Administrative Assistant | AURAK Academic Schools

Job Description

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) is seeking three highly organised, detail-oriented, and service-focused Administrative Assistants to provide dedicated support across two of its academic Schools.

The available positions are:

• School of Arts and Sciences – 1 position
• School of Engineering and Computing – 2 positions

Each Administrative Assistant will be assigned to one School and will work closely with the respective Dean, Department Chairs, faculty members, students, and relevant University offices.

Employer: American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK)
Units: School of Arts and Sciences / School of Engineering and Computing
Location: Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Position: Administrative Assistant
Number of Vacancies: 3
Field: Academic Administration / Faculty Support

Administrative Assistant AURAK – Position Overview

The role provides comprehensive day-to-day administrative support to the assigned School.

Key areas include:

• Faculty support.
• Department Chair support.
• Course documentation.
• Accreditation records.
• Academic requests.
• Meetings and communications.
• Room bookings.
• Faculty onboarding.
• Records and filing.
• Office administration.
• Student and visitor enquiries.
• Coordination with University departments.

The successful candidate will also act as an important point of contact for the assigned School and help ensure academic and administrative activities are completed accurately and on time.

Faculty and Department Chair Support

The Administrative Assistant will provide daily support to faculty members and Department Chairs.

Responsibilities include:

• Preparing academic materials.
• Formatting documents.
• Printing and copying materials.
• Organising handouts.
• Preparing examination papers.
• Supporting other academic documentation.

The role also includes receiving, prioritising, tracking, and following up on faculty requests.

Course Files and Accreditation Documentation

The successful candidate will maintain academic and accreditation records, including:

• Course files.
• Syllabi.
• Assessment records.
• Samples of student work.
• Accreditation evidence.

Accurate documentation and systematic filing are important parts of the position.

Faculty Administrative Requests

The role includes assisting faculty members with administrative matters such as:

• Travel.
• Conferences.
• Procurement.
• Purchases.
• Expenses.

The Administrative Assistant will coordinate with relevant University offices including HR, Finance, and other departments where required.

Faculty Onboarding

The successful candidate will support new faculty members by helping coordinate:

• Office arrangements.
• Keys.
• Stationery.
• IT accounts.
• Introductions.

This work will involve coordination with HR, IT, Facilities, and other relevant University departments.

Room and Academic Activity Coordination

The Administrative Assistant will reserve:

• Classrooms.
• Laboratories.
• Meeting rooms.

These may be needed for:

• Make-up sessions.
• Examinations.
• Meetings.
• School events.

The role also includes communicating room changes to faculty members and students.

Front-Desk and Enquiry Support

The successful candidate will serve as the first point of contact for the assigned School.

Responsibilities include:

• Answering telephone calls.
• Transferring calls.
• Taking messages.
• Responding to email enquiries.
• Responding to walk-in enquiries.
• Assisting students.
• Assisting faculty and staff.
• Assisting visitors.
• Directing enquiries appropriately.

Meetings and Committee Support

The position includes coordinating School and Department meetings and committees.

Responsibilities include:

• Scheduling meetings.
• Preparing agendas.
• Preparing meeting materials.
• Recording minutes.
• Tracking action items.
• Following up on agreed actions.

Administrative Documentation

The successful candidate will prepare:

• Letters.
• Memoranda.
• Presentations.
• Spreadsheets.
• Reports.
• Other administrative documents.

These tasks will be completed using Microsoft Office applications.

Records and Filing

The Administrative Assistant will maintain accurate:

• Electronic files.
• Physical files.
• Spreadsheets.
• Databases.
• School records.
• Administrative documentation.

The objective is to ensure information is complete, organised, and readily accessible.

Office Supplies and Equipment

Responsibilities include:

• Ordering stationery.
• Monitoring office supplies.
• Maintaining equipment.
• Supporting uninterrupted School operations.

Mail and Deliveries

The role also includes handling:

• Incoming mail.
• Outgoing mail.
• Correspondence.
• Courier requests.
• Administrative deliveries.

Confidentiality

The Administrative Assistant will handle confidential and sensitive information including:

• Student records.
• Examination papers.
• Faculty files.
• Other sensitive documentation.

All information must be handled securely and in accordance with AURAK policies and procedures.

Keys, Security and Visitor Access

Responsibilities also include:

• Maintaining records of classroom and office keys.
• Coordinating issue and return of keys.
• Supporting security approvals.
• Coordinating visitor access arrangements.

Coordination with University Offices

The successful candidate will coordinate with University offices and service providers to support timely completion of School-related administrative requirements.

The role requires regular communication with:

• Dean.
• Department Chairs.
• Faculty members.
• Students.
• Registrar.
• Human Resources.
• Finance.
• Facilities.
• Information Technology.
• Security.
• Other University departments.

Key Result Areas

The role is divided across three main Key Result Areas:

Key Result Area	Weight
Faculty Support	50%
Office Administration and Communication	35%
Security and Compliance	15%

Faculty support therefore represents half of the position’s stated workload.

Essential Qualification

Applicants must hold a:

• Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Office Management, or a related field.

Desirable Certification

The following is desirable:

• Recognised office administration certification.
• IT certification, such as Microsoft Office Specialist.

Experience Requirements

Applicants must have:

• One to two years of secretarial or administrative experience.
• Experience providing administrative support in a professional environment.

Preferred Experience

The following is desirable:

• Experience in a university.
• Experience in a college or school.
• Experience in another higher-education environment.
• Experience supporting multiple stakeholders.
• Experience managing varied administrative requests and deadlines.

Microsoft Office Skills

Candidates should have good working knowledge of:

• Microsoft Word.
• Microsoft Excel.
• Microsoft Outlook.
• Microsoft PowerPoint.

Required Skills and Competencies

Applicants should demonstrate:

• Strong organisational skills.
• Excellent attention to detail.
• Ability to manage multiple tasks.
• Ability to prioritise competing requirements.
• Ability to meet deadlines.
• Good written communication.
• Good verbal communication.
• Strong interpersonal skills.
• Service-focused approach.
• Record-management ability.
• Report and presentation preparation.
• Confidentiality.
• Problem-solving.
• Follow-up skills.
• Independent working.
• Teamwork.
• Ability to operate effectively in a fast-paced academic environment.

Business English

Candidates should demonstrate good business English, including:

• Spelling.
• Grammar.
• Punctuation.
• Proofreading.

Language Requirements

Applicants must be:

• Fluent in written and spoken English.

In addition:

• Arabic is preferred.

External Stakeholders

The Administrative Assistant may interact with:

• Visitors and guests.
• Suppliers.
• Service providers.
• Companies and organisations.
• Government institutions.

Key Professional Behaviours

AURAK identifies the following behaviours as important:

• Service excellence.
• Professional ethics and integrity.
• Problem-solving.
• Time management.
• Teamwork.

About the American University of Ras Al Khaimah

The American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK) is an independent higher-education institution in the United Arab Emirates offering undergraduate and graduate education based on an American-style academic model.

According to the vacancy information, AURAK is accredited by the relevant UAE authorities and by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools Commission on Colleges (SACSCOC).

AURAK states that it values diversity, inclusiveness, cultural authenticity, and equal employment opportunity.

Application Requirement

The vacancy states that candidates must create an account in order to apply for the job.

Job Summary

Employer	American University of Ras Al Khaimah (AURAK)
Schools	School of Arts and Sciences / School of Engineering and Computing
Location	Ras Al Khaimah, United Arab Emirates
Position	Administrative Assistant
Number of Vacancies	3
Vacancy Distribution	1 – School of Arts and Sciences; 2 – School of Engineering and Computing
Field	Academic Administration / Faculty Support
Required Qualification	Bachelor’s degree in Business Administration, Office Management, or related field
Experience Requirement	Minimum 1–2 years of secretarial or administrative experience
Primary KRA	Faculty Support – 50%
Other KRAs	Office Administration & Communication – 35%; Security & Compliance – 15%
Core Software	Microsoft Word, Excel, Outlook and PowerPoint
Preferred Certification	Office administration or IT certification, such as Microsoft Office Specialist
Preferred Experience	University, college, school, or other higher-education environment
Language Requirement	Fluent English essential; Arabic preferred
Application Requirement	Candidate account required before applying
Application Deadline	Not stated