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Administrative/Financial Assistant

Department: Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) Effective Date: October, 2011
Grade:

USG 6

35 hr/wk

Reports to: Assistant Director, Administration

General Accountability

Accountable to the Assistant Director, Administration, Institute for Quantum Computing (IQC) to provide administrative support to the Canada Excellence Research Chair (CERC) and assigned faculty and research groups.  Also provides administrative support to the Director of IQC during Administrative Officer’s absence and during frequent peak periods.  Areas of responsibility include financial monitoring, personnel administration, minute taking, management of Director’s calendar and travel itinerary, and recruiting and appointments for Faculty, Research Assistant Professors, and Postdoctoral Fellows.

Nature and Scope

Strategic Context:

The mission of the Institute for Quantum Computing is to advance fundamental experimental and theoretical knowledge in relevant areas of Engineering, Mathematics, and Science to enhance developments in the field of Quantum Computation and Information Processing.  To achieve this mission, the Institute brings together the best researchers and students from around the world in Computing, Engineering, Mathematical and Physical Sciences.

Internal and External Relationships

Other positions which report to the same supervisor:

Administrative Assistant Receptionist

Administrative/Financial Assistant Faculty and Research Groups (3)

Administrative Officer

Visitor & Alumni Coordinator

Positions which report to the incumbent:  None

Significant Internal Relationships:

The Administrative Coordinator has regular contact with faculty, postdoctoral fellows, staff, and students within the Mathematics, Science and Engineering faculties.  In addition, there will be ongoing contact with staff in the Office of Research, Finance, Procurement, and other academic and administrative departments.

Significant external relationships:

Ongoing communication with granting agencies, government agencies, and industry, i.e. Industry Canada, NSERC, Mitacs, Cifar, CFI, and OCE.  Communication with outside vendors i.e. Digikey, McMaster-Carr, Praxair.

Statistical Data

Currently there are 18 full time faculty from three UW faculties (Mathematics, Engineering and Science) and the Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics, who work collaboratively with the Director to advance the goals of the Institute.  Plans are to increase the number of faculty to 30 full time positions within the next three years.  As well, the Institute currently has 73 graduate students and 37 postdoctoral fellows registered in other faculties but studying within the Institute with the intention to increase to 125 and 50 respectively.  IQC recently established it’s own graduate program.

IQC faculty are engaged in extensive research, with over 120 active grants and contracts.  IQC grants and gifts total $250 Million comprised of private, provincial, and federal funding.

Specific Accountabilities

Major Responsibilities:

Acts as back up to the Administrative Officer, taking on responsibilities as Director’s Assistant during Administrative Officer’s absences and assisting during frequent peak times.  Responsible for Director’s calendar and travel itinerary, faculty and postdoctoral fellow recruiting and hiring, faculty appointment forms, correspondence, and minute taking at faculty meetings.

Budgeting, budgetary forecasting and financial management:  Monitors and has signing authority on faculty research accounts as authorized.  This includes financial monitoring of the $10M CERC award.   Monitors financial resources for faculty, provides information to ensure that funding is available, and provides advice to faculty regarding funding and reporting deadlines.  This includes administration and monitoring of accounts following established policies and procedures appropriate to the various granting agencies.  Initiates transfer memos and charge backs as appropriate.

Grant life cycle; maintains database of all IQC grants and contracts. This includes award name, yearly awards, restrictions, reporting requirements, end dates, and anticipated future funding.

Preparation of financial forms and documents following university policies and liaison with Dean of Science Office, Office of Research and the Finance department as required.  This includes Cover Letters, and requests for Interim Research Accounts.

Development of grant proposals for faculty; acquires and compiles application information, liaises with Office of Research and granting agency personnel.  Develops and maintains electronic versions of research grant application forms.

Prepares year end and other progress reports for granting agencies as applicable.  In particular, the $10 Million award from CERC requires detailed reporting.

Personnel management; prepares payroll forms for co-op students, research assistants and visitors.  Arranges space, equipment, keys, telephone, and computer accounts for these individuals.

Purchasing; obtains quotes, ensures Procurement regulations are meet, prepares purchase requisitions for purchase equipment, verifies delivery and reconciles Purchase Orders.

Important Secondary Responsibilities:

Maintains standardized file for individual grants and contracts; ensures up to date Latex versions of CVs are available

Scientific Activity Reports; updates Scientific Activity Reports for UW and associate Institutes, i.e. Perimeter Institute, via Intranet system.

Manages travel, accommodation arrangements and travel claims for assigned faculty, postdoctoral fellows, graduate students and visitors.

Prepares requests for reimbursement for assigned faculty, research assistants and students.

Other Responsibilities:

NOTE: The following duties are assigned to one of the four Administrative/Financial Assistant positions and may revolve as work loads peak as a result of fluctuation in awards among research groups.

Provides administrative support for daily seminars and luncheons, monthly social gatherings and other events; includes booking or rearranging rooms in preparation for event, ordering of food, and initiating clean up afterwards.

Tracks publications/citations for reporting purposes using ISI Web of Knowledge.

Shipping - IQC designate for UW/GO-Logix Web based shipping.

Prepares travel claims and reimbursements for non research IQC personnel.

Acts as back up to Visitor Coordinator during absences.

Provides assistance with resource management; furniture ordering, work requests, etc.

Provides assistance with special projects as assigned.

Working Conditions