Administrative Assistant I

This Administrative Assistant will provide administrative and office support to the Animal Care, and Conservation Research Departments within the Animal Care and Science Division (ACSD). This position assists Department leadership teams to prioritize day-to-day operations, such as producing purchase orders, tracking invoices, and submitting payroll records. The Animal Care and Conservation Research Departments are dynamic and fast-paced.  A successful Administrative Assistant will have a high attention to detail, excellent communication skills, and the ability to handle multiple tasks throughout the workday. This position reports to and works closely with the ACSD Executive Assistant to align duties for maximum support and efficiency across the Division.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

• include the following. Other duties may be assigned. For success as the Administrative Assistant the right individual will perform all duties at a high level of proficiency that meet or exceed expectations. 
• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill and/or ability required. 
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.
• Demonstrate commitment to Shedd’s vision, mission and values.

Communication

• Provide scheduling assistance and coordination for Department and team meetings, forums, and workshops.
• Serve as point of contact for outside vendors regarding purchase orders and invoices.
• Provide clear communication on the status of purchase orders, invoices, and check requests.
• Provide customer service functions as a point of contact for public and internal inquiries; use relationship skills to manage customer expectations.

Administrative

• Produce purchase orders, track invoices and check requests to ensure prompt payment of vendors, contractors, and consultants. 
• Provide check and balance for travel expense reports and credit cards and justify all travel advances with accounting staff members. 
• Track supply, uniform, and other consumables to maintain consistent inventories.
• Complete travel logistics as directed including booking flights, hotels, and vehicle rentals.  
• Perform general clerical duties including data entry, editing, correspondence, filing, and photocopying. 
• Ship/track materials, sort/collect mail for departments.
• Act as on-site support for external guest visits, workshops and forums as assigned, and support and leverage work with counterparts across the organization.
• Work collaboratively with other administrators across the organization, identifying opportunities for increased efficacy and smooth operations
• Engage personally in continuous training on the business-critical platforms, such as Intacct, ADP, MS Teams, and SharePoint, to be a more knowledgeable and efficient “champion” of best practices in each of them.
• Organize and order meals as needed for meetings/programs.
• Other miscellaneous office and accounting ad hoc duties.
• Payroll
• Oversee and produce bi-weekly payroll records for the Animal Care and Conservation Research Departments.
• Other duties as assigned.

QUALIFICATIONS 

• To be successful as the Administrative Assistant, an individual must be able to perform each essential duty to meet or exceed expectations.
• The requirements listed below are representative of the knowledge, skill, and/or ability required.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

EDUCATION:

• Bachelor’s degree preferred, but not required.
• High school diploma with supplemental training in clerical skills through a business college or technical school or an equivalent combination of training and experience will be accepted in lieu of a degree.

EXPERIENCE & CHARACTERISTICS:

• Minimum of three years secretarial and administrative experience.
• Able to maintain a high level of integrity and discretion in handling confidential information. 
• Highly resourceful team player with the ability to complete a high volume of tasks and make appropriate, informed decisions regarding priorities and available time.
• Ability to switch gears at a moment's notice and to react with appropriate levels of urgency to situations and events that require quick response or turnaround.
• Must be self-motivated and demonstrate good initiative.
• Excellent communication and interpersonal skills are required.
• Must be proficient with Microsoft Office Suite. 
• Experience with payroll systems preferred. 
• Interest in zoo and aquarium operations preferred.

LANGUAGE SKILLS:

• Ability to read, write, speak and comprehend English fluently.
• Ability to read and comprehend complex instructions given from written and oral sources. 
• Ability to write professional business correspondence.
• Ability to effectively present information to and collaborate with all levels of employees and external partners.
• Excellent communication skills that exemplify a dedication to customer service and collaboration.

MATHEMATICAL SKILLS

• Ability to understand basic mathematical relationships and formulas.
• Ability to understand and employ intermediate level accounting mathematics.

REASONING ABILITY

• Ability to work with little or no supervision.
• Ability to work within a team environment.
• Ability to use common sense techniques in solving problems.
• Ability to solve complex logical problems.
• Ability to use diplomacy and tact when dealing with problems.
• Ability to identify problems and determine the best course of action for their resolution.
• Ability to critically evaluate information for accuracy and usefulness in solving problems.
• Ability to deal with problems involving several concrete variables in a variety of situations.

COMPUTER SKILLS AND ABILITIES

• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite (Outlook, Excel, Word, Teams, and PowerPoint)
• Familiarity with payroll and accounting software, such as ADP and Intacct
• Familiarity with or ability to learn other software packages

PHYSICAL DEMANDS

• The physical demands described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

• Lift up to 20 pounds
• Sit
• Stand
• Stoop
• Walk

WORK ENVIRONMENT:

• The work environment characteristics described here are representative of those an employee encounters while performing the essential functions of this job.
• Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

This person may be exposed to:

• Water
• Hazardous chemicals
• Low noise
• Moderate Noise
• Loud Noise
• Ambassador animals including birds, mammals, and invertebrates
• We strongly encourage people of color, LGBTQ+ community, veterans and active duty military, parents, individuals with disabilities, and individuals from all cultural backgrounds to apply.
• Shedd Aquarium is an equal opportunity employer and welcomes everyone to our team.
• If you need a reasonable accommodation at any point in the application or interview process, please let us know. In your application, please feel free to select which pronouns you use (For example – she/her/hers, he/him/his, they/them/theirs).