Review Vacancy
TitleAdministrative Assistant 1, University Police Office (NY HELPS)
Occupational CategoryClerical, Secretarial, Office Aide
Bargaining UnitASU - Administrative Services Unit (CSEA)
Salary RangeFrom $40391 to $47695 Annually
Duties Description Position Summary:
The Administrative Assistant 1 (AA1) provides high-level administrative and operational support to the Chief of Police and command staff, functioning with a high degree of independence and discretion. The position manages scheduling, communications, records, and office operations while ensuring compliance with SUNY and New York State requirements. It also supports fiscal processes, including procurement, payroll, and travel coordination, and handles sensitive law enforcement and personnel records. As a primary point of contact, the AA1 helps ensure efficient department operations and professional service to the campus community.
Salary: $40,391-$47,695
The full-time Administrative Assistant 1 will support the University Police Department, working Monday through Friday with Saturday and Sunday pass-days. Hours will be 8:00 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
Watch to learn more about careers at SUNY Cortland:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=98njPbVKNFY
What makes SUNY Cortland a great place to work?
• Our positions provide predictable salary progressions, and many offer permanency.
• Generous benefits include health, dental, and vision insurance, various retirement program options, paid family leave and/or parental leaves, flexible spending and dependent care accounts, long term disability and tuition reimbursement.
• SUNY Cortland prioritizes work-life balance and well-being in all forms. The university’s state-of-the-art Student Life Center is free for employees to use, with membership options for families. SUNY Cortland’s Child Care Center welcomes the children of employees and community members, as space allows. Alternate work schedules are available with a supervisor’s approval.
• Professional development opportunities exist through training, continuing education programs, tuition reimbursement and conference travel, based on funding.
• Cortland County and surrounding areas offer easy access to arts, entertainment, outdoor recreation and much more. Experience Cortland dives deep into the region’s offerings.
Major Responsibilities:
Administrative & Office Management
• Serve as the primary administrative support to the Chief of Police and senior command staff.
• Manage department calendars and coordinate scheduling and logistics for meetings, appointments, briefings, special events, and emergency operations, including room reservations, communications, dispatch coordination during critical incidents, and on-site support.
• Prepare and process correspondence, memoranda, reports, and forms while maintaining and updating departmental forms, logs, and procedural documents to ensure accuracy and consistency.
• Utilize New York State and SUNY electronic systems including email, calendaring platforms, spreadsheets, and databases while maintaining organized electronic and paper filing systems in compliance with applicable record-retention standards.
Fiscal, Purchasing & Payroll Support
• Prepare and track purchase requisitions, purchase orders, and invoices.
• Maintain inventory of office and department supplies.
• Assist with processing time and attendance records, travel requests, and expense reports.
• Track training and travel expenditures.
Confidential Records & Law Enforcement Support
• Handle confidential police, personnel, and internal affairs documentation.
• Maintain records such as crime and incident reports, non?criminal police reports, training and certification records.
• Maintain strict confidentiality of university police reports, ensuring compliance with FERPA regulations for shared educational records and HIPAA regulations for medical information, while exercising discretion in all communications.
Communication & Public Contact
• Serve as the primary point of contact for students, faculty, staff, and external agencies, providing a professional first impression via phone and in-person reception.
• Respond to calls and inquiries, providing information or referring matters appropriately.
Knowledge, Skills & Abilities:
• Knowledge of office administration practices, including filing systems, record retention, correspondence preparation, and workflow coordination.
• Skill in composing, formatting, and proofreading correspondence.
• Skill in managing multiple priorities.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain strict confidentiality and exercise sound judgment.
• Ability to work independently.
• Demonstrated ability to maintain high levels of accuracy, organization, and attention to detail.
• Demonstrated ability to remain professional and responsive in stressful or sensitive situations.
SUNY Cortland:
A top public university of approximately 6,600 students located in the geographic center of New York State, SUNY Cortland provides accessible, affordable education to students from across the U.S. body. One of 13 comprehensive universities in the State University of New York system, SUNY Cortland prides itself on its rigorous undergraduate and graduate programs in the liberal arts, sciences, education, and professional studies. For more than 150 years, SUNY Cortland has provided unmistakable value for students seeking a well-rounded academic, athletic, and social experience. The University ranks among the top campuses in the nation on Money magazine’s “Best Colleges for Your Money List,” fields a powerhouse Division III athletics program and boasts an impressive network of alumni making a difference in education, business, government, fitness, medicine and many other fields.
Minimum Qualifications
Appointment to this position could be a permanent competitive appointment or a permanent non-competitive appointment.
1. Permanent Competitive Appointment Options:
Eligible List Appointment: Candidates must be reachable on the Civil Service eligible list for this title. If you are on the Civil Service eligible list for this title, you may receive a canvass letter via email. You must record your response via NY.gov and follow the instructions in the canvass email.
Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant 1, SG 11: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-09 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework through the NYS CSEA Partnership website.
Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 1, SG 8: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-06 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law.
Section 70.1 Transfer to Administrative Assistant Trainee 2, SG 10: Candidates must have one year of permanent competitive or 55b/c service in a title SG-08 or above deemed eligible for transfer under Section 70.1 of the Civil Service Law AND completion of all mandatory core coursework.
For information regarding the transfer options of your current title, please visit the Civil Service Career Mobility Office Website: https://careermobilityoffice.cs.ny.gov/cmo/gotit/title-search/index.cfm
For information regarding the Administrative Assistant Traineeship mandatory and elective coursework, please visit the NYS & CSEA Partnership website: https://nyscseapartnership.org/administrative-assistant-traineeship
Candidates appointed at the trainee level will be required to successfully complete the traineeship to advance to the full performance level title and salary.
• $40,391 (Trainee 1- NS equated to SG-8)
• $45,081 (Trainee 2- NS equated to SG-10)
• $47,695 (Full Performance level SG-11)
2. Non-Competitive Appointment Option: This title is part of the New York Hiring for Emergency Limited Placement Statewide Program (NY HELPS).
For the duration of the NY HELPS Program, this title may be filled via a non-competitive appointment, which means no examination is required but all candidates must meet the minimum qualifications of the title for which they apply.
At a future date (within one year of permanent appointment), employees hired under NY HELPS will have their non-competitive status converted to competitive status, without having to compete in an examination. While serving permanently in a NY HELPS title, employees may take part in any promotion examination for which they are qualified.
NON-COMPETITIVE QUALIFICATIONS- To be considered for appointment through NY HELPS, or 55 b/c, candidates must meet the open-competitive minimum qualifications for this position.
This position may be designated 55 b/c and is subject to verification of applicant eligibility.
The qualifications are:
Administrative Assistant Trainee 1 (NS Salary Grade 8 $40,391):
Six months of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory core coursework as a Trainee 1, you will automatically advance to Trainee 2.
Administrative Assistant Trainee 2 (NS Salary Grade 10 $45,081):
One year of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. Upon satisfactory completion of all mandatory and elective core coursework, you will advance to the full level of this title without further examination.
Administrative Assistant 1, Salary Grade 11 $47,695:
Two years of experience in administrative support, which includes use of office software (e.g., email, word processing), provision of customer service, business writing, and/or office administration. You must also complete all mandatory and elective core coursework.
Substitution:
Certification (e.g., IAAP Certified Administrative Professional) or associate’s degree* in office administration, secretarial science, administrative assistance, paralegal, business technology, or office technology substitutes for two years of experience.
Preferred Qualifications:
• Proven ability to maintain a calm, professional demeanor in a high-pressure law enforcement environment, especially when interacting with distressed individuals or during campus emergency operations.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills.
• Proven track record of maintaining absolute confidentiality while processing sensitive personnel actions, disciplinary records, and non-public law enforcement documentation.
Additional Comments The State University of New York at Cortland is an Affirmative Action/Equal Employment Opportunity/Americans with Disabilities Act (AA/EEO/ADA) employer. The university actively seeks applications from women, veterans, individuals with a disability, members of underrepresented groups or anyone that would enrich the diversity of the university.
SUNY Cortland employment offers eligibility for the Public Student Loan Forgiveness Program (PSLF). The PSLF Program forgives the remaining balance on Direct Loans after 120 qualifying monthly payments have been made under a qualifying repayment plan while working full-time for a qualifying employer. For more information and to see if you qualify, visit https://studentaid.gov/manage-loans/forgiveness-cancellation/public-service.
Some positions may require additional credentials or a background check to verify your identity.