G07/462 UNIVERSITY OF OTAGO Te Whare Wananga o Otago JOB DESCRIPTION JOB TITLE: DEPARTMENT: DIVISION: Administrative Assistant Psychology Sciences The Department of Psychology is a large and progressive department in the Division of Sciences, with over 1800 students and more than 50 academic and general staff. The staff of the Department is actively involved in teaching and research, and the Department supports large laboratory classes as part of its undergraduate teaching responsibilities. PRIME FUNCTION To provide administrative assistance in accordance with the Co-ordinators/Laboratory Coordinators/ Teaching Fellows requirements for the smooth and efficient running of the Experimental Participation Pool and laboratory and lecture classes for Psychology 200 and 300 students. MAIN OBJECTIVES Successful administration of Psychology 200/300-level laboratory and teaching programmes. Provide administrative assistance for Psychology 200-level papers as directed by the Psychology 200-level Co-ordinators, the Laboratory Co-ordinators and the Teaching Fellows. Provide administrative support for Psychology 300-level papers, as directed by the Psychology 300 Co-ordinator, the Psychology 300 Lecturers and Teaching Fellows. Provide support for the Psychology 200-level and 300-level Demonstrators, as required. Administration of the Experimental Participation Pool. KEY TASKS Psychology 203 and 204 Liaise closely with the lecturers, laboratory co-ordinators and Teaching Fellows for Psychology 203 and 204. Take telephone enquiries concerning Psychology 203 and 204 and deal with numerous student enquiries. Allocate all Psychology 203 students to laboratory classes, respond to requests for laboratory class changes, prepare class lists, distribute information to students about laboratory classes, organise database, key in and update personal information for all students. Organise laboratory materials weekly, update and maintain laboratory materials. Prepare handouts, as required. Attend and service weekly Psychology 203 laboratory meetings for demonstrators, provide materials and instructions for demonstrators, note taking, update demonstrators on administrative matters. Delegated responsibility to recruit Psychology 203 demonstrators.
Schedule and allocate laboratory times for teaching. Maintain and record in a database all students marks and check. Keep track of course changes and laboratory changes for all students. Record, receipt and distribute reports. Give laboratory report extensions, as appropriate. Monitor each student s progress in relation to terms requirement; send letters and compile and display a list warning students they might fail terms; provide information to course Coordinators and Student Administration on students failing terms. Set-up and maintain course information on Blackboard. Collect final examination scripts and supervise sorting of scripts into separate questions, distribute to markers, arrange for multiple choice sections to have name stickers put on and send to Information Technology Services, distribute and collect scripts from markers, enter marks into database, check each student s mark, assist computer programmer with data entry and analysis. Attend and arrange administration and materials for examiners meetings. Assist with decisions on impairments and absences requests and record decisions. Proof hardcopy of examination marks and return to Student Administration. Sort alphabetically examination scripts for storage, retrieve scripts to respond to enquiries from Student Administration. Organise date, time, venue and letters for students sitting special examinations. Supervise special examinations, collect examination scripts and sort scripts into questions, order alphabetically, distribute to markers, mark multiple choice section, enter marks into database, check all marks, provide information to course co-ordinator for checking of marks, send marks to Student Administration, ensure all official departmental lists are updated. Assist with Psychology 203 Laboratory Manual. Maintain Psychology 203 material for reserve in the Library. Photocopy lecture notes, overheads and deal with any other needs for disabled students. Respond to lecturers and demonstrators enquiries and requests for assistance. Assist with decision to allow students to Carry Terms Over. Maintain Psychology 203 notice board. Undertake other clerical/administrative duties and assist staff, as may be required. Psychology 300 Co-ordinate due dates for 300-level assignments ensuring that there are no clashes. Assist in preparation for enrolment and non-academic advice to students at enrolment. Liaise closely with the Psychology 300 Co-ordinators and Psychology 300 lecturers, as required. Take telephone enquiries concerning Psychology 300 and deal with numerous student enquiries. Provide updated class lists on request (obtainable from Administrative Secretary). After enrolment obtain from Senior Computer Programmer class lists in an Excel file as a master list of Psychology 300 students, for recording course changes and updating. Record, and receipt time on assignments and distribute the assignments to the appropriate lecturer. Photocopy various 300-level assignments. Maintain and record in an Excel database of all 300-level students marks, and check. Key in all 300-level internal marks including tests, lab reports and proposals into Excel and check. Set-up and maintain course information on Blackboard. Proctor tests. Collect final examination scripts, copy absentee list, deliver scripts, absentee list and spare copies to appropriate lecturers.
Obtain printout of marks and distributions for each paper and provide copies for each person attending the examiners meeting. Arrange administration and materials and attend examiners meeting, take notes, record distributions of marks for each paper accepted by the meeting, provide minutes for Coordinator s approval, and provide a copy of the minutes to HOD s office, proof hardcopy of examination marks for return to Student Administration. Organise date, time, venue and letters for students sitting special examinations, supervise special examinations, provide booklets, collect examination scripts, distribute to lecturers, arrange for marks to be sent to Student Administration, ensure all official departmental lists are updated. Sort alphabetically examination scripts for storage, retrieve and copy scripts to respond to enquiries from Student Administration. Organise course evaluations for Psychology 300-level papers, distribute and collect questionnaires, enter data on computer file, analyse data producing means and frequency tables, calculate interpolated medians, provide copies to HOD, 300-level Co-ordinator and lecturers concerned. Respond to lecturers enquiries and requests for assistance. Maintain Psychology 300 material for reserve in the Library. Arrange for any photocopying of notes for Psychology 300 students, as required. Photocopy lecture notes, overheads and deal with any other needs for disabled students. Maintain Psychology 300 notice board. Undertake other clerical/administrative duties and assist staff, as may be required. Experimental Participation Pool Allocate each experiment with a study number and ensure the necessary forms are given to the collaborator. Maintain EP online system. Maintain EP database for experimenters, participants, etc. Mark all summary sheets. Provide the necessary administration for each EP collaborator. Answer queries, and other associated duties, as required. Departmental Assist the Psychology 200-level Co-ordinators with the administration of Psychology 201/202 between 8.30 am to 9.30 am and 1.00pm to 5.00pm, or as necessary, for example when the Psychology 201/202 Administrative Assistant is on leave: - General enquiries. - Temporary/permanent laboratory changes. - Collecting reports on due dates. - Giving extensions, as appropriate. - Supervision of special exams. On request, assist the Psychology 100-level Administrative Assistant. Arrange the Department s photocopying/printing requirements, maintain database. Maintain Departmental and Today notice boards on a daily basis. Telephone relief in absence of Secretary/Receptionist. Undertake other clerical/administrative duties and assist staff, as may be required. RELATIONSHIPS
Directly responsible to: Supervision of: Functional relationships with: Psychology 200/300 Co-ordinators. Head of Department. N/A. Experimental Participation Collaborators. All Psychology Administrative Assistants. Psychology 200/300-level students on a daily basis. Psychology 200/300 Laboratory Co-ordinators, Demonstrators, and Teaching Fellows. Academic and General staff. Disability Information and Support, Student Administration, ITS, Printery, Library, photocopy agents. BUDGETARY RESPONSIBILITY Preparation of the PSYC 203 demonstrators budget. Appointment of demonstrators for PSYC 203 within the constraints of the demonstrators budget. EXPECTED OUTCOMES Efficient administration of the Psychology 203/300 laboratory classes. Accurate maintenance of the Psychology 203/300-level database. Successful recruitment of Psychology 203 demonstrators. Efficient running of the Experimental Participation Pool. Efficient organisation of the Department s photocopying and printing requests. Daily maintenance of Departmental notice boards. Assistance is provided to other team members, as required. PERSON SPECIFICATION Relevant School Certificate, 6th Form Certificate, University Entrance subjects, or relevant National Certificate Education Achievement. Substantial proven clerical/administrative experience, preferably in a University environment. Computer literacy and database skills, e.g: Microsoft Access Pegasus Mail Eudora Photoshop Microsoft Word Excel Blackboard WWW An ability to: - Liaise and develop productive working relationships with staff and students. - Prioritise tasks and provide successful outcomes. - Initiate tasks without direction and exercise discretion and sound judgement. - Have a practical approach to problem solving. - Communicate clearly and concisely both verbally and in writing. - Accept and respond positively to change. - Show a willingness to learn new skills. - Present a professional image. Accuracy, thoroughness and attention to detail, along with the ability to work quickly and accurately in meeting deadlines with conflicting demands. The ability to work independently and as part of a team, and to demonstrate initiative and flexibility.
Respects confidentiality. SALARY RANGE AND LEVEL This position is at Level 3, on the University of Otago General Staff salary scale, the full salary range for this level being $33,577 to $40,982 per annum. The University operates an eight level salary structure applicable to most General Staff, with Level 1 being the lowest and Level 8 being the highest. INITIAL SALARY ON APPOINTMENT The expectation is that initial appointment will normally be made within the range $33,577 to $37,279 per annum. ANNUAL SALARY REVIEW Placement of staff within salary ranges is reviewed annually. The general staff annual salary review is carried out between August and December of each year, with any resulting increases taking effect from 1 February of the following year. Staff must have been employed on or before 1 August in the year of the review to be eligible for advancement the following February. CONTACT PERSON For further information, please contact Norma Bartlett, Administrative Secretary, Psychology, Tel 03 479 7644, Email psyhod@psy.otago.ac.nz Should the University wish to offer you the position, a formal, written letter of offer will follow any verbal discussions that might be held with you. It is recommended that you do not resign from your current employment until you have received our written offer. The contents of this formal letter of offer and its attachments will constitute the entire agreement between the employee and the employer, and will supersede all previous representations, negotiations, commitments and communications, either written or oral between the parties. Any agreements will only be binding on the employer where they have been formally offered by the Human Resources Division and accepted by the employee.
While this position is open to applications from outside of Dunedin, New Zealand, unless otherwise stated relocation assistance will not be available should the successful applicant currently reside elsewhere in the country or world. University of Otago PO Box 56 Dunedin NEW ZEALAND Tel 64 3 479 8269 Fax 64 3 479 8279 Email: job.applications@otago.ac.nz