Assistant to Chief Marketing Officer/Senior Operations Specialist -- Gies College of Business

Office of Marketing & Communications

Gies College of Business at the University of Illinois is seeking applicants for the Assistant to the CMO position to join our team of nearly 30 plus marketing and communications professionals. If hired, you will work closely with marketing managers, writers, designers and others on the MarCom team that serves the entire college.

The MarCom team plays a pivotal role in promoting the College’s work to shape purposeful leaders through life-changing access to education, research, and innovation. Creativity, strategy, and collaboration are keys to our team's success as we grow the reputation and brand of Gies Business, a Top 5 public business school. As Assistant to the CMO, you'll be a critical support to those who lead the marketing and communications efforts of the College units to implement and manage strategies and projects.

Job Summary

Serve as administrative assistant in support of the Chief Marketing Officer and assist and advise in the planning and administration of the daily activities of the Office of Marketing and Communications in Gies College of Business. The position is responsible for assisting with purchasing and human resource activities within the unit.

Duties & Responsibilities

• Administrative Assistant • Maintains an accurate and detailed calendar for the CMO - manage and log incoming scheduling requests, reschedule meetings upon request, proactively communicate changes, and anticipate and respond to scheduling conflicts in a timely manner; • organize internal and external meetings for the CMO, including notifying attendees, reserving conference rooms, handling logistics, etc; • collaborate with other assistants to successfully coordinate schedules across teams; • assists other members of the MarCom leadership team to set meetings; manages correspondence, and electronic documentation as needed; • plans and manages departmental meetings – including staff meetings, staff retreats, departmental guests, and all professional development team meetings; • assists events team with college events as requested; • manages overall office activity including parking reservations, maintenance of office equipment, mail, furniture, facilities, purchasing office supplies, space reporting and keys; and submits work orders as requested; • responsible for managing confidential data and communications of importance; assists with onboarding; works in project management systems to help coordinate work;
  maintains departmental policies and procedures; performs any other relevant duties as assigned.
• Purchasing support • Serves as primary contact to Gies Business Partners collaborating on procurement, inventory, and expense reimbursements needed for the office by initiating transactions and providing necessary information and documentation in accordance with University and College policies and procedures. • Responsible for facilitating the flow of purchasing information from across the Office of Marketing and Communications to the Gies Financial Partners office using team project management and communications channels and processes. • Provides reports on spending and updates on status of specific payments. Responsible for ensuring purchasing work is completed in a timely manner so as not to delay any of the team’s projects, most of which are deadline-driven.
• Human Resources
  • Serves as liaison and point-of-contact between MarCom and Gies HR Partners;
  • Acts as a liaison and collaborates with Gies HR Partner regarding MarCom employment requests;
  • Provides administrative support to management and staff with hiring of student and professional staff, including internal recruitment of search committees;
  • Submits hiring requests to the Gies HR Shared Partners for all student, academic hourly, extra help, and retiree/rehire employment.
  • Communicates unit policies and procedures regarding employment to new employees as directed by supervisor; Submits unit organizational chart updates to HR Partner as directed by supervisor;
  • Provides resignation information to HR Partners;
  • Maintains all unit-level confidential files related to human resource activity within the unit, including job applicants;
  • Assists with timesheet approval for academic hourlies and student workers;
  • Coordinates scheduling of interviews and ensures communication flows properly between hiring manager and search chair;
  • Facilitates new employee unit onboarding, including scheduling meetings with MarCom team members and others throughout the college;
  • Coordinates unit off-boarding of employees;
  • Works independently on specific projects as assigned.

Additional Physical Demands

Responsibility:
The employee, while under the general supervision of the CMO, performs a majority of duties, tasks and responsibilities independently, involving wide latitude of personal judgment and a high degree of confidentiality – being discrete in handling confidential matters. The employee must display initiative in resolving matters requiring a high degree of diplomacy. The employee must demonstrate skillfulness in promoting the goodwill of the Office of Marketing and Communications as well as Gies College of Business.

Difficulty:
Must have a positive, can-do attitude and be flexible to respond to changing project parameters and evolving business needs. Must be responsive to the sensitivities and needs of a diverse staff, anticipating and resolving problems.

This position’s duties are varied and complex, consisting of multiple, unstructured tasks, requiring flexibility and the ability to anticipate unexpected circumstances. Must be intuitive when establishing priorities for important projects, successfully meeting deadlines within restrictive time frames, and meeting the financial needs/restrictions of the projects. Must have a high level of diplomacy in dealing with MarCom staff, and vendors, as well as College staff and faculty who request projects.

Minimum Qualifications

1. High school graduation or equivalent
2. Any one or any combination totaling five (5) years (60 months) from the following categories:
A. college course work in business, finance, accounting or a related field:
60 semester hours or an Associate's degree equals one (1) year (12 months)
90 semester hours equals two (2) years (24 months)
120 semester hours or a Bachelor's degree equals three (3) years (36 months)
Master's degree or higher equals four (4) years (48 months)
B. progressively more responsible general or specialized office experience which included aspects of supervising staff or a job function, organizing, and performing duties that lead to knowledge of generally accepted office principles

Preferred Qualifications

Bachelor's degree in business administration, management or a field related to position.
Three (3) years of professional-level accounting, managerial and/or business experience, including one year at an administrative level.
Extensive experience in project management and managing an office is essential.

Knowledge, Skills and Abilities

• • Comprehensive and intimate knowledge of policies and procedures of a College and understands Campus operations. Must have knowledge of the Business and Financial Policies and Procedures Manual, Nonacademic Policies and Procedures, Student Handbooks, Banner financial and human resource systems applications, etc. • Excellent managerial and organizational skills are essential. Must be able to manage deadlines and have the temperament to work closely with staff to meet those deadlines and remain calm even under the stress of deadlines. Must be proficient in writing, grammar, oral communication and the application of computer software and hardware. • Proficiency in administrative procedures and practices is required. Extensive experience with project management and managing an office is essential.

Appointment Information

This is a 100% full-time Civil Service Administrative Aide position, appointed on a 12-month basis. The expected start date is as soon as possible after after the close of the search. Salary is competitive and commensurate with qualifications and experience while also considering internal equity. The budgeted salary range for this position is $55,000-$60,000. This position may work in a hybrid home/office environment as agreed upon by supervisor. A path for professional growth is embedded in this and every position in the Gies Office of Marketing and Communications. Sponsorship for work authorization is not available for this position.

For more information about Gies Business, visit https://inside.giesbusiness.illinois.edu/work-at-gies.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

For more information on Civil Service classifications, please visit the SUCSS web site at https://www.sucss.illinois.gov/pages/classspec/default.aspx.

Application Procedures & Deadline Information

Applications must be received by 6:00 pm (Central Time) on July 31, 2025 Apply for this position using the Apply Now button at the top or bottom of this posting. In order to be considered as a transfer candidate, you must apply for this position. Applications not submitted through https://jobs.illinois.edu will not be considered. If required by the position, transcripts or other documentation of credentials are to be provided no later than the first day of employment. For further information about this specific position, please contact rgoben@illinois.edu. For questions regarding the application process, please contact 217-333-2137.

The University of Illinois offers a very competitive benefits portfolio, depending on the position. Click for a complete list of Employee Benefits.

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The University of Illinois System is an equal opportunity employer, including but not limited to disability and/or veteran status, and complies with all applicable state and federal employment mandates. Please visit Required Employment Notices and Posters to view our non-discrimination statement and find additional information about required background checks, sexual harassment/misconduct disclosures, and employment eligibility review through E-Verify.

Applicants with disabilities are encouraged to apply and may request a reasonable accommodation under the Americans with Disabilities Act (2008) to complete the application and/or interview process. Accommodations may also be requested on the basis of pregnancy, childbirth, and related conditions, or religion. Requests may be submitted through the reasonable accommodations portal, or by contacting the Accessibility & Accommodations Division of the Office for Access and Equity at 217-333-0885, or by emailing accessibility@illinois.edu.

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Requisition ID: 1031411
Job Category: Professional and Administrative
Apply at: https://jobs.illinois.edu