job posting: administrative assistant
If you know your way around QuickBooks, have experience with administration in a nonprofit setting and can work comfortably in a Buddhist environment, you may be the new part time administrative assistant we're looking for. If you think you'd like to work for Sanshin, read on!
Position details
Reports to: President of the Board of Directors with daily oversight by designated staff
Status: Part time (20 hours a week)
Compensation: $10/hour (no benefits)
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Posting remains open until April 21
What you'll be doing
The administrative assistant is responsible for the efficient operation of Sanshin’s office, taking on the responsibility for administrative operations such that clergy are freed and supported to attend to their main functions of teaching and leading practice. You must maintain a professional relationship with the staff and community and keep in strict confidence information acquired through the duties of this position which may be personal in nature to practitioners and/or staff. You are the welcoming face of Sanshin and are expected to maintain regular office hours. Familiarity with Zen practice is a plus.
Routine tasks
Other tasks
Your qualifications
What to do next
Send us your resume with a cover letter that tells us why you'd be a good fit as our administrative assistant. We'd prefer you send it by email attachment, but if somehow that's not possible we will accept land mail at P O. Box 1577, Bloomington, IN 47402. Address your submission to Mark Pfaff, the president of our board of directors. We'll go through resumes and select the best candidates for interviews (in person for those in Bloomington, by Skype for those out of town). All candidates will be notified of their status by April 30. No calls, please--we have no one answering the phone and you will receive no response.
Position details
Reports to: President of the Board of Directors with daily oversight by designated staff
Status: Part time (20 hours a week)
Compensation: $10/hour (no benefits)
FLSA: Non-Exempt
Posting remains open until April 21
What you'll be doing
The administrative assistant is responsible for the efficient operation of Sanshin’s office, taking on the responsibility for administrative operations such that clergy are freed and supported to attend to their main functions of teaching and leading practice. You must maintain a professional relationship with the staff and community and keep in strict confidence information acquired through the duties of this position which may be personal in nature to practitioners and/or staff. You are the welcoming face of Sanshin and are expected to maintain regular office hours. Familiarity with Zen practice is a plus.
Routine tasks
- Answer general phone and e-mail inquiries or refer them to other personnel as appropriate.
- Send paper and electronic thank yous and tax letters to donors according to Sanshin policy.
- Process all incoming mail: manage bills, donations and other business items; pass personal mail on to
- appropriate recipients.
- Twice weekly, collect mail from Sanshin’s PO box. Collect from the Okumuras any business mail that arrives in their personal mailbox and process as appropriate.
- Enter sales receipts, donations, expenditures, fund transfers and deposits into QuickBooks and produce
- reports as requested.
- Pay Sanshin bills.
- Make weekly bank deposits.
- Process book orders; prepare and ship requested items.
- Maintain online master calendar with information on events, overnight stays, meetings, days off, travel, etc.
- Answer e-mail and telephone inquiries about events and accommodations. Forward questions about
- practice or more complex inquiries to vice abbot as appropriate.
- Monitor event registrations, compile rosters and ensure that events are not overbooked.
- Monitor accommodation reservations and ensure that available spaces are not overbooked.
- Stay up to date on arrangements with participants for work exchange or scholarship funds as alternative methods of payment.
- Add registration and reservation information to the master calendar in a timely way so that practice officers and staff have access to it.
- Coordinate with remote venues and assist with event setup if local.
- Coordinate guest transportation and arrival with the guest manager (shika) as needed.
- Coordinate transportation and accommodations for guest teachers.
- Attend meetings of the Practice Committee.
Other tasks
- Maintain contact lists and provide them for appeals, newsletters or other communications initiatives.
- Monitor office supplies and restock as needed.
- Monitor supplies of brochures and other collateral materials.
- Monitor condition of office equipment and work with board and staff to repair, upgrade or replace
- as necessary.
- Monitor stock of books for sale and reorder as needed.
- Coordinate with work leader and guest manager to ensure adequate supplies of paper goods, cleaners and other general supplies.
- Oversee maintenance of Okumura Roshi’s office equipment and supplies.
- Report building issues to the work leader.
- Maintain all necessary records related to finance, insurance, human resources, buildings and grounds, legal documents, contacts, vendors, board activities, etc.
- Back up office data on a regular basis. Maintain an orderly paper file system.
- Serve as liaison with Paychex.
Your qualifications
- High school diploma or GED
- Two years’ experience with the kind of routine tasks carried out by this position, preferably in a non-profit or church/temple environment.
- Demonstrated skill in the use of QuickBooks accounting software.
- Demonstrated strong organizational, leadership and management skills.
- Excellent interpersonal/communications skills – listening, writing and speaking – in working with clergy and laity, staff, directors, volunteers, practitioners and the public.
- Demonstrated ability to think strategically, make sound decisions and take independent action.
- Demonstrated skill in the use of office equipment, computers and related software including office suites and web browsers.
- Presents a professional, calm, and welcoming presence.
- Ability to manage multiple demands with equanimity.
- High degree of self-awareness, personal maturity, stability and reliability.
- Ability to maintain confidentiality and boundaries.
- Ability to function in a Buddhist environment.
- Commitment to Excellence: You take pride in your work and strive for excellence to achieve the best possible results. You look for opportunities to improve work practices, generate ideas for improvement, pay attention to the quality of your work, and persist when difficulties arise. You aren't afraid to suggest innovative ways to get things done, consider situations from new perspectives, and evaluate work results for effectiveness.
What to do next
Send us your resume with a cover letter that tells us why you'd be a good fit as our administrative assistant. We'd prefer you send it by email attachment, but if somehow that's not possible we will accept land mail at P O. Box 1577, Bloomington, IN 47402. Address your submission to Mark Pfaff, the president of our board of directors. We'll go through resumes and select the best candidates for interviews (in person for those in Bloomington, by Skype for those out of town). All candidates will be notified of their status by April 30. No calls, please--we have no one answering the phone and you will receive no response.
