Administrative Assistant 1

Provide administrative support to the Director and Assistant Directors of the Multicultural Life and Diversity Office (MLDO.)


Watch to learn more about careers at SUNY Cortland:

What makes SUNY Cortland a great place to work?

• Our positions provide predictable salary progressions, and many offer permanency.

• Generous benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, various retirement program options, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, long term disability and tuition reimbursement.

• SUNY Cortland prioritizes work-life balance and well-being in all forms. The university’s state-of-the-art Student Life Center is free for employees to use, with membership options for families. SUNY Cortland’s Child Care Center welcomes the children of employees and community members, as space allows. Alternate work schedules are available with a supervisor’s approval.

• Professional development opportunities exist through training, continuing education programs, tuition reimbursement and conference travel, based on funding.

• Cortland County and surrounding areas offer easy access to arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation and much more. Experience Cortland dives deep into the region’s offerings.

Major Responsibilities

Administrative Support

• Serve as first point of contact for the office.
• Answer phone calls and give information to callers, take messages, and transfer calls to appropriate individuals.
• Greet in-person visitors or callers and handle their inquiries; or direct them to the appropriate person.
• Open, read, route, and distribute incoming mail and email for [email protected] or other materials and answers routine inquiries.
• Prepare and mail all outgoing correspondence from the office.
• Set up and manage paper and electronic filing systems.
• Maintain professional staff calendars.
• Schedule and confirm appointments and room reservations for meetings.
• Save copies of various documents, either digitally or in hard copy; file them appropriately and distribute them to relevant staff.

Budget and Financial Transactions

• Assist Director with office budget and financial transactions.
• Organize transactions in an excel document to make sure we are staying within budget for specific programs, initiatives, supplies, etc.
• Submit paperwork for financial transactions, including orders for giveaways, office supplies, technology, and program-related materials.
• Create and submit travel expense reports for staff.
• Order and distribute supplies.

Program Support

• Assist in preparing, advertising, and coordinating logistical components of programming.
• Create and monitor registration forms for programs and events. A few examples include the Kente Celebration, Conference and Ally Development Workshops, etc.
• Maintain event calendars and reserve rooms needed.
• Send out campus communication to advertise upcoming programming.
• Create event materials such as invitations, nametags, programs, etc.
• Prepare necessary handouts for upcoming programs.

Work Study Student Support

• Help supervise work study students.
• Collaborate with the MLDO professional staff to create tasks for the work study students.
• Keep track of the work study students’ hours worked and approve their time sheets.

Functional and Supervisory Relationships

Position will report directly to the Director of MLDO.

Required Qualifications

Appointment to this position could be a permanent competitive appointment or a permanent non-competitive appointment.

1. Permanent Competitive Appointment Options:

Eligible List Appointment: Candidates must be reachable on the Civil Service eligible list for this title. If you are on the Civil Service eligible list for this title, you may receive a canvass letter via email. You must record your response via NY.gov and follow instructions in the canvass email.

Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant 1, SG 11 : Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-09 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework through the NYS CSEA Partnership website.

Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 1, SG 8 : Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-06 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.

Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 2, SG 10 : Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-08 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory core coursework.

For information regarding the transfer options of your current title, please visit the Civil Service Career Mobility Office Website:

For information regarding the Administrative Assistant Traineeship mandatory and elective coursework, please visit the NYS & CSEA Partnership website:

Candidates appointed at the trainee level will be required to successfully complete the traineeship to advance to the full performance level title and salary.

• $40,391 (Trainee 1- NS equated to SG-8)

• $45,081 (Trainee 2- NS equated to SG-10)

• $47,695 (Full Performance level SG-11)

2. Non-Competitive Appointment Option: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).

For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.

At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.

NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS- To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.

This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.

The qualifications are:

Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (NS Salary Grade 8 $40,391):

Six months of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory core coursework as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2.

Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (NS Salary Grade 10 $45,081):

One year of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework, you will advance to the full level of this title without further examination.

Administrative Assistant 1, Salary Grade 11 $47,695:

Two years of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. You must also complete all mandatory and elective core coursework.

Substitution:

Certification (e.g., IAAP Certified Administrative Professional) or associate’s degree* in office administration, secretarial science, administrative assistance, paralegal, business technology, or office technology substitutes for two years of experience.

Preferred Qualifications

Knowledge, Skills & Abilities

About the University

A top public university of approximately 6,600 students located in the geographic center of New York State, SUNY Cortland provides accessible, affordable education to students from across the U.S. body. One of 13 comprehensive universities in the State University of New York system, SUNY Cortland prides itself on its rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, education, and professional studies. For more than 150 years, SUNY Cortland has provided unmistakable value for students seeking a well-rounded academic, athletic, and social experience. The University ranks among the top campuses in the nation on Money magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money List,” fields a powerhouse Division III athletics program and boasts an impressive network of alumni making a difference in education, business, government, fitness, medicine and many other fields.

EEO Statement

The State University of New York at Cortland is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (AA/EEO/ADA) employer. The university actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the university.

Job Close Date

01/23/2026