Administrative Operations Specialist

Duke University:

Duke University was created in 1924 through an indenture of trust by James Buchanan Duke. Today, Duke is regarded as one of America’s leading research universities. Located in Durham, North Carolina, Duke is positioned in the heart of the Research Triangle, which is ranked annually as one of the best places in the country to work and live. Duke has more than 15,000 students who study and conduct research in its 10 undergraduate, graduate and professional schools. With about 40,000 employees, Duke is the third largest private employer in North Carolina, and it now has international programs in more than 150 countries.

Be You.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is seeking a highly organized and detail-oriented Administrative Operations Specialist to join our team. In this role, you will help ensure the smooth operation of key departmental programs and administrative processes that support faculty, staff, and students. You'll serve as a central coordinator for activities including student employment, faculty onboarding and offboarding, operational tracking, financial reconciliation, and process documentation.

This position offers an opportunity to work across a broad range of departmental functions while building strong relationships with faculty, staff, students, and University partners. You will help keep critical processes moving forward by coordinating activities, maintaining records, tracking progress, resolving routine issues, and ensuring established procedures are followed consistently.

Success in this role requires strong organizational skills, attention to detail, sound judgment, and the ability to manage multiple priorities while providing excellent customer service. You'll play an important role in supporting departmental operations by maintaining accurate records, developing tracking tools, preparing reports, and helping improve administrative processes.

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of relevant education and experience is generally required.
• One year of experience in program administration, operational administration, business operations, or related administrative support. OR AN EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE  
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• Demonstrated experience coordinating multiple processes, projects, or operational activities simultaneously.
• Strong organizational, communication, and problem-solving skills.
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office applications, including Outlook, Excel, Word, and PowerPoint.

Preferred Qualifications

• Bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related field.
• Experience coordinating administrative or operational processes within higher education, academic medicine, research, or another complex organization.
• Experience supporting hiring, onboarding, offboarding, student employment, or payroll-related processes.
• Experience maintaining financial records, reconciling data, and generating reports.
• Advanced proficiency in Microsoft Excel, including formulas, sorting, filtering, data analysis, and reconciliation functions.
• Experience developing process documentation, training materials, workflows, and tracking tools.
• Knowledge of SharePoint or similar collaboration platforms.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain confidential personnel, student, and financial information with discretion.

Be Bold.

Position Description:

• Coordinate faculty and staff onboarding and offboarding activities, including administration of established checklists, tracking task completion, requesting required system access and resources, maintaining documentation, and communicating with departmental and University partners.
• Support faculty departures by coordinating offboarding processes, monitoring completion of required actions, assisting with equipment transfers, facilitating lab closeout activities, tracking deadlines, leading operational meetings, and providing regular status updates to departmental leadership.
• Manage the department's student employment processes, including assisting with position postings, hiring and onboarding activities, monitoring completion of required employment documentation and training, coordinating system access, maintaining employee records, and serving as a resource for student employees and supervisors.
• Develop and maintain tracking systems to monitor onboarding, offboarding, student employment, operational activities, and departmental initiatives to ensure timely completion of required actions and accurate recordkeeping.
• Compile data and prepare routine reports, summaries, and operational updates for departmental leadership. Monitor progress, identify discrepancies, track outstanding items, and provide information to support business decisions and operational planning.
• Maintain and reconcile departmental financial trackers, verify supporting documentation, research discrepancies, prepare analyses, and provide recommendations and observations regarding trends, issues, and process improvements.
• Assist in the development, enhancement, and maintenance of process documentation, standard operating procedures, checklists, training materials, and reference guides that promote operational consistency and continuity.
• Provide administrative and operational support to faculty, staff, and departmental leadership by responding to inquiries, answering process-related questions, troubleshooting routine issues, and escalating matters involving policy interpretation, compliance concerns, personnel decisions, or operational risk.
• Collaborate with departmental and University partners to ensure compliance with established procedures, improve operational efficiency, and support exceptional customer service throughout the department.

The above statements describe the general nature and level of work being performed by individuals assigned to this classification. This is not intended to be an exhaustive list of all responsibilities and duties required of personnel so classified.

Choose Duke.

The Department of Electrical and Computer Engineering is a collaborative and innovative academic community dedicated to advancing education, research, and technological discovery. As part of one of the nation's leading research universities, you will work alongside faculty, staff, and students who are making meaningful contributions in areas ranging from computing and artificial intelligence to communications, energy systems, and emerging technologies.

At Duke University, you'll find opportunities to grow professionally while contributing to a mission-driven organization committed to excellence, innovation, and service. You'll join a supportive team environment where collaboration, continuous improvement, and exceptional service are highly valued.