This position reports directly to the Early Childhood Initiatives Officer of the Early Childhood Innovation Center (ECIC) and works closely in accomplishing the purposes of the Center and its programs. The administrative assistant will be the point-person on a range of day-to-day activities, from helping support the functions of the ECIC, to anticipating challenges and serving as a tireless problem solver. The Administrative Assistant will support the work of the ECIC office’s focus on the Child Development Associate (CDA) and scholarship program support. The assistant will also work with the scholarship coordinator to assist with application processing, technical assistance, and providing excellent customer service.

The following are the functions essential to performing this job:

• Provides administrative support to the ECIC and helps coordinate team operations, schedules, and activities; including but not limited to, various calendars, plans and prepares all relevant documentation and assists with researching issues; coordinates and schedules meetings through Outlook; coordinate logistics for meetings including scheduling meeting rooms, setting up conference calls, and securing equipment as needed.
• Assists scholarship coordinator with various activities such as processing scholarship applications, setting up and updating user accounts in scholarship portal, supporting new and potential scholars.
• Assists the CDA coordinator with various activities such as responding to inquiries regarding the CDA, providing instruction and support assisting students in all areas of the enrollment/registration process, and advising students into the correct phase of CDA process (or connect them with the appropriate success coach/program coordinator).
• Coordinates travel arrangements and prepares reimbursement documents, following Department procedures.
• Attends and take notes/minutes at team and/or various committee meetings for dissemination to ECIC leadership and other stakeholders.
• Performs other related duties as assigned.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

The individual in this job must possess these skills and abilities or be able to explain and demonstrate that they can perform the essential functions of the job, with or without reasonable accommodation, using some other combination of skills and abilities.

• Excellent interpersonal, oral, and written communication skills.
• Experience with coordinating efforts with various internal/external stakeholders and community partners to ensure projects/initiatives are executed in the most efficient way possible.
• The individual will be versatile, have strong technological, organizational, clerical, and writing skills, and who will create and maintain a positive tone throughout the team.
• Proactively alert management of potential anticipated issues.
• Ability to connect individuals seeking information on early childhood programs and services to the correct agency/person.
• Superior ability problem-solve effectively and efficiently, while anticipating any potential barriers ahead of time before they effect project/program/reporting timelines.
• Excellent time management skills, with the ability to consistently produce results when up against tight deadlines.
• Perform other tasks that may be assigned by the Early Childhood Initiatives Officer.
• Understand the mission of DSU as a Historically Black College and University (HBCU).

• Associates Degree in Business Management or a related field (early childhood administration) or equivalent experience preferred.
• 1-3 years of office management experience preferred.
• 1-3 years of successful experience in office managing, analyzing, and reporting using Microsoft Excel, Microsoft Word, Access, and PowerPoint preferred.
• Knowledge of early childhood education licensing requirements preferred.
• Bilingual preferred.

The criteria for evaluation in this position include, but are not limited to, the following:

• Demonstrated knowledge of the DSU core values.
• Demonstrated ability to manage the day-to-day administrative needs of the Center.
• Demonstrated strong customer service.

Note: The University reserves the right to change or reassign job duties as provided in policy and negotiated agreements.

Delaware State University is an equal opportunity employer committed to fostering a diverse and inclusive academic global community. The University is dedicated to enhancing diversity and inclusion in all aspects of recruitment and employment. All qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression, national origin, ancestry, citizenship status, physical disability, mental disability, medical condition, military and veteran status, marital status, pregnancy, genetic information, or any other characteristic protected by state or federal law. The University is committed to achieving a diverse faculty and staff and encourages members of underrepresented groups to apply.