Operations Assistant

About the role

The Operations Assistant coordinates and oversees the day-to-day administrative and logistical operations for the CSU Bakersfield Men’s Basketball program. The position is responsible for planning and coordinating program activities, including team travel, meal arrangements, budget tracking and reconciliation, and recruiting visit logistics.

Responsibilities

• Plan, coordinate, and book all team travel including transportation, hotel accommodations, and itineraries for regular season and postseason competitions.
• Arrange team meals including on-campus dining coordination, catering for home events, and meal per diem management during away travel, ensuring alignment with operational needs and budget parameters.
• Develop detailed travel itineraries and communicate logistics to coaching staff, student-athletes, and relevant Athletics personnel.
• Resolve and communicate updates and conflicts to itineraries as needed.
• Cook up transportation logistics including charter flights, buses, and ground transportation for the program, troubleshooting issues and implementing solutions as needed.
• Oversee team equipment logistics, including coordination of shipping, tracking, and inventory needs in collaboration with equipment staff.
• Interpret and apply NCAA, conference, and university travel policies to ensure compliance and resolve travel-related issues.
• Reconcile program procurement cards (PCards) and Concur expense reports monthly, ensuring accuracy and compliance with university financial policies.
• Track program expenditures against the approved budget and provide regular updates to the head coach and Director of Athletics.
• Process and submit invoices, expense reports, and payment requests in coordination with the Athletics business office.
• Maintain organized records of all financial transactions, receipts, and budget documentation for the Men’s Basketball program.
• Aid in the preparation of the annual program budget in coordination with the head coach and Athletics administration.
• Serve as the primary operational liaison between Men’s Basketball and the Athletics Compliance office, ensuring timely communication and adherence to NCAA and Big West Conference rules and regulations.
• Monitor and manage compliance-related administrative tasks including practice logs, countable athletically related activity (CARA) reporting, and playing and practice season documentation.
• Coordinate with the Facilities department to schedule practice times, game-day access, and facility use for the Men’s Basketball program.
• Serve as a liaison to other internal Athletics departments including marketing, communications, academic services, sports medicine, and strength and conditioning to support program logistical and administrative needs.
• Aid in the preparation and submission of compliance-related reports and documentation as needed.
• Organize and execute official and unofficial recruiting visits for the Men’s Basketball program in compliance with NCAA recruiting regulations, including transportation, lodging, meals, entertainment, and campus tours.
• Work as the primary point of contact for prospective student-athletes and their families for logistical coordination and visit-related activities, providing a professional and welcoming experience.
• Maintain accurate records of all recruiting visit activities, expenses, and compliance documentation.
• Collaborate with the Compliance office to ensure all recruiting visit activities are permissible under current NCAA legislation.
• Work with academic services and other campus units to incorporate academic components into official visit programming.

Qualifications

• High school diploma or GED and four (4) years of recent (within seven years) administrative support experience.
• Working knowledge of collegiate athletics operations, including travel logistics, budget management, and program administration.
• Knowledge of and ability to apply NCAA rules and regulations, Big West Conference bylaws, and CSU/university policies as they relate to program operations and recruiting.
• Comprehensive and detailed knowledge of the university infrastructure, policies, and procedures.
• Expertise in using office software packages, technology, and systems.
• Ability to interpret and apply policies and procedures independently and use judgment and discretion to act when precedents do not exist.
• Ability to troubleshoot most office administration problems and respond to all inquiries and requests related to work area.
• Ability to analyze operational and procedural problems and develop, recommend, and evaluate proposed solutions.
• Ability to perform business math, analyze budgetary data, and make accurate projections requiring some inference.
• Ability to effectively write and present own reports.
• Ability to effectively handle interpersonal interactions at all levels and handle highly sensitive interpersonal situations.
• Ability to use negotiation and persuasion skills to achieve results and expedite projects.
• Demonstrated customer service experience requiring a very high level of diplomacy and professionalism.
• Ability to use tact and diplomacy to effectively handle a broad range of high level and sensitive interpersonal situations with diverse personalities, and to respond appropriately to conflicts and problems.
• Ability to initiate, establish, and foster communication and teamwork by maintaining a positive, cooperative, productive work atmosphere in the University with the ability to establish and maintain effective working relationships within a diverse population and with those from various cultural backgrounds.
• Excellent communication skills; ability to effectively communicate information in a clear and understandable manner.
• Thorough knowledge of English grammar, spelling, and punctuation.
• Ability to interpret, communicate and apply policies and procedures.
• Ability to maintain a high degree of confidentiality.
• Excellent organizational and time management skills with the ability to set own priorities to coordinate multiple assignments with fluctuating and time-sensitive deadlines.
• Excellent computer skills and competence with a variety of computer applications including word-processing, spreadsheets, databases, on-line systems, Internet as well as online calendaring and email.
• Working knowledge of or ability to quickly learn University infrastructure.
• Willingness to travel and attend training programs off-site for occasional professional development.
• Ability to work overtime, occasional holidays and adjust working hours to meet special jobs.
• May be called back periodically to perform work as needed on an emergency basis.