Overview
Administrative / Order Entry Assistant Jobs in Utica, MI at Van der Graaf
Job Description
The administrative manager provides high-level administrative and organizational leadership for Residential Colleges. This position reports to the dean of residential colleges and residential experience and interacts directly with all residential faculty and Residential Colleges professional staff.
The administrative manager will oversee the daily operations of the department. The position requires a high level of decision-making, judgment and autonomy, and is responsible for ensuring departmental goals are met within budget and in compliance with university policies, while supporting the day-to-day financial operations. This position supports with financial stewardship and provides general guidance for staff. The administrative manager will also coordinate the logistical elements of recruiting, appointing, onboarding, and offboarding residential faculty, under the direction of the dean.
Vanderbilt University’s Residential Colleges are dynamic living-learning communities that extend education beyond the classroom. These colleges are designed to foster student success through intentional engagement with faculty, the creation of supportive communities, and seamless connections to campus resources. By integrating academic experiences into daily life, Residential Colleges promotes discovery, creative inquiry, and engaged citizenship.
Each residential college is led by faculty who reside within the community, facilitating opportunities for students to interact with professors in both formal and informal settings. This close-knit environment encourages students to curate their sense of self, pursue integrative learning, engage in meaningful dialogue across differences, advocate for themselves and others, develop leadership potential, and forge global connections.
The Residential Colleges program encompasses both the first-year experience and upper-division student engagement, providing a continuum of support throughout a student’s undergraduate journey. Through orientation programs, faculty interactions, and community-building initiatives, Residential Colleges aims to create an inclusive environment where every student feels a sense of belonging and purpose.
The Residential Colleges department operates under the Office of Undergraduate Education, reporting to the Vice Provost for Undergraduate Education.
Duties and Responsibilities
Financial Operations
Assists with the development and implementation of purchasing policies and procedures for Residential Colleges in accordance with university policies and manages the education of all faculty and staff on these procedures.
Coordinates the preparation of annual budgets for The Ingram Commons and Residential Colleges and monitors expenditures throughout the year to ensure spending is on track.
Maintains a big-picture perspective when evaluating expenditures to support operational needs and budgetary targets.
Implements best practices for managing financial resources and proactively addresses needed adjustments.
Serves as a backup for internal billing and processes departmental purchasing as needed, in accordance with relevant policies.
Prepares recurring reports to monitor compliance and activity related to procurement cards, travel, invoices, and purchase orders.
Oversees and communicates residential faculty budgets.
Maintains deep knowledge of the university’s chart of accounts financial policies, actively participates in training opportunities.
Exercises sound judgment and integrity in evaluating expenditures and escalates questionable transactions when appropriate.
Ensures compliance with institutional and departmental financial policies, including travel, procurement, expense, and time reporting, to support proper resource stewardship.
Collaborates with staff to support timely and accurate procurement and payment of goods and services.
Partners with HCM and FUM colleagues to ensure adherence to all university policies and guidelines.
Facilitates departmental purchases using the One Card.
Business and Operations Support
Works closely with HCM and FUM to process payments and contracts for residential faculty, faculty VUceptors, Commons Seminar instructors, orientation leaders, and others, and oversees fulfillment of contract requirements
Manages guest suite reservations, including scheduling, housekeeping requests, card access, and related logistics.
Coordinates all travel arrangements for guests and visitors.
Oversees dignitary visits and liaises with VUPD, the Office of the Chancellor, and the Office of the Provost.
Supports onboarding and offboarding of professional staff, including office setup, technology preparation, access management, and office turnover.
Serves as the department’s emergency contact and liaison to the Office of Emergency Management; maintains the emergency operations plan, relaying OEM updates, and ensuring the staff contact list are current.
Provides backup for office operations as needed, including answering phones, responding to departmental inboxes, and supporting the dean administratively.
Processes confidential and sensitive information with the utmost discretion.
Logistical Support for Residential Faculty
Manages onboarding, support, and offboarding for all residential faculty, including:
Coordinates the application process by maintaining the online application form and database, processing submissions, and communicating with applicants on behalf of the dean.
Prepares appointment letters for residential faculty at the discretion of the dean
Oversees onboarding logistics such as access requests, meal plans, pet forms, and parking for residential faculty and their affiliates
Manages apartment turnover for faculty heads and the dean, coordinating with HRE and VUMO on timelines, walk-throughs, renovations, and furniture orders
Coordinates the residential faculty review process, including scheduling, soliciting feedback, and drafting appointment letters
Handles faculty offboarding, including move-out logistics, access removal, and recognition gifts
Maintains documentation of policies and procedures related to residential faculty
Serves as expense delegate, coordinating reimbursements as needed
Acts as the primary administrative contact for residential faculty
Departmental Support
Coordinates major rentals, service agreements, and VUMO work orders for orientation and large-scale programming
Supports the planning and execution of orientation and major departmental events to ensure smooth implementation
Actively participates in committees, task forces, and cross-unit collaborations in support of divisional goals and strategic priorities
Demonstrates flexibility and a collaborative spirit by assisting colleagues across the work unit
Qualifications
At least two years of directly comparable experience is necessary.
Experience with purchasing and procurement is necessary.
Outstanding organizational skills, including ability to prioritize, and execute multiple projects and timelines independently and in a timely fashion is necessary.
Demonstration of strong Microsoft Office skills, especially in Excel, is necessary.
Excellent verbal and written communication skills is necessary.
Ability to work independently and collaborate with others in a team environment is necessary.
Ability to utilize current technology and social networking to enhance work is necessary.
Experience working in higher education is preferred, with a demonstrated understanding of how a higher educational institution works. This includes an understanding of the strategic challenges, knowledge of the formal structures, and an appreciation of the internal and external political context and how that influences appropriate behavior.
Experience working with faculty is preferred.
Ability to communicate with students, faculty, staff, and community members in a manner that promotes dialogue and understanding is preferred.
Experience in creating/conducting presentations, speaking effectively in public, and writing is preferred.
Show more
Title: Administrative / Order Entry Assistant
Company: Van der Graaf
Location: Utica, MI
