Area Support Specialist

Title: Area Support Specialist
Job code: 1885
Employee Group: Unit 6 AFSCME Clerical & Office
Full/Part Time (FTE): 100%
Regular/Temporary: Regular

About the Job:

Bargaining unit consideration begins on 2/11/2026 post date and will be posted until filled.

The Department of Psychology is seeking an Area Support Specialist (Executive Office and Administrative Specialist, job code 1885) to serve as staff support for two graduate areas in the Department of Psychology: Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) and Personality, Individual Differences, and Behavior Genetics (PIB). This position collaborates with the directors of each area in support of the doctoral program. Position is responsible for the daily administrative needs of these graduate areas, including in support of CSPR's external accreditation, and provides high quality service to prospective and current students, faculty and alumni from a variety of different backgrounds

Location and Work environment: Position allows for hybrid work.

Work Schedule: 40 hours per week, Monday through Friday

Primary Responsibilities:

Administrative coordination (50%)
* Assist in the daily operations of the Clinical Science and Psychopathology Research (CSPR) and Personality, Individual Differences, and Behavior Genetics (PIB) Psychology Programs
* Provide administrative support to the area directors and assist area faculty, as necessary.
* Assist in coordinating program admissions.
* Coordinate and manage processes for oral examinations.
* Manage fellowship process for CSPR's and PIB's foundation accounts, including soliciting applications, awarding fellowships, preparing payroll documentation for accounting, and facilitating thank you letters for donors.
* Recommend, draft/update, and/or communicate to program faculty and students policy and procedural changes related to the department, college, and/or graduate school.
* Serve as a first point of contact for practicum sites and supervisors throughout the Twin Cities and Greater Metropolitan Area. Assist the Associate Director of Practicum and Internship Placement (ADPIP) with administrative tasks for the educational component.
* Provide administrative support for a T32 Training Grant, including coordinating and collecting admissions, faculty, Predoctoral, and postdoctoral data required of the department of Psychology and other associated departments within the Training Grant.
* Create, maintain, and review program files and documentation.
* Serve as a first point of contact for internal and external stakeholders regarding the programs.
* Schedule, attend, and ensure proper record keeping of program faculty meetings.
* Contribute to orientation for new faculty and instructors; facilitate office set-up for new faculty.
* Provide instructional support including purchasing course materials, distributing permission numbers for graduate courses, submitting online course listing updates, facilitating course copying, and arranging parking for guest speakers.
* Develop and maintain program faculty/graduate student rosters and alumni database.
* Review and maintain program internet and intranet pages.
* Assist with managing programs' offices and classroom spaces.

Student Services Support (25%)
* Serve as liaison for prospective, incoming, and current students, and alumni in CSPR and PIB psychology programs. Serve as an administrative liaison to the Institute of Child Development Program for CSPR's joint student body. Serve as a liaison for programs graduate students to the Director of Graduate Studies and Graduate School.
* Advise graduate students on requirements, registration, progression, paperwork, and policies and procedures.
* Assist graduate students with master's, preliminary, and final oral examinations.
* Coordinate, organize, and execute area and department events, including New Student Orientation, Welcome Program, the Demystifying Graduate Admissions in Psychology (De-GAP), and the Practicum Fair.
* Maintain and post program graduate student handbooks online.
* Coordinate annual graduate student progress reviews.

American Psychological Accreditation (APA) and Psychological Clinical Science Accreditation System (PCSAS) (20%)
* Assist with coordinating APA and PCSAS accreditation renewal, which includes self-study reports and site visits. Survey, track, and report alumni and student proximal and distal data to be used in re-accreditation self-studies and site visits, as well as program annual evaluation and best practices in graduate education.
* Assist with coordinating annual reports, which includes data on admissions; degree clearance; student attrition; and student, faculty, and alumni demographics.
* Recommend and execute policies and procedures for CSPR program adherence to PCSAS and APA Standards of Accreditation, including tracking student competencies and auditing student portfolios for cumulative progress.
* Serve as the primary program point of contact for APA and PCSAS Accreditation. Review, draft, and disseminate correspondence/narrative between the clinical program, APA, and PCSAS.
* Manage, update, and post student admissions, outcome, and data online per APA and PCSAS Standards of Accreditation.
* Pay all annual accreditation dues and annual institution/program dues to organizations that increase the prestige of our program.

Other (5%)
* Participate in departmental activities, such as serving on committees.

Required Qualifications:
* High school diploma/GED and 4 years of related experience to include project management. Training/education may be substituted for some of the years of experience.
* Computer experience including databases, spreadsheets, word processing, and email. Proficiency with Microsoft Word and Excel, and the Google Suite.
* Experience working with stakeholders from a variety of backgrounds, with a commitment to inclusion and diversity of viewpoints.

Preferred Qualifications:
* Experience successfully and effectively managing multiple responsibilities/projects simultaneously.
* Ability to complete tasks that require attention to detail, prioritize workload, work independently, follow-up, and meet deadlines.
* Strong customer service skills.
* Experience working with student records and confidential materials.
* Demonstrated ability to analyze and effectively communicate complex issues to diverse stakeholders.

About the Department of Psychology:
The Department of Psychology is one of the largest departments within the College of Liberal Arts, and is a highly ranked department nationally. Currently, the department has 46 core faculty, 80+ staff, 120 graduate students, and it supports the largest number of undergraduate majors of any academic program on the UMN Twin Cities campus. Additionally, the department has $40 million or more in active research funding at any given time (the majority from NIH), spread across 70 or more projects. In its 100 plus year history, the Department of Psychology has been marked by distinction and excellence. For additional information, please go to our website: http://www.psych.umn.edu/.

About the College of Liberal Arts:
Home to the arts, social sciences and humanities disciplines and programs, the College of Liberal Arts is the largest college in the University of Minnesota and comprises 31 academic departments, and over 20 interdisciplinary research centers

Pay Range: $24.42 - $29.07 per hour.; depending on education/qualifications/experience

Time Appointment: 100% Appointment

Position Type: Unit 6 AFSME Clerical & Office Labor Represented Staff

Please visit the Office of Human Resources website for more information regarding benefit eligibility.

The University offers a comprehensive benefits package that includes:

• Competitive wages, paid holidays, and generous time off
• Continuous learning opportunities through professional training and degree-seeking programs supported by the Regents Tuition Benefit Program
• Low-cost medical, dental, and pharmacy plans
• Healthcare and dependent care flexible spending accounts
• University HSA contributions
• Disability and employer-paid life insurance
• Employee wellbeing program
• Excellent retirement plans with employer contribution
• Public Service Loan Forgiveness (PSLF) opportunity
• Financial counseling services
• Employee Assistance Program with eight sessions of counseling at no cost
• Employee Transit Pass with free or reduced rates in the Twin Cities metro area

Applications must be submitted online. To be considered for this position, please click the Apply button and follow the instructions. You will have the opportunity to complete an online application for the position and attach a resume.

Priority application deadline of March 8, 2026

Additional documents may be attached after application by accessing your "My Job Applications" page and uploading documents in the "My Cover Letters and Attachments" section.

To request an accommodation during the application process, please e-mail employ@umn.edu or call (612) 624-8647.

The University recognizes and values the importance of diversity and inclusion in enriching the employment experience of its employees and in supporting the academic mission. The University is committed to attracting and retaining employees with varying identities and backgrounds.

The University of Minnesota provides equal access to and opportunity in its programs, facilities, and employment without regard to race, color, creed, religion, national origin, gender, age, marital status, disability, public assistance status, veteran status, sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression. To learn more about diversity at the U: http://diversity.umn.edu

Any offer of employment is contingent upon the successful completion of a background check. Our presumption is that prospective employees are eligible to work here. Criminal convictions do not automatically disqualify finalists from employment.

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC)

The University of Minnesota, Twin Cities (UMTC), is among the largest public research universities in the country, offering undergraduate, graduate, and professional students a multitude of opportunities for study and research. Located at the heart of one of the nation's most vibrant, diverse metropolitan communities, students on the campuses in Minneapolis and St. Paul benefit from extensive partnerships with world-renowned health centers, international corporations, government agencies, and arts, nonprofit, and public service organizations.

At the University of Minnesota, we are proud to be recognized by the Star Tribune as a Top Workplace for 2021, as well as by Forbes as Best Employers for Women and one of America's Best Employers (2015, 2018, 2019, 2023), Best Employer for Diversity (2019, 2020), Best Employer for New Grads (2018, 2019), and Best Employer by State (2019, 2022).