Description
The Calgary Institute for the Humanities in the Faculty of Arts is currently seeking a Part-time Staff Limited Term Administrative Assistant for approximately 6 months.
The Calgary Institute for Humanities, Faculty of Arts, supports research in the traditional humanities disciplines such as languages, literature, history and philosophy, as well as in philosophical and historical aspects of the social sciences, arts and professional studies. In addition to its role at the University of Calgary, CIH encourages humanistic study outside of the university, and dialogue between the academic community and the general public. Programs of the Institute include fellowship appointments, working groups, independent research initiatives by University of Calgary faculty, strategic research projects, community partnerships, and events. Through these programs, the Institute promotes the value of the humanities and the work of scholars in the Faculty of Arts to campus, local, national, and international audiences.
Reporting to the Manager, CIH, the administrative assistant will be working to support a vibrant research institute with active ties to the greater Calgary community. Working closely with the CIH Manager, the assistant will support the CIH in its three major initiatives: the Research Fellowships program, the Interdisciplinary Working Groups, and the Annual Community Seminar. This position requires working with a variety of systems (e.g. Peoplesoft) and teams across the university (e.g. Finance) and beyond. The position is currently for 14 hours per week (or two days per week).
Primary Purpose of the Position (key purpose, functions, roles):
The primary purpose of the role is to provide support to the CIH Manager with daily, administrative and clerical tasks. The CIH has been growing, with increasing activities and events each year, which requires increasing support. The administrative assistant will assist with finance and expense processing, scheduling, tracking and filing of institute-related initiatives, and other tasks as needed. The ideal candidate will be organized and able to multi-task, as the CIH is often dealing with multiple requests and demands at once. The administrative assistant will need to have the technical knowledge to be able to complete their assigned tasks using established procedures and university systems. They will also work closely with the CIH manager, who can guide them in university processes and help them to prioritize certain tasks.
The administrative assistant will provide routine administrative support and exchanges information with Finance, Human Resources, faculty, students, and external contacts under the direction of the CIH Manager.
The successful candidate will be organized, detail-oriented, and be able to show initiative.
Summary of Key Responsibilities (job functions include but are not limited to):
Finance Tasks (40%)
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Prepares and processes standard expense claims and reimbursement requests, and payment requests according to established university procedures.
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Process honoraria and other payment requests for guest speakers, community partners, and artists as needed.
Maintain organized records of all finance transactions.
Office Support (40%)
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Coordinate scheduling for CIH council and committee meetings, prepare agendas for meetings, take detailed minutes at meetings.
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Maintain an organized database of notable events, talks, and outputs from current and former CIH fellows and Interdisciplinary Working groups.
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Collate and organize applications for fellowships/working groups and assist Manager in sending out decision notices.
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Coordinate onboarding processes for incoming resident fellows, including building access requests, keys, office equipment and other requirements as needed.
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Manage CIH seminar room bookings.
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Order office supplies.
General (20%)
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Organize travel arrangements for guest speakers - generate invitation letters, book accommodations, work with the University travel agent to book flights.
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Monitor, direct and respond to incoming email requests as needed.
Qualifications / Requirements:
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Post-secondary degree or certificate in a related field.
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Minimum of one year of experience in an administrative role.
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Experience working in university setting would be considered an asset.
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Proficiency with Microsoft Office software applications (Word, Excel, Outlook) and the ability to learn new applications as required. Experience working with Peoplesoft would be an asset.
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Knowledge of office procedures and equipment (e.g. email, shared network, website updates).
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Knowledge of office methods and procedures for filing and maintenance of office records.
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Knowledge of confidential practices and procedures.
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Basic understanding of university financial processes.
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Ability to compile, draft and maintain correspondence, spreadsheets, reports and meeting minutes.
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Ability to work collaboratively and interact respectfully with a variety of internal and external partners.
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Ability to communicate effectively orally and in writing.
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Ability to understand and follow oral and written instructions.
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Ability to follow established procedures, identify routine discrepancies, and seek guidance when issues fall outside standard processes.
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Ability to perform thorough, complete and accurate work.
Application Deadline: September 14, 2026.
We would like to thank all applicants in advance for submitting their resumes. Please note, only those candidates chosen to continue on through the selection process will be contacted.
This position is part of the AUPE bargaining unit, and falls under the Operational/Administrative Job Family, Phase 1.
For a listing of all management and staff opportunities at the University of Calgary, view our Management and Staff Careers website.
About the University of Calgary
UCalgary is Canada's entrepreneurial university, located in Canada's most enterprising city. It is a top research university and one of the highest-ranked universities of its age. Founded in 1966, its 36,000 students experience an innovative learning environment, made rich by research, hands-on experiences and entrepreneurial thinking. It is Canada's leader in the creation of start-ups. Start something today at the University of Calgary. For more information, visit ucalgary.ca.
The University of Calgary has launched an institution-wide Indigenous Strategy ii' taa'poh'to'p committing to creating a rich, vibrant, and culturally competent campus that welcomes and supports Indigenous Peoples, encourages Indigenous community partnerships, is inclusive of Indigenous perspectives in all that we do.
The university's commitment to the Indigenous Strategy is evident through the oversight of 18 Elders serving on the Circle of Advisors and the many unit-based circles working towards implementation of the strategy including the Faculty Advisory Circle and teams such as the Office of Indigenous Engagement, the Writing Symbols Lodge, and the Indigenous Research Support Team. Many Indigenous-based events and processes are impacting curriculum, programming and polices at the University of Calgary.
As an equitable and inclusive employer, the University of Calgary recognizes that a diverse staff/faculty benefits and enriches the work, learning and research experiences of the entire campus and greater community. We are committed to removing barriers that have been historically encountered by some people in our society. We strive to recruit individuals who will further enhance our diversity and will support their academic and professional success while they are here. In particular, we encourage members of the designated groups (women, Indigenous peoples, persons with disabilities, members of visible/racialized minorities, and diverse sexual orientation and gender identities) to apply. To ensure a fair and equitable assessment, we offer accommodation at any stage during the recruitment process to applicants with disabilities. Questions regarding [diversity] EDI at UCalgary can be sent to the Office of Institutional Commitments ([email protected]) and requests for accommodations can be sent to People & Culture ([email protected]).
Do you have most but not all the qualifications? Research show that women, racialized and visible minorities, and persons with disabilities are less likely to apply for jobs unless they meet every single qualification. At UCalgary we are committed to achieving equitable, diverse, inclusive and accessible employment practices and workplaces and encourage you to apply if you believe you are right for this role.
We encourage all qualified applicants to apply, however preference will be given to Canadian citizens and permanent residents of Canada.
