Appendix
Job Description: Executive Officer
Job Description: Administrative Officer
Job Description: Administrative Assitant
Job Description: Graduate Research Associate
Job Description: Executive Officer
I. Direct Service to Volunteers and Social Problems:
- Assists and advises President, Board of Directors, Committee Members and the SSSP Membership.
- Reports current developments affecting the Society, and monitors budget and SSSP assets on a quarterly basis.
- Reviews SSSP Newsletter before it goes to press, instructions and renewal form for annual membership renewal campaign, and general election ballot.
- Serves Program Committee and problem-solves; works closely with the Meeting Manager before and at the Annual Meeting
- Staffs Board of Directors and Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee Meetings.
- Serves Social Problems: monitors publication including finances, circulation, advertising, promotion, works closely with the publisher. Works with the Editorial and Publications Committee and Treasurer in negotiating a contract for publishing Social Problems.
- Works with the Administrative Officer and the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee on updating operations manual.
- Annually acknowledges volunteer work of all SSSP officers and committee members through thank you letters and appropriate gifts.
II. Organizational Work:
- Ensures that all appropriate SSSP Administrative Office personnel reviews are conducted by the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee.
- Reviews membership brochures, annual meeting registration forms, and contracts with the journal publisher, vendors, suppliers, and the host institutions. This responsibility entails regular consultation with Administrative Officer.
- Proposes revisions of By-laws to the By-laws Committee.
- Writes newsletter column for the SSSP Newsletter.
- Develops ideas for promotional campaigns to increase membership of the Society, nationally and internationally, and works with appropriate partners and vendors to execute them.
- Works with the University of Tennessee’s Office of Research and other appropriate partners to secure external funding for Society programs, projects, and activities.
III. Work with Outside Organizational Environment:
- Oversees and consults with the Administrative Officer when selecting business partners and vendors on the basis of competitive bids and monitoring their work.
- Oversees and consults with Meeting Manager while negotiating and working with hotels, registration staff at Annual Meeting, Convention Bureau personnel to obtain materials for registration packets. Enters into agreements with hotels on behalf of the Society.
- Writes public relations material for the Society and Annual Meeting; represents Society to the department and university hosting the Executive Officer and other external parties.
- Seeks information about developments in the external environment which affect SSSP. Oversees the Administrative Officer’s work with lawyers, auditors, and other professionals who serve the Society.
- Maintains and strengthens networks with other association executives and vendors such as in the American Sociological Association (ASA); Association of Black Sociologists (ABS); International Sociological Association (ISA); Consortium of Social Science Associations (COSSA); National Association of Social Workers (NASW); regional societies and other related societies.
- Works to increase the general public profile of the Society through publications, online outlets, and other venues, and to expand the Societies national and international linkages with other academic, social policy, and social justice organizations.
- Signs checks to disburse funds for payment of Society bills. (Checks over $1,000 and checks for the purpose of payment of salary of salaried employees require two approved signatures.)
Job Description: Administrative Officer
- Reconciles University of Tennessee system ledgers and converts information to functional accrual accounting system of SSSP. Prepares monthly budgets in budget-to-date format for income and expenses, balance sheet and financial statement for quarterly distribution to the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors using Open Systems Accounting software.
- Maintains ledgers, journals, prepares checks and oversees accounts receivable and accounts payable record keeping.
- Prepares a detailed spreadsheet for all monies received by SSSP. In conjunction with the Treasurer and Executive Officer, manages and monitors the Society’s reserve monies and operating accounts in checking, savings, money market accounts, certificates of deposit, mutual funds and other accounts. Deals with counterparts in financial institutions of deposit.
- Consults regularly with the Executive Officer, and meets with the Administrative Assistant and Graduate Research Associate at least once a week.
- Works with the SSSP Newsletter Editor, the Editor of Social Problems and the publisher of the journal in promotion, maintenance, and financial matters related to these two publications.
- Consults with the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee and the Board of Directors and relates to Division and Committee Chairs in financial matters relating to SSSP. Suggests budgeting strategies.
- Organizes and maintains files and documentation pertaining to the Society’s business and obtains appropriate insurance and bonding.
- Interviews and hires the Administrative Assistant and the Graduate Research Associate, and organizes, delegates, supervises, and manages the Administrative Office’s work flow.
- Oversees the site selection process of the Annual Meeting. Conducts site inspections of potential hotels. Requests contracts from at least three hotels or conference centers where such are combined. Reviews contracts and negotiates the best contract possible with each Sales Manager. Works with a meeting site selection company and consults with the Executive Officer throughout this process.
- Prepares the contractual agreement between the Society and the host institutions of the Administrative Office and Executive Officer for each contract renewal. Works with the host departments and related contract and payroll administration departments on a regular basis regarding host institution policies and procedures.
- Provides the Council of the Special Problems Divisions Chairperson with information needed to identify candidates for each elected position. Oversees the Graduate Research Associate during the election process for all Special Problems Divisions via the Society’s web site. Insures that procedures are in place to allow all division members an opportunity to vote. Monitors the computer tabulation of votes and reports any irregularities to Division Officers and to the Board of Directors. Maintains files of all election voting lists received by the Administrative Office. Advises the Division Chair in writing who the winner is and the ballot count.
- Prepares a detailed annual report of Special Problems Divisions activities for the Board of Directors.
- Works with the Nominations Committee and the Elections Committee in conducting the General Election. Provides the Nominations Committee Chair and the Elections Committee Chair with information needed to generate the slate of candidates. Prepares the general election ballot in consultation with the Executive Officer. Oversees the Graduate Research Associate during the election process via the Society’s web site. Insures that procedures are in place to allow all members an opportunity to vote. Monitors the computer tabulation of votes and reports any irregularities to Nominations Committee and the Elections Committee and to the Board of Directors. Informs the Executive Officer and Elections Committee Chair of the results. Notifies the candidates regarding the election results. Informs the Board of Directors of the election results. Works with the Graduate Research Associate to insure that the election results are posted on the Society’s web site.
- Organizes and executes the annual membership renewal campaign that entails requesting a letter from the president, revising instructions and the renewal form, distributing e-mail renewal information to current members, and mailing renewal information to those who do not respond to the e-mail invitation.
- Oversees the Graduate Research Associate with communication between Division Chairs and/or Newsletter Editors regarding their newsletter. Insures that a plain text file and a pdf file containing graphics and formatting are distributed to division members electronically and is posted on the Society’s web site.
- Oversees the Administrative Assistant when processing credit card payments from members for membership, annual meeting registration, banquet ticket sales, raffle ticket sales, audio-visual equipment rental and tour ticket sales. Verifies the coding of each check and prepares a spreadsheet containing the name, check #, amount of check, and breakdown of each item. Prepares a spreadsheet for each credit card batch that contains the name, credit card type, amount of total transaction and breakdown of each item.
- Compiles various notices, announcements, reports for the SSSP Newsletter and Social Problems. Works very closely with SSSP Newsletter Editor, Social Problems Editor and various people from the publisher of the journal.
- Works closely with the Board of Directors and the chairs of the Accessibility Committee, Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee, By-Laws Committee, C. Wright Mills Award Committee, Committee on Committees, Council of the Special Problems Divisions Chairpersons, Editorial and Publications Committee, Elections Committee, Erwin O. Smigel Award Committee, Joseph B. Gittler Award Committee, Justice 21 Committee, Lee Founders Award Committee, Lee Scholar Support Fund Committee, Lee Student Support Fund Committee, Local Arrangements Committee, Membership and Outreach Committee, Nominations Committee, Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee, Program Committee, Racial/Ethnic Minority Graduate Scholarship Committee, Resolutions Committee, Standards and Freedom of Research, Publication, and Teaching Committee, Thomas C. Hood Social Action Award Committee and special ad hoc committees to ensure the smoothness of the operation of these committees.
- Provides office duties as necessary to the efficient performance of the Society’s business. Strives to manage the Administrative Office in a professional manner.
- Handles hotel and menu arrangements for the Budget, Finance, and Audit Committee’s mid-year meeting, Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee’s site visit to the Administrative Office and other meetings when necessary.
- Deposits funds in various accounts of the Society.
- Communicates with each person listed in the Roster of Officers and Committee Members regarding their willingness to serve and accuracy of their database information. Prepares and distributes the roster annually.
- Works closely with the regional associations when promoting activities of the SSSP.
- Works closely with an independent accounting firm during the annual audit.
- Supervises the Administrative Assistant and the Graduate Research Associate at the Annual Meeting.
- Maintains and updates the operations manual in consultation with the Executive Officer and the Permanent Organization and Strategic Planning Committee.
- Works closely with the Program Committee, Session Organizers, and Division Chairs when laying out the Annual Meeting program. Communicates with each person on the program regarding their listing.
Job Description: Administrative Assistant
- Assists the Administrative Officer with maintaining ledgers, journals, preparation of checks and accounts receivable and accounts payable record keeping using Open Systems Accounting software.
- Provide administrative support including: generation of e-mail blasts to the membership, preparation of weekly reports, preparation of monthly membership reports, access the database regarding membership inquiries, preparation of letters, open, respond, and forward mail when necessary to Administrative Officer, preparation of deposit slips, mailing lists, and other related tasks.
- Maintain the Society’s membership and annual meeting records using Microsoft Access.
- Perform weekly duties as assigned by the Administrative Officer. This responsibility entails regular, uninterrupted meetings (i.e., at least one meeting per week).
- Serve as liaison between the Society’s members, the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer.
- Works closely with companies that rent the Society’s mailing list. Export data from the membership database and generates an invoice.
- Assists the Administrative Officer with periodic services provided to the Society’s committees and Special Problems Divisions as needs arise.
- Assists the Administrative Officer and the Graduate Research Associate with special projects assigned by the Executive Officer.
- Helps keep track of how many hours are spent on each project/task to provide the Society with feedback regarding the time required by each project.
- Assists the Administrative Officer and the Graduate Research Associate at the Annual Meeting and works registration.
- Supervises the Graduate Research Associate and registration staff at the Annual Meeting when the Administrative Officer is in meetings. Responsible for creating the annual meeting attendance reports and tallying the survey results. Some of these duties may be delegated to the Graduate Research Associate.
- Assists the Meeting Manager with oversight duties including membership issues, registration matters, late audio-visual requests, etc. at the Annual Meeting when the Administrative Officer is in meetings.
Job Description: Graduate Research Associate
Compensation:
The Graduate Research Associate will receive a stipend, health insurance, and a tuition waiver. Additional benefit is the opportunity to network with faculty and graduate students from across the United States and abroad.
Hours:
20 hours per week from January - December (Monday - Friday, four hours per day)
The Administrative Office will be closed when the University is closed.
Vacation Time: One week in the summer
Duties:
- Manage and maintain the design and content of the Society’s web site. Oversee and drive day-to-day web site operation. Ensure web site quality, performance and reliability.
- Serve as liaison between the Society’s members, the Executive Officer and the Administrative Officer.
- Serves as main contact for communication with Division Chairs and/or Newsletter Editors regarding the distribution of newsletters. Insures that a plain text file and a pdf file containing graphics and formatting are distributed to division members electronically and is posted on the Society’s web site.
- Handles the election process for all Special Problems Divisions and the General Election via the Society’s web site. Insures that procedures are in place to allow all Division members an opportunity to vote. Monitors the computer tabulation of votes and reports any irregularities to the Administrative Officer, Division Officers, and to the Board of Directors.
- Assists the Administrative Officer and the Administrative Assistant with periodic services provided to the Society’s members, committees, and Special Problems Divisions as needs arise.
- Assists the Administrative Officer and the Administrative Assistant with special projects assigned by the Executive Officer.
- Assist the Administrative Officer and the Administrative Assistant at the Annual Meeting and work registration.
- Helps keep track of how many hours are spent on each project/task to provide the Society with feedback regarding the time required by each project.
Qualifications:
- A resident graduate student in good standing in the sociology program, with the ability to handle the demands of working 20 hours/week and graduate studies
- A two (2) year commitment is preferred
- Web site design and implementation experience is preferred
- Excellent interpersonal skills particularly in dealing with people by phone and e-mail
- Honest, dependable, hardworking, and able to work independently and with supervision
- Typing proficiency and knowledge of Microsoft Office programs including, Word, Excel, Access, and Outlook
