Senior Administrative Assistant, Academy of Food Marketing

Position Title:

Senior Administrative Assistant, Academy of Food Marketing

Time Type:

Full time

Position Summary and Qualifications:

The Senior Administrative Assistant plays a key role in the daily operations of the Academy of Food Marketing (AFM) and the Food Marketing Educational Foundation (FMEF). This position is responsible for managing line-item budgets, ensuring accurate accounting and reporting, supporting scholarship administration, and serving as a liaison with vendors, university departments, and board members. The role also includes office management and executive-level administrative support and requires the ability to maintain confidentiality with student and financial records.

This is a high-impact role that supports the mission of AFM and FMEF by ensuring operational excellence, financial integrity, and smooth coordination of initiatives, events, and communications.

Essential Duties and Responsibilities:

Financial Operations & Budget Management

• Manage daily accounts payable and receivable, including invoice processing, revenue collection, and reconciliation of accounts through the University’s electronic record-keeping system.

• Maintain and update accounting ledgers; collaborate with the Controller’s Office to verify transactions and resolve discrepancies.

• Prepare and file financial records and support annual audits and reporting, as needed.

• Assist the Executive Director in developing and tracking the annual operating budgets for AFM and FMEF.

• Work directly with vendors, auditors, bankers, attorneys, and insurance agents to manage AFM finances and daily operations

Scholarship Administration

• Manage external Food Marketing scholarships: maintain website content, process applications, schedule interviews, and coordinate recognition events.

• Serve as the primary point of contact for donors, partner organizations and student applicants.

• Communicate with the Office of Financial Aid to ensure proper allocation of scholarship funds.

• Coordinate and serve as the main contact for department events such as the annual Food Marketing Scholarship Donor Brunch, including logistics, scheduling, invitations, menu, etc.

Administrative & Operational Support

• Provide day-to-day administrative support to the Executive Director and AFM team, including scheduling, calendar management, and office operations.

• Serve as the receptionist/first point of contact for students and other visitors to the AFM suite

• Manage hiring, scheduling, and payroll for student workers and graduate assistants.

• Coordinate logistics for faculty travel and expense reimbursements associated with the Peck Fellowship.

Event & Board Coordination

• Plan and flawlessly execute logistics for three annual board meetings and other events, including meeting space, AV setup, catering, materials preparation, name tags, travel details and hotel reservations, and timely transcription of meeting minutes.

• Maintain board directories, monitor tenure, and track member commitments.

Co-op and Student Development Support

• Assist the Director of Co-op with co-op interview logistics, including booking interview rooms, creating and managing interview schedules between company representatives and students.

• Support logistics coordination for student experiential learning trips and events, including room and travel reservations and itinerary details.

Communications & Project Management

• Help manage AFM communications: email blasts, event updates, website content, and promotional materials.

• Create presentations and generate customized reports for recruitment, student development, the co-op program, and donor relations.

• Collaborate on special projects and cross-functional initiatives as needed.

Minimum Qualifications (Education/Training and Experience):

Required

• 5+ years of experience in operations or administrative support.

• Strong organizational skills and attention to detail with the ability to manage multiple priorities with on-time deliverables.

• Excellent written and verbal communication skills; strong interpersonal skills and a collaborative mindset.

• Proficient in Microsoft Office Suite (especially Excel and PowerPoint), Google Workspace, and Zoom.

• Experience with web content management and basic social media platforms.

• Self-starter with a proactive, team-oriented approach.

Preferred:

• Experience in a higher education, nonprofit, customer service, or retail setting.

Physical Requirements and/or Unusual Work Hours:

• Standard office hours with occasional early mornings or evenings for events or meetings.

Pay Transparancy:

The estimated pay range for this position is $23.00-$26.00 per hour. Offered compensation will be commensurate with work experience and educational background. Click here to learn more about the University's approach to pay and benefits transparency.

Notice to Out of State Applicants:  

Saint Joseph’s University may only consider applicants from Pennsylvania, New Jersey, New York (not including New York City zip codes), and Delaware (Delaware residents must regularly be present for over 50% of work time on an SJU campus).  If an employee must relocate to meet these conditions, financial assistance may be available but is not guaranteed.

Saint Joseph’s University is a private, Catholic, Jesuit institution and we expect members of our community to be knowledgeable about – and to make a positive contribution to – our mission. Saint Joseph’s University is an equal opportunity employer that seeks to recruit, develop and retain a talented and diverse workforce. The University is committed to the diversity of its faculty and staff so that our students, our disciplines and our community as a whole can benefit from the multiple perspectives it offers. The University seeks qualified candidates who share our commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion. EOE

Saint Joseph’s University prohibits discrimination on the basis of sex in its programs and activities, including admission and employment, in accordance with Title IX of the Education Amendments of 1972. The Title IX Coordinator is responsible for overseeing compliance with Title IX and other civil rights laws and regulations. To contact the Title IX Coordinator, e-mail [email protected], visit Campion Student Center suite 243, or call 610-660-1145. To learn more about the University’s Title IX policies, the process for filing a report or formal complaint of sex discrimination, sexual harassment, or other form of sexual misconduct, and the University’s response to reports and/or formal complaints, please visit www.sju.edu/titleix. Inquiries may also be directed to the Federal agency responsible for enforcing Title IX, the U.S. Department of Education Office for Civil Rights.

Applicant Information & Disclosures

Please review this article of important information pertaining (but not limited) to: Background checks, the Form I-9, Equal Opportunity Employment (EOE), and Title IX.

Pay Transparency & Benefits Overview

Read more about the university's approach to pay and benefits transparency.