Senior Office Assistant
Apply now (https://secure.dc4.pageuppeople.com/apply/1021/gateway/default.aspx?c=apply&lJobID=494223&lJobSourceTypeID=796&sLanguage=en-us) Job No: 26099
Department: Merchandising Operations
Work Type: Staff - Part Time
Location: Main Campus (Houghton, MI)
Full Time / Part Time: Part Time
Categories: Administrative/Business/Professional
Applications Close:
Michigan Technological University is an R1 technological research university founded in 1885 in Houghton. Our rural campus is situated just miles from Lake Superior in Michigan's scenic Upper Peninsula and is home to nearly 7,500 students from more than 60 countries around the world. Consistently ranked among the best universities in the country for return on investment, Michigan's flagship technological university offers more than 185 undergraduate (https://www.mtu.edu/admissions/academics/majors/) and graduate (https://www.mtu.edu/gradschool/programs/degrees/) degree programs. Research focus areas include defense, health, energy, automotive, environment, and aerospace.
The area's waters, forests, and snowfall support year-round recreation, including skiing, snowboarding, hiking, biking, and paddling. The University is an integral part of the region, supported by a friendly and welcoming community that takes pride in being a true college town. We embrace our size, climate, sense of adventure, and originality.
Summary
Michigan Technological University is seeking a Senior Office Assistant for our Merchandising Operations department. The Senior Office Assistant leads customer-facing retail operations for Michigan Tech's Merchandising Operations. The role is responsible for ensuring an exceptional customer experience, maintaining sales floor standards, and providing functional supervision to student employees during daily operations at the Campus Store and University Images. This position serves as a key on-floor leader, resolving customer issues, supporting merchandising execution, and ensuring efficient store operations.
Responsibilities and Essential Duties
Customer Experience & Leadership
Provide outstanding customer service in a professional, friendly, and inclusive manner
Serve as the primary point of contact for customer concerns, resolving issues independently, and elevating issues as necessary
Lead daily floor operations, ensuring appropriate coverage and responsiveness to customer needs
Open and close store locations in accordance with established procedures Student Employee Supervision
Provide functional supervision to student employees during shifts
Offer real-time coaching and guidance to support performance and service standards
Assist with onboarding support and reinforcement of training expectations
Retail Operations
Operate point-of-sale systems, process transactions, and balance cash drawers
Monitor and maintain cleanliness, organization, and visual standards of the sales floor and stockrooms Restock merchandise and ensure product availability on the sales floor
Inventory & Fulfillment
Execute inventory transfers between store locations, including system entry and physical transport
Assist with receiving, stocking, and organizing merchandise to ensure inventory is distributed appropriately
Support e-commerce operations by preparing, packing, and shipping orders
Merchandising Support
Audit merchandise and recommend items for markdown
Execute approved markdowns, including system updates and tagging
Maintain and support visual merchandising standards
Collaboration & Support
Assist with inventory counts and operational projects
Provide coverage for sales floor and operational needs as required
Serve as departmental website backup, including, but not limited to, updating store hours, adding announcements, and promoting events.
Assist with critical Auxiliary Business Services events and operational needs during non-peak times, providing cross-functional support across auxiliary venues and programs as directed
Continuous Improvement & Compliance
Commit to learning about continuous improvement strategies and Lean practices and integrating them into daily retail operations. Actively engage in University continuous improvement initiatives
Apply safety-related knowledge, skills, and practices to everyday work, and maintain confidentiality of sensitive information
Perform other duties as assigned
Required Education, Certifications, Licensures
- High school diploma or equivalent
Required Experience
- One year of experience in customer service or retail, office, or administrative support
Advanced computer skills
Desirable Education and/or Experience
- Bachelor's degree in business, marketing, sociology, or a related field (or an equivalent combination of education and experience)
Experience operating point-of-sale systems and handling financial transactions
Experience in a college or university bookstore environment
Valid U.S. Driver's license and eligibility under University vehicle use requirements
Required Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
- Excellent interpersonal and customer service skills
Ability to work in a fast-paced environment with multiple priorities
Ability to work irregular hours, including evenings, weekends, and holidays for athletic and university events
Demonstrated strong attention to detail, accuracy, and organizational skills
Demonstrated ability to lead and guide student employees during operations
Ability to maintain confidentiality and exercise sound judgment
Ability to work independently and in coordination with others, including, but not limited to, the ability to work at any assigned location
Ability to operate basic office equipment, including personal computer, photocopy machine, printer, scanner, fax machine, and calculator
Demonstrated commitment to contribute to a safe work environment
Desirable Knowledge, Skills, and/or Abilities
- Proficient in Gmail, Google Suite
Demonstrated ability to work with teams and collaborate
Critical thinking and problem-solving skills
Demonstrated success in, or potential future contributions to, working with persons with a wide variety of backgrounds and viewpoints
Advanced computer skills
Work Environment and/or Physical Demands
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. The noise level in the work environment is usually low to moderate
Frequent sitting, standing, and walking
Use of multi-screen computer systems for extended periods
Occasional lifting up to 50 pounds with assistance
Occasionally required to stoop, kneel, or crouch
Peak workload periods are aligned with academic terms
Required Training and Other Conditions of Employment
Every employee at Michigan Technological University will receive the following 4 required trainings; additional training may be required by the department.
Required University Training:
Employee Safety Overview
Anti-Harassment, Discrimination, Retaliation Training
Annual Data Security Training
Annual Title IX Training
Background Check:
Offers of employment are contingent upon and not considered finalized until the required background check has been performed and the results received and assessed.
Full-Time Equivalent (FTE) % (1=100%)
.75
FLSA Status
Non-Exempt
Appointment Term
12 months
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