Office Assistant Financial Aid Office

Job Title

CUNY Office Assistant

Assignment Level 1-3 Duties

• Documentation and Information
• Types and prints materials such as letters, memoranda, forms, purchase orders and vouchers, using typewriter/word processor/personal computers and all peripheral equipment.
• Proofreads typed material for accuracy, correcting errors as necessary.
• Uses commercial office software packages in typing, data entry, filing, updating files, and preparing various reports.
• Collects information or data from various sources; files and retrieves books, documents and/or data as needed. Updates existing files.
• Creates filing systems.
• Maintains departmental records; keeps separate confidential records when instructed.
• Retrieves and formats computerized data.
• With proper training, may take dictation and transcribe notes (written or recorded).
• Prepares and proposes various forms, e.g., financial aid applications, personnel papers and other college forms.
• Communications and Customer Service
• Provides information, as directed, to faculty, students, employees, and the general public.
• Responds to routine inquires regarding departmental affairs.
• Answers telephone calls; screens incoming calls and forwards/refers calls; assists in maintaining up-to-date mailing and telephone directories.
• Provides receptionist services; sets up appointments; keeps calendars; refers students, faculty, other CUNY employees and general public to proper areas or persons.
• Furnishes information on the department’s rules and regulations, when authorized.
• Assists with arrangements for special events (e.g., conferences, reservations of rooms, travel arrangements, catering services, informing the relevant departments/units, etc.).
• Interviews and supervises College Assistants, College Work Study Students, Student Aides, Summer Interns, Volunteers, etc.
• Assists in training new employees in various office duties/use of office machines.
• Communicates with other academic or administrative departments or outside agencies to expedite the processing of work.
• Transaction Processing
• Prepares routine reports, including drafts, using information received from various sources.
• Receives and processes financial transactions following prescribed procedures (e.g., tuition payments, library fines).
• Processes purchase orders and supply orders; verifies deliveries.
• Verifies inventory and supplies reports on request.
• Completes Time & Leave calculations and keeps up-to-date records.
• Assists supervisors in specialized office functions, e.g., fingerprinting, I-9, reference and background checking, unemployment insurance.
• Calculates payroll figures; verifies amounts on financial forms; prepares deposit records; refunds authorizations, and similar documents; keeps related records.
• Makes routine petty cash purchases and disbursements, and maintains petty cash account; keeps necessary records.
• Receives mail for the unit/department/college and distributes it among the proper persons; may sort mail per instructions.
• Prepare the department/unit/college mailings within or outside CUNY, arranging special mail services when authorized.
• Duplicates, collates and distributes materials. Coordinates the work of others to produce and distribute materials; confers with printing department and mailroom personnel as needed.
• Assists in preparing and distributing materials such as recruitment documents.
• Assists in registration activities within the department or as assigned; when authorized, processes drop/add and over tally requests for course registration.
• Other
• Performs routine upkeep of office machines, e.g., photocopier, typewriter, computer terminals, printers, fax machines.
• May serve on committees when authorized.

Assignment Level 4 Duties

• May serve as secretary to an executive or to a small group of professional, managerial, or technical personnel.
• Organizes, supervises and coordinates the workload of a moderately complex office, including the supervision of full and part‑time office support staff.
• Initiates administrative procedures on behalf of the department.
• Administers a specialized area, requiring unique training and/or experience within a large office.
• Interviews and recommends full and part‑time office support staff, including College Assistants and CUNY Office Assistants in Level 1.
• Prepares and compiles complex reports, including simple research and analysis.
• With approval, makes improvements to department forms.
• Develops record‑keeping systems.
• Trains office employees and others (as directed) in routine office duties, rules, procedures, etc. and related matters.

Attendance/Level Notes

Levels 1, 2 and 3 are contractual pay steps based on length of employment. Employees are not given additional responsibilities when moving from Level 1 to Level 2 or from Level 2 to Level 3. Assignment Level 4 is an assignment level based on duties performed and is discretionar…