Administrative Specialist

About This Role

This Administrative Specialist position provides crucial operational support to the HR team within the Wiess School of Natural Sciences at Rice University, focusing on precise payroll, hiring workflows, and maintaining personnel records. The role involves navigating university administration complexities while ensuring compliance and accuracy. This is a one-year, term-limited position with the possibility of renewal based on funding.

Responsibilities

• Collaborate in the planning and operational management of the division, applying specialized expertise in student, staff, and postdoctoral administration to address complex business, regulatory, and technical challenges.
• Serve as a point of contact on policies and procedures, offering guidance and support to departmental and divisional leadership.
• Process high-volume submissions and HR transactions for faculty, staff, students, and postdocs, ensuring compliance with university policies and regulations.
• Provide advanced coordination of human resources functions by working closely with central HR to maximize the use of the Oracle ERP systems functionality.
• Provide support in coordinating visa and immigration processes for faculty, staff, and postdoctoral associates, working with relevant departments to ensure compliance with immigration regulations.
• Collaborate with department leadership and division finance team to prepare and submit labor distributions for faculty and staff new hires.
• Identify potential issues and assist in the development of alternative solutions, which may involve recommending adjustments to policies and procedures.
• Review and analyze trends to provide actionable recommendations that align with or modify departmental, programmatic, or operational goals.
• Analyze data, identify emerging trends, generate reports, and recommend and implement changes to enhance alignment with the institution's mission and strategic objectives.
• Support the development and maintenance of relationships with both internal and external stakeholders.

Requirements

• Bachelor's Degree or additional related experience on an equivalent year-for-year basis
• Two or more (2+) years of related experience
• Skilled in managing priorities and handling multiple time-sensitive projects with conflicting deadlines
• Ability to accomplish goals working through formal and informal channels, with diplomacy and tact
• Demonstrated creativity, problem-solving, critical analysis, initiative, judgment, and decision-making skills
• Excellent planning and organizational skills
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills
• Strong knowledge of Human Resources Practices and Principles

Qualifications

• Bachelor’s Degree
• Two or more (2+) years of related experience

Nice to Have

• Experience working in a higher education environment
• Experience working with Oracle HCM/ERP systems

Skills

* Required skills

Benefits