRED SKILLS:
• Clear and professional written and verbal communication, ensuring messages are accurate, concise, and understood by others.
• Active listening and effective questioning to clarify information and support understanding.
• Works collaboratively, fostering an inclusive, collegial environment that values diverse perspectives and supports team success.
• Ability to work independently, manage priorities, and consistently meet deadlines.
• Attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple tasks and projects simultaneously.
• Strong interpersonal skills and professionalism, modeling excellent customer service and supporting positive interactions with students, families, and colleagues.
• Commitment to continuous professional growth, applying feedback to improve skills and performance.
• Ability to handle confidential information with discretion and sound judgment.
• Proficiency in managing online information systems, records, and departmental resources
QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
• Prior substantial, closely related work experience
• Associate degree, certificate, or equivalent combination of education, degrees, and experience
• Proficiency at the advanced level for Microsoft Office and Google Suite
PREFERRED QUALIFICATIONS AND EDUCATION REQUIREMENTS:
• Prior Lafayette College work experience
• Regularly demonstrates ability to learn and use new computer and web-based applications and products essential to department functions (e.g., THD (Housing Software), Microsoft Office, FAMIS, Maxient, Qualtrics, Career Vault, Google Suite, Emburse, Banner, electronic data records, etc.)
• Regularly exercises good judgment in identifying issues that need to be brought to immediate supervisors, including ideas for improvement and inefficiencies
PHYSICAL REQUIREMENTS:
• While performing the duties of this position, the employee is regularly required to stand, walk, and sit. The employee is occasionally required to stoop, kneel, crouch, or crawl. The employee will occasionally lift and/or push up to 40 lbs.
ADDITIONAL NOTES AND/OR SPECIAL POSITION REQUIREMENTS:
• Supports departmental operations during large processes, such as move-in and move-out, which may include evening or weekend hours.
It is the College’s intention to fill job vacancies from within the College before hiring new employees, providing employees are available with the necessary qualifications. Internal candidates who make application within 3 working days following the posting, will be considered first. Applications from candidates not currently employed by the College will only be considered if there is no qualified internal applicant. Applicants must provide your Lafayette College ID number (L#). If you do not know your Lafayette College L number, please call Human Resources at (610) 330-5060. Interested applicants should provide a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references.
Applicants should submit a cover letter, resume, and contact information for three professional references. https://apply.interfolio.com/179765
Lafayette is deeply committed to creating a diverse community, one that is responsive inclusive and is supportive of each and all of its faculty, students, and staff. All members of the college community share in the responsibility for creating, maintaining, and developing a learning environment in which difference is valued, equity is sought, and inclusiveness is practiced. All lafayette operations reflect the college’s commitment to diversity, equity, access, and inclusion (deai) initiatives, and lafayette welcomes applicants from diverse backgrounds.