Administrative Assistant 2

Job Summary

Central Washington University is recruiting an Administrative Assistant 2 to join our Theatre and Film team in Ellensburg, Washington. This role is an important member of our team as they enhance the vision for the University. The role is a campus-based position, which means you get to see the lives you are impacting. We're offering a salary, depending on experience, from $43,980 - $58,584 annually plus the awesome CWU benefits.

Who we are:

We are a team of individuals committed to Changing Students' Lives. No matter what job, each of us plays a part in supporting and empowering our students to fulfill their dreams.  

Working in higher education provides career growth and career choice. Think of a university campus like a mini city, operating across 380 acres. You'll find diverse academics, libraries, athletics and sporting events, full service and quick serve dining, conferences and events from small to large, recreation centers, housing, health services, police and public safety for the campus population of ~8,300 students.

Central Washington University has been named a Fulbright U.S. Scholar Program Top Producing Institution for the 2022-2023 academic year.  In addition, for seven out of eight years, CWU was a recipient of the prestigious Higher Education Excellence in Diversity (HEED) Award from INSIGHT Into Diversity magazine. RentCafe has also named CWU #13 of the Top 20 Best College Towns in the U.S. in 2025. 

Come join us on our journey to encourage, inspire, and create spaces where all identities thrive on campus.

Tour our campus in Ellensburg here. www.youtube.com/watch?v=HjdhOegDa9A

What we offer:

Our investment in you begins the day you join our team, a healthy and successful future for you is important to us. We offer medical, dental, life and disability insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, tuition assistance for you and your dependents, discounts across town, an employee assistance program for individualized counseling, and a wellness incentive program. Learn more: Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator. 

The Role:

The Administrative Assistant 2 provides support to the Chair of the Theatre & Film Department and is responsible for coordinating office operations; independently planning, organizing, and prioritizing work; fiscal support; and supervising students. The Administrative Assistant 2 directly affects the vision, mission, and values of Central Washington University by creating and promoting a welcoming environment where students, faculty, and staff feel supported. All employees are expected to uphold and contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values, fostering a culture of student success and institutional excellence.

Job Duties

Administrative/Clerical Support:
- Schedule and arrange meetings and/or classes.
- Provides excellent customer service by responding to inquiries about department/University procedures and services, identify issues, providing options, fulfilling services, and applying knowledge and judgement to assist.
- Attends meetings as part of regular duties or on behalf of the chair; transcribes and disseminates notes as needed.
- Uses PeopleSoft functions to update and maintain class rosters, enter student and major information, and perform queries; uses Financial Management System (FMS) for similar activities regarding budget reports and queries.
- Processes departmental transactions: applies departmental/university policies and procedures as they relate to areas such as: payroll, travel, fiscal operations, financial/human resource systems, etc.
- Processes administrative forms.
- Establishes and maintains manual and electronic filing systems.
- Post information to various electronic or manual records according to procedures and standards; maintain records in accordance with records retention guidelines.
- Answers telephone(s); receives and refers visitors including university personnel, students, and/or the public. Screens and distributes mail and messages; distributes records, office supplies and other materials.
- Monitors stock of department supplies; place orders as necessary to maintain appropriate supplies on-hand. Research availability of needed items; obtain quotes, shipping charges.
- Prepares and processes travel documents such as travel authorizations, vouchers, advances, etc.; obtain appropriate signatures; make travel arrangements, including lodging, car rentals, and airline tickets, and provides counsel to faculty and students on travel procedures.
- Maintains department web pages.
- Assists with on-boarding of new faculty and staff.
- Serves as department secretary for department searches.
- Research issues as needed and resolves problems.

Fiscal Support:
- Projects, monitors, reconciles, and initiates expenditures on department budgets; initiates requisitions, ProCard, and travel documents while staying within budget.
- Maintains budget records; reconciles budget status reports and expense projections; identifies proper budget and account; queries, prints, interprets and reads accurately a variety of complicated FMS budget reports which differ depending upon budget source.
- Creates up-to-date reports and maintains weekly budget tracking for CTE Production Budgets, monthly for class fee budgets
- Assists shop heads and/or faculty with purchasing materials
- Assists chair with developing short and long-term fiscal plans and projections for allocated monies within department.
- Develops internal procedures for recording and summarizing fiscal activity, income and expenses; provides accurate monthly reports to appropriate faculty/staff.
- Identifies problems and independently initiates corrective action, i.e., transfer money with budget changes or charge/credit forms, contact appropriate individual to get corrective action initiated and verify its success, contact vendors regarding incorrect orders, etc.
- Prepares purchase requisitions, blanket purchase orders; purchases items on ProCard within authorized limits; monitors receipt of items; verifies cost, reconciles on-line with Paymentnet entering correct program and account; maintains accurate retrievable records.
- Maintains record of student employment awards, hours used, wages received and balances.
- Requests contracts from Dean's assistant for adjuncts and verifies documentation and payments are submitted and paid as contracted.

Program Support:
- Works with department chair, Interdisciplinary Program Directors, and/or other faculty in completion of quarterly schedule; submits schedule on-time based upon deadline set by Registrar's office providing information needed at each deadline.
- Works with Chair and/or faculty to make schedule changes, as needed.
- Research room availability on Web Viewer or with other academic departments as needed to obtain appropriate facility for classes.
- Edits, prepares, and submits catalog copy, course scheduling changes and corrections.
- Maintains departmental bulletin board/student job board.

- Perform other duties as assigned.

Minimum Qualifications

• Increasingly responsible clerical/administrative experience 
• Proficient use of Word, Excel, e-mail and/or similar software applications to produce written correspondence, create and maintain spreadsheets, databases, and receive and respond to e-mail inquiries, tasks, etc.
• Excellent communication, interpersonal and organizational skills, and customer service experience.
• Ability to provide excellent customer service including listening to customers, identify issues, provide options, fulfill services, and exercise knowledge of procedures to assist others
• Ability to effectively organize multiple work assignments, involve competing priorities to produce work products that are accurate, of a high quality and meet deadlines
• Attention to detail and strong time management skills
• Demonstrated willingness and/or experience working with students and/or co-workers from a wide range of abilities, backgrounds, and experiences.
• OR applicable combination of education and/or experience which demonstrates the ability to perform the essential functions of the position.

Preferred Qualifications

• Experience with financial, human resources and/or student data systems such as PeopleSoft and/or other system(s)
• Fiscal experience, training and/or education that demonstrates the ability to monitor and reconcile budgets, budgeting, payroll, travel, purchasing, compile and interpret fiscal data and provide related reports
• Supervisory experience
• Demonstrated participation in programs designed to promote inclusion.
• Demonstrated commitment to improving access to higher education for students through various activities.
• Life experiences that demonstrate an ability to contribute to CWU's vision, mission, and values.

Competencies

• Accountability/Dependability: Accepts responsibility for quality of own work; acknowledges and corrects mistakes. Shows up on time, meets standards, deadlines, and work schedules.
• Judgement: Makes timely, informed decisions. Analyzes options and determines appropriate course of action.
• Teamwork: Promotes cooperation and mutual support to achieve goals. Encourages participation and mutual support.
• Adaptability/Flexibility: Responds positively to changing business needs and responsibilities. Adapts approach and methods to achieve results; recovers quickly from setbacks and finds alternatives.
• Commitment to Belonging: Values the uniqueness of every individual and fosters an environment where everyone feels respected and empowered to thrive.

Don't meet every single requirement? At CWU, we're committed to creating a welcoming and genuine workplace. If you're excited about this role but your experience doesn't align perfectly with every qualification, we still encourage you to apply. This could be the opportunity you're looking for!

Pay, Benefits, & Work Schedule

Salary: This position is based on the range 41 of the Washington State Classification Listing, which has a minimum annual salary of $43,980 and maximum annual salary of $58,584. In accordance with RCW 49.58.110, the above salary reflects the full salary range for this position. Individual placement within the range is based on the candidate's current experience, education, skills, and abilities related to the position. 

Schedule/Appointment: Monday - Friday, 8:00am-5:00pm (1 hour lunch)

Working Conditions: Work is performed in an indoor office setting with frequent in-person interactions.  It is essential to be able to remain at a desk/computer workstation for prolonged periods of time, perform extensive data entry and other computer-related tasks and create/maintain filing systems for departmental records.  Some evening or weekend work and/or occasional travel may be required.

Benefits: CWU offers a comprehensive benefits package including medical and dental insurance, retirement and optional savings plans, life and disability insurance, along with vacation and sick leave plans depending on employment classification. For additional information please visit Benefits, Perks, and Leave and Total Rewards Calculator. 

An employee of CWU may be eligible for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness Program if the employee has student loans. To learn more, visit: https://ofm.wa.gov/state-human-resources/public-service-loan-forgiveness-program.

How To Apply

To apply for this position, you must complete the on-line application and attach:

• A detailed cover letter clearly demonstrating how your education and experience: (a) meet the required (and, as applicable, preferred) qualifications, and (b) demonstrate the ability to perform the responsibilities as described by the posting; 
   
• Resume including work history, education, training; and
   
• Contact information for three professional references.

Screening Begins: January 27, 2026

**Priority will be given to applications received by the screening date. Incomplete applications may not be considered.