Administrative Assistant
The Institute for Behavioral and Community Health (IBACH) is a non-profit research institute under the auspices of San Diego State University Research Foundation in San Diego, California. It is home to an active group of researchers, research professionals, and trainees working alongside organizational partners to improve the quality of life of all residents. Our mission is to build the evidence-base of modifiable determinants of health disparities, and in collaboration with our partners, develop evidence-based interventions to address these determinants to reduce health disparities through community-engaged research projects aimed to prevent chronic diseases and other health and quality-of-life behaviors and outcomes. We use these opportunities to train the next generation of researchers, practitioners, and policymakers. Our projects are grant funded through the National Institutes of Health and operated under the direction of SDSU faculty in partnership with research staff and students. We aim to hire an administrative assistant who can advance the health of diverse communities by supporting us in day-to-day operations of multiple ongoing projects.
The Administrative Assistant will be part of the administrative team for two NIH-grant-funded projects housed in the Research for Health and Community Health (REACH) lab : Fe en Accion and Conmigo. Under immediate supervision, this individual will perform general office support work of average difficulty for multiple research projects at the Institute for Behavioral and Community Health (IBACH). The admin assistant will support faculty and staff with administrative tasks, follow up on tasks to ensure deadlines are met, coordinate intake and reporting requirements of personnel and volunteers, organize work and documents to ensure consistent performance, and conduct all activities in accordance with SDSU Research Foundation policies and procedures. Faith in Action / Fe en Accin is a promotora-led health and exercise intervention for Latina women implemented in collaboration with 32 churches throughout San Diego County. The current study is testing the effectiveness, implementation, and sustainment of enhanced versions of the intervention in comparison with a standard version. Conmigo is a mother-daughter intervention that promotes physical activity among mothers and their pre-adolescent daughters. The study is testing the effectiveness of a 10-week intervention in schools in partnership with YMCA's. This is a hybrid position with 80% of weekly activities in-person at our offices in Kearney Mesa and additional in-person expectations to support special events.
Responsibilities
Coordination of Meetings and Events (40-45%)
- Schedule and set up meetings and conferences
- Solicit attendees for availability
- Reserve conference or meeting rooms at IBACH or off site
- Send meeting confirmations (date, time, location) to attendees
- Send meeting reminders to attendees7 days and 2 days before
- Attend team and investigator meetings as requested to record minutes; compile, transcribe, and distribute minutes of meetings
- Make travel arrangements for faculty and staff
- Reserve hotel, flight, and other transportation (e.g. to / from airport)
- Arrange payment for travel, lodging, and conference registration / fees
- Reconcile expenditures (advance closeout or reimbursement) following travel
- Assist in institute wide special events
- Prepare and maintain checklists and protocols to ensure smooth implementation of events
- Coordinate room reservation, catering ordering, communication with speakers and vendors, travel arrangements for outside guests, etc.
- Maintain good rapport with diverse teams and partners (investigators, staff / faculty, community stakeholders, Advisory Board, etc.) during communication and coordination of meetings
Supporting Student Research Assistants and Staff (20-25%)
Coordinate intake and reporting requirements for personnel and volunteers (complete onboarding paperwork and get relevant signatures, ensure eRA Commons IDs are set up,Provide incoming staff and interns with an orientation to the project including the location of equipment (printers, fax, copier, etc.), suite layout, faculty and staff introductions, general office policies / procedures, and project-specific workflows and expectations.Coordinate and maintain records for staff / students, office space, telephones, and office keysUpdate email / phone directories and provide updated directories to faculty, staff, internsMaintain database with records of volunteers and personnelArrange for the repair and maintenance of office and computer equipment (e.g. facilities requests, IT requests)Arrange for new phone numbers, keys / access cards, etc. for new personnelAssist students inConnect staff and students with appropriate parties as needed for IT support, payroll questionsThe administrative assistant is often the first face that students interact with when working on our projects and helps to provide a welcoming environment for new team members to feel comfortable asking questionsOrdering and Purchasing (15-20%)
Maintain inventory of equipment and supplies (office supplies, participant incentives, project materials) and make purchases as neededResearch prices and purchase office furniture and suppliesCreate and modify documents and forms (e.g. journal vouchers, reimbursements, reports, memos, letters) using software such as Microsoft Word, Excel, and / or AdobeComplete paperworkDraft justifications for expendituresObtain necessary signatures and approvalsGeneral Administrative and Hospitality (10-15%)
Perform general clerical duties to include but not limited to copying, faxing, mailing, and filingFile and retried organizational documents, records, and reportsAssist with all aspects of general office support coordinationMaintain calendar to coordinate work flow and meetingsInteract with faculty, staff, students, vendors, and visitorsSign for and distribute delivered packagesAnswer telephones and transfer to appropriate staff memberReceive visitors and screen to control interruptionsSupport staff in assigned project-based workCorrespondence with staff and community partners, including reserving rooms on siteTranslation of documents and / or content for dissemination to Spanish speaking communityMaintain group email account and respond to or forward inquiries as relevantOther Duties and Responsibilities 5%
Qualifications
Required Minimum Education
High school diploma or equivalentRequired Minimum Experience
Previous experience in an office or administrative environmentPreferred Qualifications
Prior experience in an administrative rolePrior experience at an academic research institutionBilingual Spanish & English (written and spoken) preferredAdditional Applicant Information
Candidate must reside in California and live within a commutable distance from SDSU at time of hire.Job offer is contingent upon satisfactory clearance based on background check results (including a criminal record check).San Diego State University Research Foundation is an equal opportunity employer. Consistent with California law and federal civil rights laws, SDSU Research Foundation provides equal opportunity in employment without unlawful discrimination or preferential treatment based on race, sex, color, ethnicity, or national origin or any other categories protected by federal or state law.Employment decisions are based on an individual's qualifications as they relate to the job under consideration. Our commitment to equal opportunity means ensuring that every employee has equal access to resources and support.SDSU Research Foundation complies with Titles VI and VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964, Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the California Equity in Higher Education Act, California's Proposition 209 (Art. I, Section 31 of the California Constitution), and other applicable state and federal anti-discrimination laws including grant or contract terms and conditions related to funded program activities. Further the SDSU Research Foundation maintains a Nondiscrimination Policy that prohibits discriminatory preferential treatment, segregation based on race or any other protected status, and all forms of unlawful discrimination, harassment, and retaliation in all programs, policies, and practices.