Office & Admin Specialist Sr - Admin Assistant to the Dean

All Job Postings will close at 12:01 a.m. CT on the specified Closing Date (if designated).

Working Title:

Office & Admin Specialist Sr - Admin Assistant to the Dean

Institution:

Bemidji State UniversityOffice & Admin Specialist Sr

Bargaining Unit / Union:

206: AFSCME - Clerical and Office

City:

Bemidji

FLSA:

Non Job Exempt

Full Time / Part Time:

Full time

Employment Condition:

Classified - Unlimited

Salary Range:

$22.23 - $31.68

Job Description

Bemidji State University (BSU) invites qualified applicants to join our team as an Administrative Assistant to the Dean. The Administrative Assistant provides clerical, administrative, and planning assistance to the Dean; and manages office operations of the Deans’ Suite in partnership with other College support personnel and in liaison with Academic Affairs. The person in this position manages office operations following appropriate policies and procedures to support the chairs, directors, faculty, staff, students, and visitors of BSU and assists in the coordination of school programs to reach strategic goals.

Responsibilities of the Administrative Assistant include:

• Providing administrative support for all Schools within the College. Assisting the Dean in keeping faculty and staff informed and involving them in the governance process so that the mission and strategic direction of the university is understood and met. Preparing, entering, and monitoring faculty workload assignments in Faculty Workload Management (FWM), consulting closely with school chairs and Dean. Providing lead direction to other administrative assistants within the School and associated divisions. Maintaining the Dean’s calendar. Working closely and as a team with other Deans’ Administrative Assistants to provide consistent workflows and processes with all Schools and Deans to support collaboration throughout Academic departments/Affairs.  Percentage of Time: 40%

• Assisting in the retention, evaluation, and promotion of University faculty to enable the Deans to meet all collective bargaining deadlines. This would include initiating and monitoring the timely collection of professional development and evaluation plans, faculty progress reports, promotion and tenure documents, sabbatical applications and all other personnel documents. Upkeeping of faculty rosters on rotation and rank. Proofreading all documents and submissions and routing them to the appropriate offices.  Percentage of Time: 20%

• Assisting Deans in responding to special interests and concerns of students so that their academic and personal development needs are met; administering the College office so the Deans are accessible, and that students, faculty, staff, and off-campus visitors and callers are well served, and a high-quality university is maintained.  Percentage of Time: 10%

• Hiring, training and providing work direction to office student employees to assist faculty and office operations. Cautioning them on and monitoring confidentiality of materials and work assignments, maintaining College office student employees’ time sheets and signing and submitting them by due date.  Percentage of Time: 10%

• Assisting in the recruitment and selection of College faculty so that vacancies are filled with deliberate speed and high-quality faculty membership is maintained. Supporting and coordinating interview processes with search advisory committees and human resources; providing search advisory committees with appropriate forms and paperwork for candidates; and assisting in organizing itineraries for finalists. Setting up Purchase Orders (PO) in Marketplace to assist with reimbursements, if needed, collecting forms for the Dean, including CV/Resumes, Transcripts and initiating previous employment forms when needed.  Percentage of Time: 10%

• Assisting the Dean to assign use of College facilities by the university and community. Performing other duties as assigned.  Percentage of Time: 10%

Salary Range:

Depends on Qualifications; current pay range is $22.23 - $30.09 per hour

Minimum Qualifications

• Customer service skills sufficient to provide prompt and accurate information to customers on the phone, in person, in writing, and online and to provide general and specialized office support (this requires common courtesy, tact, interest in positive problem solving, empathy, and the ability to organize ideas logically).

• Proficiency with productivity and task management software such as Microsoft Teams, Microsoft To Do, Microsoft Outlook, Teams, Zoom, Google Meets, various calendars, video conferencing platforms, etc.

• Knowledge and experience with database management and standard computer software programs for word processing, spreadsheets, and databases sufficient to create, modify, protect, and manage them (e.g. Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint and Access).

• Communication skills sufficient to write, prepare and edit reports, correspondence, procedures, presentations and other documents using proper business grammar, spelling and punctuation with excellent attention to detail and accuracy.

• Bookkeeping and math skills sufficient to maintain and monitor multiple budgets and grants, analyze various line items, and notify the Dean of any discrepancies.

• Leadwork experience and ability sufficient to manage an office, plan, organize, administer, and direct the work of other employees.

Preferred Qualification 

• Three (3) years of related experience in a professional office setting.

• Knowledge and experience working with collective bargaining agreements.

• Ability to learn and understand several privacy laws and State policies and procedures.

• A demonstrated commitment to the principles of diversity, equity, inclusion, and anti-racism.

To facilitate the review, assessment, and evaluation process, please ensure that your application and/or resume clearly demonstrate fulfillment of the minimum and preferred qualifications of the position. The application materials submitted will be utilized for salary placement purposes.

Other Requirements

• All applicants must be able to lawfully accept employment in the United States at the time of an offer of employment. The University regrets that we are unable to offer H1-B sponsorship at this time.

• Employment for this position is covered by the collective bargaining agreement for the American Federation of State, County & Municipal Employees (AFSCME) bargaining unit, which can be found at:  https://mn.gov/mmb/employee-relations/labor-relations/labor/afscme.jsp.

• In accordance with the Minnesota State Colleges and Universities (MinnState) Vehicle Fleet Safety Program, faculty and staff driving on college/university business, who use a rental or state vehicle, shall be required to complete a vehicle Use Agreement form and conform to MinnState’s vehicle use criteria and consent to motor vehicle records check annually.

• BSU and NTC are tobacco free workplaces (see policy).

Work Shift (Hours / Days of work)

Unlimited Full-time; Non-exempt; Monday – Friday 8:00 a.m. – 4:30 p.m.

Telework (Yes/No)

No

A complete application will include the following attachments:

• Cover letter, which addresses the required qualifications and your specific interest in working at BSU.

• Resume / Curriculum Vitae.

Inquiries about the position:

About

UNIVERSITY / COMMUNITY

WHY BEMIDJI:

It’s more than a job. It’s an opportunity for the extraordinary.

On the idyllic shores of Lake Bemidji, cradled among the limitless natural beauty of the North Woods and neighbored by Minnesota’s three largest Indigenous nations, Bemidji State University offers opportunities for the extraordinary.

Bemidji State University has been ranked as one of the top 30 public institutions in the Midwest region by U.S. News & World Report each year since 2019. BSU offers its diverse student body a comprehensive spectrum of opportunities with nearly 120 undergraduate degrees and emphasis areas in more than 50 areas of study, 14 pre-professional programs, and 14 graduate programs and certificates.

As Bemidji State continues its second century of service, our vision is simple: we educate people to lead inspired lives. To achieve this, BSU centers diversity, equity and inclusion as a core value and strives to create a campus culture in which all members are free to be their authentic selves. BSU also proactively engages with Indigenous communities in northern Minnesota and nationwide toward its goal of becoming a destination university.

BSU is a member of the Minnesota State system of colleges and universities, the third-largest system of higher education institutions in the United States. It shares a unique alignment with Northwest Technical College, with administration and student services generally having dual responsibilities to serve both campuses. Through this alignment, NTC students can take advantage of services, support, activities, and opportunities at BSU that expand and enhance their college experience — such as full access to BSU’s library and the ability to live in BSU’s on-campus resident housing.

For the first time, a joint strategic planning process will guide the future directions for both institutions. The schools are pursuing four shared strategic priorities: student success, the Nisidotaading initiative, northern distinction, and telling our story. These priorities will serve as the foundations for master planning processes for facilities, academic programs, fundraising, information technology, intercollegiate athletics, and diversity, equity, and inclusion, among others.

The Nisidotaading initiative — named for an Ojibwe phrase meaning “building mutual understanding” — is creating a statewide center of excellence. It will develop communities of practice meant to help Minnesota State colleges and universities better educate their campus communities on historical trauma and lived experiences of their Indigenous populations, and how to most effectively guide Indigenous students toward their educational goals. In addition, BSU is the first university in the United States to expose all of its students to a course on Indigenous people before graduation.

Bemidji State University acknowledges that it is located on land and water that is the current and ancestral homeland of the Ojibwe and Dakota. We acknowledge the painful history of genocide, forced assimilation, and efforts to alienate the Indigenous inhabitants from their territory here. We honor and respect the many diverse Indigenous peoples still connected to this land, retained tribal sovereignty, treaty rights, and cultural resilience. Indigenous people are spiritual and physical caretakers of this land to which we all belong. Bemidji State University respects these sacred lands, stands with the community members from these Nations, and will fight injustice in all its forms.

At Minnesota State, the work we do is more than just a job. In their pursuit of purpose, connection, and growth, our employees play a critical role on our campuses. They develop policies, provide essential services, and work to improve the well-being and quality of life for our students and for all Minnesotans. Minnesota State is committed to equity and inclusion, and we invest in our employees by providing benefits, support resources, and training and development opportunities. Unlock your potential through possibility.

The City of Bemidji

Bemidji State University and Northwest Technical College lie amid the lakes and forests of northern Minnesota. Bemidji State occupies a wooded campus along the western shore of Lake Bemidji while Northwest Technical College lies just three miles east, near Bemidji’s robust industrial district. 

The city sits between Minnesota’s three largest American Indian tribal nations: the Leech Lake Band of Ojibwe, the Red Lake Nation and the White Earth Nation. When settling the Bemidji area in 1750, the Ojibwe people named the lake Bemidjigamaag, which means “a lake with crossing waters” as the Mississippi River flows in from the south and exits on the east. Today, a city proper with a population of around 15,000 serves as a regional economic and cultural hub for about 100,000 Minnesotans.

Located just minutes away from a thriving downtown Bemidji, both the BSU and NTC campus communities have convenient access to affordable restaurants, fine-dining experiences, cozy coffee shops, grocery stores — including a natural foods co-op — city parks, and nearly unlimited outdoor recreational opportunities. Small, locally-owned shops and art sculptures line Bemidji's downtown streets, while national chains are also found in and around the area. The historic Paul Bunyan Playhouse has a calendar of classic shows, restaurants offer weekly live music performances, the First Friday Art Walk provides a tour of new monthly art exhibits, and annual festivals bring the community together throughout the year. 

Additionally, the North Woods setting means students, staff, and faculty have a variety of activities available at their fingertips year-round. With more than 400 lakes — and a 240-acre research forest owned by BSU — within 25 miles of the city, there is easy access to kayaking, canoeing, swimming, boating, paddle boarding, hunting, hiking, biking, foraging, fishing, and more. An expansive network of multi-use trail systems is available for running, cross-country skiing, single-track or fat-tire biking, and skijoring. Further, downhill skiing, snowboarding, and tubing lie just north of Bemidji at the Buena Vista Ski Area.

Bemidji is also near two of Minnesota’s 66 state parks: Lake Bemidji State Park, which sits along Lake Bemidji’s northern shore, and Itasca State Park, home to the majestic Mississippi River Headwaters. Both parks are popular recreational and camping destinations where locals and tourists gather for sailing, swimming, and fishing during the summer months, and skating, hockey, curling, and—yes—more fishing in the winter. 

Of course, no tour of Bemidji is complete without a visit to — and a selfie with — its two most famous residents: the iconic statues of Paul Bunyan and his trusty companion, Babe the Blue Ox. The famed duo, which has greeted visitors to Bemidji since 1937, is on the National Register of Historic Places and was once ranked by Kodak as the second most-photographed statue in America.

For further information About BSU visit our website at: http://www.bemidjistate.edu

Review a "special report on how this former lumber town has rebuilt itself as a high-speed, regional center of enterprise" at Bemidji 2.0

Other Resources:

• Visit Bemidji – https://www.visitbemidji.com/

• 218 Relocate / Greater Bemidji – https://www.218relocate.com/

• Bemidji Area Chamber of Commerce – https://www.bemidji.org/ 

• Explore Minnesota – https://www.exploreminnesota.com/article/top-things-to-do-bemidji

Statement of Notice:

Bemidji State University prohibits discrimination and sexual violence of any kind. Contact the Title IX Coordinator if you have concerns regarding discrimination and/or sexual violence.Per Minnesota State System Procedure 1B.3.1, all universities and colleges must provide contact information of their Title IX Coordinator.

Megan Zothman, Campus Human Resources Officer & Title IX Coordinator

Email: TitleIX@bemidjistate.edu or Megan.Zothman@BemidjiState.edu

Phone: (218) 755-2502

1500 Birchmont Drive NE, Deputy Hall, Room 335, Bemidji, MN 56601

Bemidji State University is an Affirmative Action Equal Opportunity Employer and Educator.  This document is available in alternative formats to individuals with disabilities. Consumers with hearing or speech disabilities may contact us via their preferred Telecommunications Relay Service.

Benefits Information:

At Minnesota State, we have a GREAT BENEFITS PACKAGE! Our generous benefits include 11 paid Holidays, Vacation Time, Sick Time, six weeks of Paid Parental Leave, low cost medical and dental insurance with low deductibles ($250 - $1500), a Pension Plan, 457(b) and 403(b) retirement plans and other retirement investment options, pre-tax medical and dental expense (with roll-over option) and dependent care accounts, employer paid life insurance, short and long term disability, as well as professional development and a tuition waiver program for employees and their dependents, etc.  We promote the health and well-being of our employees and take work/life balance seriously.

Desired Start Date:

06-15-2026

Position End Date:

Open Date:

04-14-2026

Close Date:

05-20-2026

Posting Contact Name:

Teresa Kay Vincent Hanson

Posting Contact Email:

teresa.hanson@bemidjistate.edu