Administrative Assistant

The Loka Initiative is an education and outreach platform for faith leaders and culture keepers of Indigenous traditions at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. Loka's vision is that inner, community, and planetary resilience are interdependent; we cannot achieve any one of these goals without working on the other two. Loka has two major activity streams; supporting faith and Indigenous-led environmental and climate efforts locally and around the world, and conducting research and developing resources on psychological, social, and planetary resilience.

Currently, Loka partners closely with three communities of faith; Evangelical church pastors working on creation care and climate action, Indigenous elders and knowledge holders, including from Wisconsin Indian tribes, committed to community and ecological resilience, and Tibetan Buddhist monastics in the Himalayas working on biodiversity conservation and disaster preparedness.

This new hire will collaborate closely with the Program Manager and the Program Director and will provide essential operational, programmatic, and communication support to the Loka team. We're looking for a dynamic, highly communicative, detail-oriented, and organized candidate who thrives in multicultural and multi-faith environments.

• Coordinate with finance team on reimbursement and payment related to logistics and resources for meetings, conferences, travel and other work related expenses

• Maintains established methods and organizational systems directed at the maintenance of electronic/physical records related to work operations according to established policies and procedures

• Serves as a first point of contact for individuals and groups, provides basic organizational information via phone, in person and through other communication mediums, and routes more complex inquiries to the appropriate entities

• Schedules logistics and secures resources for meetings, conferences, travel, and work unit operations

• Collects, analyzes, and prepares various communication materials from established sources utilizing technology mediums

• Sends, receives, copies, and distributes communications to the appropriate entities according to established policies and procedures under general supervision

Letters & Science/Center for Healthy Minds

The typical starting range for this position is $22.31 - $26.26 per hour ($46,400 - $54,610 annually) depending on qualifications and experience. Employees in this position can expect to receive benefits such as generous vacation, holidays and paid time off; competitive insurance and saving accounts; and retirement benefits. Learn more: https://hr.wisc.edu/benefits/new-employee-benefits-enrollment/

• Demonstrated excellent organizational skills (e.g.: information management and Google drive folder management, record keeping etc.)

• Evidence of excellent administrative skills (e.g.: scheduling and calendaring, event planning and coordination, notetaking etc.)

• Demonstrated strong communication skills

• Ability to maintain high attention to detail and accuracy

• Demonstrated professional experience working for large and complex administrative systems, such as universities

• Familiarity providing basic financial and accounting services

• Proficiency in Outlook and experience in Asana, G Suite, Canva, Squarespace welcome

• Ability to maintain professionalism when engaging in religious and interfaith environments, with sensitivity to diverse beliefs and traditions.

Bachelor's Degree in Administration, Business, Communications, Education, Finance or Marketing preferred

We are eager to learn more about how your experience and passion may align with this position. You will be asked to upload a resume and cover letter as a part of the application process. Your cover letter and resume should address how your skills, knowledge, and abilities are transferable to this role. We rely on written application materials to determine who may advance to preliminary interviews.

Selected applicants will receive an invitation to participate in virtual interviews 7-10 business days following the application deadline. Those moving on to second round interviews will be invited to a second interview at UW-Madison.

Once final applicants are identified, they will be asked to provide names and contact information for at least three professional references, including a current/former supervisor. References will not be contacted without advanced notice.

Additional Information:

University sponsorship is not available for this position, including transfers of sponsorship. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.

Contact Information:

For questions on the position, contact: Lisa Wesley, lawesley@wisc.edu

Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.

The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.

For more information on diversity and inclusion on campus, please visit: Diversity and Inclusion

The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.

Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, click here.

To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.