Job Details

Administrative Assistant 3 - Department of Design

Position Number: 6553628
Location: Cheney, WA
Position Type: Secretary and Administrative Assistants

Administrative Assistant 3 - Department of Design

About Eastern Washington University:

Eastern Washington University, a regional, comprehensive public university with an enrollment of over 10,000 students, is one of six state-funded four-year institutions of higher education in Washington, each governed by its own board of trustees. As the regions polytechnic, we are recognized for our distinctive approach to hands-on learning that leads to in-demand careers. EWUs 300-acre main campus is located in Cheney, a community of 12,000 residents 16 miles southwest of Washingtons second largest city, Spokane. Eastern also offers programs in downtown Spokane at the innovative, energy-efficient Catalyst building, the SIERR building which is a hub for research, development and advancement of health sciences, and at Riverpoint, a campus shared with Washington State University. In addition, EWU programs can be found at select locations throughout the state, aligned with the needs of the community. Eastern contributes to the vitality of the region and the state through its wide array of bachelors and masters degrees in over 100 fields of study, as well as applied doctorates in physical therapy and educational leadership, offering accessible pathways to career success and personal development to students of all socioeconomic and cultural backgrounds.

Eastern Washington University has been recognized for its commitment to helping undergraduate students learn, grow and succeed by Colleges of Distinction, a nationally trusted resource guide for college-bound students. The honor recognizes Eastern as a 24-25 College of Distinction (CoD).

Money magazine recently named EWU as one of its Best Colleges in America 2024.

Tribal Land Acknowledgement
At Eastern Washington University, we are proud to recognize the land of the Spokane Tribe and other tribes that shared the land for fishing and trading. The Spokane Tribe, Coeur dAlene Tribe, Confederated Tribes of the Colville Reservation, the Kalispel Tribe, and the Nez Perce Tribe are integral to the cultural heritage and traditional ethnological knowledge of the land.

Native American heritage is woven into the fabric of our institution, enriching our community through tribal culture, historical teachings, and tribal language, and is embraced daily by students, staff, faculty, and the Eastern Washington community.

At EWU, we are committed to reflecting on and acknowledging the historical injustices of genocide and the forced removal of tribal peoples and all our relatives. EWU recognizes and honors tribal sovereignty and government to government relationships with tribes.

From here forward, EWU will remain committed to supporting, honoring, and recognizing the Native American community and the dynamic contributions that are shared with our university.

Job Summary:

The College of Science, Technology, Engineering & Mathematics seeks an experienced professional Administrative Assistant 3 to provide support to our Department of Design.

This department is located at the Catalyst Building, 601 E. Riverside, Spokane, WA.

Administrative Assistants perform varied administrative and support duties. Positions are delegated higher-level administrative duties and/or are delegated one or more major program activities as a stand-alone function and responsibility, and which would otherwise be performed by the supervisor.

This position will provide a wide variety of administrative support for the Department of Design.
The person hired for this position must have demonstrated experience and/or ability to perform the following essential functions:

Fulfill delegated administrative functions related to budget: budget preparation and management; develop budget estimates; monitor budget status and expenditures; maintain, initiate and/or approve expenditures on program budgets; coordinate equipment purchases;
Support budgeting and administration of grants and grant proposals;
Coordinate and oversee day-to-day department operations, function as the department representative and resource, and have extensive contact with students, program participants and outside entities;
Monitor department and program activities; resolve problems within delegated scope of authority; exercise independent judgment in interpreting and applying rules and regulations;
Provide independent information and advice to students, staff, program participants and/or the public;
Coordinate personnel matters for both staff and faculty, such as recruitment, appointment, and promotion, and in collaboration with college staff;
Support duties for the department as needed, including, keeping supervisors calendar; making travel arrangements for the department; screening, prioritizing, and distributing mail; transcribing minutes, screening calls and visitors;
Support outreach and public relations for the Design department in coordination with the college;
This position requires a mastery of multi-tasking and the ability to coordinate and track data documents and events for multiple people and purposes. Exemplary candidates will be capable of navigating a dynamic environment utilizing organization and efficiency. Individual hired for the position will be responsible for independently planning, organizing, and prioritizing work of the position to meet internal and external deadlines. Position will be responsible for initiating action to ensure individual and department tasks and goals are met.

The salary for this position is $48,036 (minimum) up to $55,584. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on qualifications, education, experience, and skills. In addition to salary, the university offers a comprehensive benefits package including health insurance, life and disability insurance and retirement. In addition, EWU offers generous vacation and sick leave accruals, 12 paid holidays and 1 paid personal leave day per year and fringe benefits, such as tuition waiver for employees and eligible family members, discounted EWU sports tickets, full access to our campus workout facilities at a minimum fee and free transportation through STA buses. For additional information regarding insurance benefits please see our Benefits page: https://inside.ewu.edu/hr/benefits/insurance/.

EWU is committed to supporting and promoting a workforce that is welcoming to all and encourages applicants of all backgrounds to apply for this position.

Applications are open and accepted until recruitment is closed. Screening of applications will begin on September 16, 2025. A three-day notice will be provided prior to closure of recruitment. All materials will be held in strictest confidence; references will not be contacted until candidates have been notified.

Eastern Washington University provides an inclusive, equitable, and transformative learning experience, driving the pursuit of knowledge with affordable academic excellence.

Required Qualifications:

High school graduation or equivalent;
Minimum three (3) years full-time experience in a similar position providing administrative support; to be considered qualifying, your experience must meet the following criteria:
- Three (3) years experience must be beyond entry level work
- Work experience must include responsibility for budgets and fiscal activities
- Work experience must demonstrate both (A) the ability to successfully handle a demanding workload with overlapping deadlines; and (B) proven attention to detail, initiative and ability to take direction and work independently;
Strong computer skills, including the following:
- MS Office - Ability to perform complex tasks such as merge fields, design tables, create spreadsheets to develop and maintain records;
- Database management - Ability to create new databases, enter data, sort import/export files in database, create reports;
- Overall knowledge - Intermediate skills with the ability to troubleshoot own workstation and to train others on software;
- Ability to navigate various screens to gather information;
- Email - Ability to send messages to multiple recipients, make contact lists, send attachments;
- Internet - Ability to efficiently search and retrieve information;
- Ability to assist others with computer problems - email, internet, work processing and other basic hardware and software issues as requested;
- Google workspace - Ability to create, manage, and maintain shared drives, folders, documents, and spreadsheets.
Demonstrated ability to apply a responsive and flexible approach that is supportive of the needs including universal access of our students, faculty, staff and the public.

Preferred Qualifications:

Bachelors Degree in Accounting or Business Administration or related field
Additional years work experience performing similar administrative support functions beyond the required three (3) years of experience
Two (2) or more years of experience using university administrative systems
Experience managing social media presence
Ability to learn website maintenance
Experience with event planning

Other Skills and Abilities:

Flexibility
Collaboration
Collegiality
Communication
Teamwork
Time Management
Attention to Detail

Job Duties:
Department Administrative Support

Evaluate, develop or update department and office procedures to promote efficiency, and ensuring alignment with College and university standards;
Organize, coordinate, direct and/or fulfill delegated departmental operations;
Provide information and advice to students, staff, faculty and/or the public regarding department content, policies, procedures and activities; recommend alternative courses of action;
Assist with marketing efforts, such as promoting departmental programs on campus and/or with outside organizations and entities; may make public presentations;
Support outreach and public relations for the department of Design in coordination with the college;
Manage Design department social media presence;
Manage Design department web page;
Assist in planning and implementation of events such as awards ceremonies and outreach events in coordination with the college and department staff, faculty, and students;
Attend meetings as department representative; represent the Chair as delegated or assigned; may serve as the primary contact in assigned areas;
Confer with campus constituents, such as the College, other departments, and other entities to ensure departmental processes are in alignment with the university and College standards; monitor departmental activities in relation to established goals and standards;
Use word processing, graphics, statistical, spreadsheet and/or data base software; effectively use established university systems; acquire and maintain a high level of proficiency with any new systems adopted by the university;
As assigned by supervisor, perform complex scheduling involving rooms, courses, events and faculty/staff, including appropriate prioritization;
Coordinate personnel matters for both staff and faculty in collaboration with college staff, including appropriate prioritization;
Coordinate personnel matters for both staff and faculty in collaboration with college staff, including preparing forms for recruitment, appointment, and promotion;
Request, recruit and supervise work study students for Department of Design;
Perform other administrative support tasks as required.

Percent of Time: 50

Budget & Fiscal Tasks

Maintain and modify fiscal record keeping systems, databases, and spreadsheets; review fiscal records; identify trends; assist in formulating corrective action;
Maintain a record keeping system for recording budget transactions; review budget reports, verify accuracy and take corrective action if necessary; reconcile budget status reports and prepare expenditure projections; notify appropriate individual of any projected or actual over or under expenditures;
As needed order supplies and equipment using purchase requisitions, interdepartmental purchase orders, or procurement card as appropriate;
Assist faculty and staff with miscellaneous expense reimbursements;
Maintain purchasing records and resolve problems; review, approve and allocate purchase to proper budget and category; ensure compliance with departmental, institutional and/or granting agency policies, rules and regulations;
Maintain department personnel and payroll records; may prepare Personnel Action Forms to implement personnel and salary changes; calculate salary and benefits costs; initiate, record and ensure the accuracy of personnel and payroll action documents;
Maintain and process travel expense records; ensure compliance with state and institution regulations and procedures; allocate travel expenses to appropriate budgets;
May manage fiscal expenses related to department vehicles, including tracking mileage and billing expense to appropriate budget lines, establishing cost of use, maintaining budget line for vehicle replacement and maintenance;
Prepare, compile and provide fiscal reports such as year-end reports, budgetary reports, and auditing reports;
Analyze revenue and expenditures for course fee accounts and suggest changes as appropriate;
Assist with the development of budgets for grant or program requests;
Perform related budget and fiscal duties as required.

Percent of Time: 40

Faculty Support

Assist with travel arrangements and reconciliation;
Support electronic reporting systems related to retention, tenure, and promotion;
Support textbook requisitions;
Provide faculty with budgetary support as needed.

Percent of Time: 10
Conditions of Employment:

This position, during the course of university employment will be involved in the receipt of, or accountability for, university funds or other items of value, as well as the unsupervised access with the developmentally disabled, vulnerable adults or children under the age of 16. The offer of employment is contingent upon successful completion and passing of a background check prior to beginning employment.

All new employees must comply with EWU Immunization Policy 602-02 and provide proof of immunity or vaccination to MMR before beginning work at EWU. Waivers for the immunization requirements are available for medical or sincerely held religious beliefs.

This position is covered by the Washington Federation of State Employees Collective Bargaining Agreement:

https://in.ewu.edu/hr/wp-content/uploads/sites/40/2025/05/WFSE-EWU-CBA-Barg.-Units-1-and-2-2025-2027_2024-12-02.pdf

After starting employment, employees will complete the required training via Canvas. Workplace Belonging training will be available on October 1st and should be completed by December 31st, 2025.

Note: Interviews might be conducted via Zoom (camera must be enabled). If so, candidates must be able to demonstrate competence using Zoom and other technologies.

Salary Information:

The salary for this position is $48,036 (minimum) up to $55,584. Where the hired candidate will begin within this range is dependent on qualifications, education, experience, and skills.

Posting Date: 09/08/2025
Open Until Further Notice: Yes
Closing Date:
Screening to Begin: 09/16/2025

Special Instructions to Applicants:
Submit your application materials through our online applications portal provided below. If you are unable to submit through the applicant portal, please contact Human Resources Services at (509) 359-2381.

To apply, visit https://jobs.hr.ewu.edu/postings/13967