Administrative Assistant, Professional Development Fund

Job Summary

This part-time, academic year Administrative Assistant role supports the daily financial operations required to administer the Lazarus Center professional development program. The role meets with students to provide guidance on funding applications and reimbursement processes, supports appropriate purchasing card use, and processes receipts and reimbursements. The Assistant also tracks applications and budgets to help ensure accurate, organized, and consistent financial procedures.

Essential Functions

• Receipts, Reimbursements & Financial Processing:
  • Process receipts, reimbursement requests, and related financial documentation in accordance with institutional guidelines.
  • Verify completeness and accuracy of submitted materials prior to processing.
  • Cook with Finance or Business Office staff as needed to resolve discrepancies or clarify documentation requirements.
  • Maintain organized digital and/or physical records of transactions for audit and reporting purposes.
• Student Support & Communication:
  • Meet with students to provide guidance on reimbursement processes, funding applications, and budget-related procedures.
  • Respond to student inquiries via Airtable and email, including issuing approval and denials, requesting additional information, and clarifying documentation requirements in a timely and professional manner.
  • Review purchasing card transactions for accuracy and compliance, ensuring proper documentation and timely reconciliation.
  • Communicate relevant policy updates and procedural expectations related to financial processes.
• Application & Budget Tracking:
  • Track student applications and funding requests using established systems in Airtable.
  • Monitor student submission of required travel waivers and update applications.
  • Monitor budgets and expenditures in Workday to ensure alignment with allocated funding.
  • Generate periodic reports summarizing spending, application volume, and remaining balances.
  • Identify inconsistencies or overspending risks and flag concerns to appropriate supervisors.

Minimum Required Qualifications

• Perform other duties as assigned by management.
• Associates degree and 0-1 year of experience providing administrative support.

Skills

• Attention to detail,
• Ability to learn and work within systems,
• Deadline oriented.

Preferred Qualifications

• Higher education or a student-facing environment,
• Purchasing card processes, reimbursement policies, or institutional financial systems,
• Program logistics, events, or front desk operations,
• Applications and budget tracking using spreadsheets or database systems.

Work Experience

• Workday,
• Airtable.

Compensation

In addition to a competitive benefits package, pay for this role is typically between $21 - $23/hour. Actual compensation will vary based on individual qualifications.

Position Type

Fixed Term

Application Instructions

Please attach BOTH a current resume and a cover letter in order for your application to be considered for this position. Be sure you have provided all attachments before submitting your application. You will NOT be able to attach additional files after you have hit the Submit button.

About Smith College

Located in Northampton, MA, Smith College is one of the largest women’s colleges in the country and is dedicated to excellence in teaching and research across the liberal arts. A faculty of outstanding scholars interact with students in small classes, as advisors, and through student-faculty research projects. The College is a member of the Five College Consortium with Amherst, Hampshire and Mt. Holyoke Colleges, and the University of Massachusetts Amherst. Students cross-enroll and faculty cross-teach across the Five Colleges.

Equal Opportunity Employer

Smith College is an equal opportunity employer and complies with all state and federal laws that prohibit discrimination. Consistent with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and Massachusetts General Law, Chapter 151B, it is the policy of Smith College to provide reasonable accommodation when requested by a qualified applicant or employee with a disability, unless such accommodation would cause an undue hardship.