Academic Staff
Regular
Administrative Specialist
Are you a dynamic, mission-driven professional who thrives at the intersection of people, purpose, and operations? If you are someone who loves balancing detail-oriented work with the big-picture impact of ensuring access for our disabled campus community members, this is your opportunity to make a meaningful difference every single day. Join the McBurney Disability Resource Center as our Front Desk Administrator and become the welcoming face and organizational backbone of a team deeply committed to access.
In this pivotal role, you and your team of student workers will shape first impressions, ensuring every student, visitor, and campus partner is greeted with professionalism and warmth. Your work will directly contribute to a campus culture where all students, especially those with disabilities, can belong and flourish. You will take the lead in recruiting, hiring, training, and developing a high-performing team of front desk student employees who manage high-stakes communication with a variety of stakeholders. Beyond the front desk, you will be a strategic operations leader, coordinating workflows, managing staff meeting logistics, leading office safety plans, and determining building access and maintenance needs, all while supporting a fast-paced, mission-driven team.
From overseeing scheduling and leading front of house communication to managing purchase requests and improving operational efficiencies, your work will keep the center running seamlessly. Your ability to learn and strategically use software and programs, including Microsoft Office and our student database system, will contribute to continuous improvement efforts. You will utilize your knowledge of McBurney Center processes and services to provide support and guidance across campus while maintaining confidentiality under FERPA and triaging more unique issues to appropriate staff.
We are seeking a proactive, compassionate problem-solver and team player who brings strong organizational skills, clear communication, and a deep commitment to access. Independent decision-making abilities, sensitivity to mental health and disability-related experiences, and ability to handle crisis situations with patience and understanding are required. Experience in administrative operations, customer service, disability services, and/or higher education environments is highly valued, and a passion for disability services and access can set you apart. Join us and be part of a team that is leading the UW-Madison community toward a culture of access and inclusion for people with disabilities.
Assists, recommends, and advises staff on unit or program administrative issues, personnel matters, and budgetary problems
Serves on committees and attends meetings, representing the interests of the unit or program
Analyzes data and trends, compiles progress reports, and provides appropriate recommendations or conclusions in support of the assigned operational work unit(s)
Exercises supervisory authority: hiring, transferring, suspending, promoting, managing conduct & performance, discharging, assigning, rewarding, disciplining, and/or approving hours worked of student employees
Schedules logistics and secures resources for a designated work unit to contribute to the day-to-day operational success
Implements and executes established policies and procedures for a designated work unit to adhere to unit objectives and to align with established strategies
Serves as a primary point of contact about disability services for campus partners and stakeholders via phone, in person, and through other communication mediums
Student Affairs, Student Success and Belonging, McBurney Disability Resource Center
The McBurney Disability Resource Center is the office for students with disabilities and classroom accommodations on the UW-Madison campus. As part of the student accommodation process, we work collaboratively with students and instructors to provide and support effective student accommodations. We strive to create an inclusive campus environment that allows students to engage, explore, and participate in the Wisconsin Idea. We work with over 5,700 students annually, have a strong collaborative team, and partner with students, instructors, staff, student organizations, and others across campus.
The McBurney Disability Resource Center is part of Student Affairs at the University of Wisconsin–Madison, led by the vice chancellor for student affairs. Our staff is dedicated to serving students and to helping them succeed in and out of the classroom in areas including health and well-being, student success and belonging, leadership and engagement, and student advocacy.
The expected minimum starting salary for this position is $55,000.00 annually. Actual pay will depend on experience and qualifications. This position offers a comprehensive benefits package, including generous paid time off, competitively priced health/dental/vision/life insurance, tax-advantaged savings accounts, and participation in the nationally recognized Wisconsin Retirement System (WRS) pension fund. For a summary of benefits, please see https://www.wisconsin.edu/ohrwd/benefits/download/fasl.pdf
Administrative and/or operations experience with strong attention to quality and detail
Customer service experience, including conflict management skills
Experience using Microsoft Office Suite and other digital tools to manage office organization, operations, and meeting schedules
Demonstrated strength in verbal and written communication skills to a variety of audiences (e.g., professional emails to a professor, phone calls with a parent, in-person interactions with a student)
Ability to connect one’s knowledge of disability and/or accessibility to the work
Self-motivated with the ability to prioritize and complete concurrent projects amidst evolving priorities and needs encountered every day
Experience in financial tracking and purchase reconciliation
Experience managing travel arrangements
Experience managing teams’ calendars
Supervision and development of early career professionals, student employees, or other young people
Passion for access and disability services
Experience working with people with disabilities and/or applying knowledge of the disability barriers experienced in an educational environment
Bachelor’s degree required or equivalent professional experience. We welcome applicants with strong transferable skills and experience in office coordination, customer service within an office environment, or student support in lieu of a formal degree.
To begin the application process, click on the "I am a current employee" button or "I am not a current employee" button under Apply Now. You will need to upload the following documents:
Please note that there is only one attachment field. You must upload all your documents into the one attachment field. Application reviewers will evaluate the materials you submit (your resume and cover letter) to identify qualified applicants who will advance in the recruitment process. Please ensure that your application is complete and submitted by the deadline (“apply by “date at the top of the posting) to be considered for this position.
University sponsorship is not available for this position, which includes transfers of sponsorship and TN visas. The selected applicant will be responsible for ensuring their continuous eligibility to work in the United States (i.e. a citizen or national of the United States, a lawful permanent resident, a foreign national authorized to work in the United States without the need of an employer sponsorship) on or before the effective date of appointment.
Angel Cartagena, hr@studentaffairs.wisc.edu , (608) 890-2570
Relay Access (WTRS): 7-1-1. See RELAY_SERVICE for further information.
Diversity is a source of strength, creativity, and innovation for UW-Madison. We value the contributions of each person and respect the profound ways their identity, culture, background, experience, status, abilities, and opinion enrich the university community. We commit ourselves to the pursuit of excellence in teaching, research, outreach, and diversity as inextricably linked goals.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison fulfills its public mission by creating a welcoming and inclusive community for people from every background - people who as students, faculty, and staff serve Wisconsin and the world.
The University of Wisconsin-Madison is an Equal Opportunity Employer.
Qualified applicants will receive consideration for employment without regard to, including but not limited to, race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, national origin, age, pregnancy, disability, or status as a protected veteran and other bases as defined by federal regulations and UW System policies. We promote excellence by acknowledging skills and expertise from all backgrounds and encourage all qualified individuals to apply. For more information regarding applicant and employee rights and to view federal and state required postings, visit the Human Resources Workplace Poster website.
To request a disability or pregnancy-related accommodation for any step in the hiring process (e.g., application, interview, pre-employment testing, etc.), please contact the Divisional Disability Representative (DDR) in the division you are applying to. Please make your request as soon as possible to help the university respond most effectively to you.
Employment may require a criminal background check. It may also require your references to answer questions regarding misconduct, including sexual violence and sexual harassment.
The University of Wisconsin System will not reveal the identities of applicants who request confidentiality in writing, except that the identity of the successful candidate will be released. See Wis. Stat. sec. 19.36(7).
The Annual Security and Fire Safety Report contains current campus safety and disciplinary policies, crime statistics for the previous 3 calendar years, and on-campus student housing fire safety policies and fire statistics for the previous 3 calendar years. UW-Madison will provide a paper copy upon request; please contact the University of Wisconsin Police Department.