Temporary Administrative Assistant

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We are seeking a Temporary Administrative Assistant in the Office of the President in Ithaca, NY. The position will provide front desk and basic administrative support to the Offices of the President and Provost. Initiative, discernment, strong customer services skills, and a high level of professionalism and confidentiality are essential in this position.

This is a full-time (39 hours/week), non-benefits temporary role for approximately 3 months, but may be extended based on the needs of the department. The schedule will be approximately 8:30AM – 5:00 PM, Monday – Friday.

This is an onsite position, the temporary employee would be expected to work on campus at our Ithaca location in Day Hall.

The pay rate will be $26.41/hour.

The Temporary Administrative Assistant will support the daily administrative operations of the office. Specific responsibilities will include:

• Overseeing front-office operations and coverage, including greeting guests, answering phones, monitoring leadership calendars, maintaining a welcoming and professional lobby area, and coordinating administrative support needs across the office.
• Serving as a liaison to the President’s Correspondence Manager, assisting with incoming mail, inbox management, and the tracking and coordination of outgoing correspondence requests.
• Serving as the office financial liaison to the Shared Services Center, coordinating vendor payments, procurement of goods and services, and related administrative transactions.

What We Need

We are seeking a highly organized, professional, and collaborative team member who demonstrates strong attention to detail, adaptability, sound judgment, and a commitment to excellent service. The successful candidate will:

• Have an associate’s degree and 4–6 years of administrative support experience, preferably supporting an executive, or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

• Demonstrate excellent interpersonal, oral communication, and customer service skills.

• Interact with individuals in a professional, diplomatic, and courteous manner, including when working with callers or visitors who may be difficult or upset.

• Work effectively as part of a high-functioning team in a fast-paced environment.

• Able to navigate competing priorities and respond with flexibility and composure to changing demands.

• Demonstrate prior experience handling confidential and sensitive information, with a strong commitment to maintaining the highest standards of discretion and confidentiality.

• Demonstrate independent judgment, initiative, problem-solving, and decision-making skills when responding to constituents and representing the office.

• Demonstrate strong technological proficiency, including advanced skills with Microsoft Office applications, Outlook, Teams, Qualtrics, Google Drive, and other collaboration tools.

• Have experience with, or the ability to quickly learn, administrative financial processes such as procurement, vendor payments, and related transactions.

• Previous administrative experience at Cornell University is preferred.

A cover letter and resume are required for further consideration for this position.

No Visa Sponsorship is available for this position.

No Relocation Assistance is available for this position.

University Job Title:

Temporary Administrative Assistant

Job Family:

Temporary Administration

Level:

No Grade - Hourly

Pay Rate Type:

Hourly

Pay Range:

Refer to Posting Language

Remote Option Availability:

Onsite

Company:

Contact Name:

Cyndi Morris

Contact Email:

[email protected]

Job Titles and Pay Ranges:

Non-Union Positions

Noted pay ranges reflect the potential pay opportunity for each job profile. The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined considering the following criteria:

• Prior relevant work or industry experience
• Education level to the extent education is relevant to the position
• Unique applicable skills
• Academic Discipline

To learn more about Cornell’s non-union staff job titles and pay ranges, see Career Navigator.

Union Positions

The hiring rate of pay for the successful candidate will be determined in accordance with the rates in the respective collective bargaining agreement. To learn more about Cornell’s union wages, see Union Pay Rates.

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2026-10-22

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Cornell University is an innovative Ivy League university and a great place to work. Our inclusive community of scholars, students and staff impart an uncommon sense of larger purpose and contribute creative ideas to further the university's mission of teaching, discovery and engagement. With our main campus located in Ithaca, NY, Cornell's far-flung global presence includes the medical college's campuses on the Upper East Side of Manhattan and Doha, Qatar, as well as the Cornell Tech campus located on Roosevelt Island in the heart of New York City.

We offer a rich array of services, programs and benefits to help employees advance in their career and enhance the quality of personal life, including: employee wellness, workshops, childcare and adoption assistance, parental leave, flexible work options.