"Alerted.org

The Administrative Specialist is a vital member of the Division of Marketing and Communications, supporting smooth daily operations across administrative, financial, HR, and office management functions. This position provides direct support to the Chief Marketing and Communications Officer (CMCO) and collaborates with a diverse range of division and university stakeholders. The successful candidate will be proactive, detail-oriented, tech-savvy, and highly organized, with a commitment to professional service and process improvement. Full-time, regular position, 40 hours per week, 5 days per week. Normal daily work hours are Monday – Friday, 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m. This position pays $21.09/hour, or applicable transfer rate in accordance with the ACSUM collective bargaining agreement.

Essential Duties/Responsivities:

Administrative & Office Management

+ Serve as the division’s central point of contact for internal and external inquiries, offering a welcoming, professional presence in-person, by phone, and via email. Due to the nature of this role, on-site work is required.

+ Manage general office operations, including equipment upkeep (printers, coffee machines, water dispensers), supply inventory, mail, and cleanliness.

+ Oversee meeting and event space coordination, including booking conference rooms and sourcing off-site locations as needed.

+ Handle storage and inventory, including tracking, organizing, and requesting disposal of outdated items such as computers and merchandise.

+ Coordinate office events (e.g., potlucks, celebrations) and other staff engagement activities.

+ Maintain administrative records, subscriptions, and division documentation (e.g., shared access to platforms like PhotoShelter, Asana, and Figma).

Technology & Facilities Coordination

+ Coordinate IT and facilities service requests for staff, including office moves, equipment issues, and workspace setup.

+ Manage and track university-owned devices (laptops, phones, etc.) including insurance, setup, upgrades, and returns.

+ Support user access and database management for platforms such as PhotoShelter.

Human Resources & Student Staff

+ Support onboarding efforts for new employees and student workers, including systems access, workspace setup, and training schedule.

+ Handle student employee hiring paperwork and maintain compliance with university training requirements. Approve student worker timesheets as needed.

+ Serve as a liaison with HR for staffing actions, performance evaluations, and policy-related matters.

Finance & Business Operations

+ Manage purchasing and procurement for the division, including supplies, subscriptions, services, and equipment using MaineStreet and PCard.

+ Reconcile purchasing cards, monitor accounts, process invoices, and track payments in accordance with university policies.

+ Oversee vendor management including initiating contracts, managing purchase orders and invoicing, and ensuring proper documentation (including insurance).

+ Provide budget support: assist with preparation, reconciliation, and reporting as directed by the CMCO.

Project & Workflow Support

+ Provide administrative support for incoming requests to the division, ensuring efficient intake, tracking, and routing to appropriate staff.

+ Support project tracking in platforms such as Asana, assisting with status updates and monitoring timelines for internal accountability.

+ Assist with obtaining quotes, bids, and related documentation for contracted services or procurement needs.

+ Proofread written content as needed to support division staff.

Other Duties

+ Maintain the UMaine public events calendar, ensuring submissions are edited, complete, and posted in a timely, consistent manner.

+ Manage and maintain internal databases (e.g., mailing lists, institutional facts and figures).

+ Provide direct administrative support to the CMCO, including scheduling and document preparation.

About the University:

The University of Maine is a community of more than 11,900 undergraduate and graduate students, and 2,500 employees located on the Orono campus, the regional campus in Machias, and throughout the state. UMaine is a land, sea and space grant university, and maintains a leadership role as the University of Maine System's flagship institution. UMaine is the state's public research university and a Carnegie R1 top-tier research institution, dedicated to providing excellent teaching, research and service for Maine, the nation and the world. More information about UMaine is at umaine.edu.

The University of Maine offers a wide range of benefits (https://umainesystem.sharepoint.com/sites/USERVICES-UMS-Benefits-Public) for employees including, but not limited to, tuition benefits (employee and dependent), comprehensive insurance coverage including medical, dental, vision, life insurance, and short and long term disability as well as retirement plan options.

UMaine is located in beautiful Central Maine. Many employees report that a primary reason for choosing to come to UMaine is quality of life. Numerous cultural activities, excellent public schools, safe neighborhoods, high quality medical care, little traffic, and a reasonable cost of living make the greater Bangor area a wonderful place to live. Visit the Maine Office of Tourism (https://themainehighlands.com/places-to-visit/greater-bangor-region/) to learn more about what the Bangor region has to offer.

Qualifications:

Required:

+ 60+ college credits or equivalent work experience and training, including two years of relevant administrative or office experience.

+ Strong interpersonal and customer service skills with a collaborative, professional demeanor.

+ Ability to work independently, manage multiple priorities, and meet deadlines in a fast-paced environment.

+ Excellent attention to detail, organizational skills, and written/verbal communication.

+ Proficiency in Microsoft Office, Google Workspace, and general office technologies.

Preferred:

+ Familiarity with University systems such as MaineStreet (Marketplace, General Ledger), Concur, and Oracle Hiring.

+ Experience with financial administration and/or vendor management.

+ Prior work experience in higher education or a large, multi-departmental organization.

+ Ability to write for a general audience and edit for spelling, punctuation and grammar.

Other Information:

To be considered for this position you will need to “Apply” and upload the documentation listed below:

1.) a cover letter which describes your experience, interests, and suitability for the position

2.) a resume/curriculum vitae

Candidates selected to proceed to the final stages of the search process will be requested to provide a list of names and contact information for references.

Incomplete application materials cannot be considered. Materials received after the initial review date will be reviewed at the discretion of the University.

For full consideration, materials must be submitted by 4:30 p.m. EST on November 3, 2025.

The successful applicant is subject to appropriate background screening.

The University of Maine System (the System) is an equal opportunity institution committed to fostering a nondiscriminatory environment and complying with all applicable nondiscrimination laws. Consistent with State and Federal law, the System does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, transgender status, gender, gender identity or expression, ethnicity, national origin, citizenship status, familial status, ancestry, age, disability (physical or mental), genetic information, pregnancy, or veteran or military status in any aspect of its education, programs and activities, and employment. The System provides reasonable accommodations to qualified individuals with disabilities upon request. If you believe you have experienced discrimination or harassment, you are encouraged to contact the System Office of Equal Opportunity and Title IX Services at 5713 Chadbourne Hall, Room 412, Orono, ME 04469-5713, by calling 207.581.1226, or via TTY at 711 (Maine Relay System). For more information about Title IX or to file a complaint, please contact the UMS Title IX Coordinator at www.maine.edu/title-ix/.

Clery Act

The Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act, or Clery Act, mandates that all Title IV institutions, such as the University, prepare, publish and distribute an Annual Security Report, (ASR) and provide notice of the availability of the ASR to all prospective employees. This report consists of two basic parts: disclosure of the University’s crime statistics for the past three calendar years; and disclosures regarding the University’s current campus security policies. You may view the University’s Annual Security Report (https://umaine.edu/police/clery-annual-safety-report/) . If you wish to have a paper copy of the ASR or you need to have a copy of the ASR in an accessible format, the University will provide such a copy upon request. Please contact: UMaine Police Department, 81 Rangeley Rd., The University of Maine, Orono, ME 04469-5794, or call 207.581.4053.