Special Instructions to Applicants: Applicants should attach a resume and cover letter in PDF format to the Supporting Documents section of the application.

About Rice

Boasting a 300-acre tree-lined campus in Houston, Texas, Rice University is ranked among the nation’s top 20 universities by U.S. News & World Report. Rice has a 6-to-1 undergraduate student-to-faculty ratio and a residential college system, which supports students intellectually, emotionally, and culturally through social events, intramural sports, student plays, lecture series, courses, and student government. Developing close-knit, diverse college communities is a strong campus tradition, which is why Rice is highly ranked for best quality of life and best value among private universities. 

Rice is also a wonderful place to work. Rice faculty, staff, and students share values that are essential to our success as a healthy community. Those values guide our decisions and behaviors and shape Rice’s culture. They come through in how we treat each other and the welcome we extend to our visitors. These values can be recalled simply by our name — RICE — which stands for Responsibility, Integrity, Community, and Excellence.

Position Summary

The Assistant to the Vice Provost and University Librarian provides high-level administrative, financial, and operational support for the library. This role coordinates travel and reimbursements, processes purchasing and expense activity in the iO system, manages scheduling for shared spaces, supports meetings and events, and assists with student employment and daily office operations. The position requires exceptional organization, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in an academic environment.

The ideal candidate is highly organized, detail-oriented, and reliable, with demonstrated experience supporting administrative and operational functions. They are comfortable managing financial transactions, coordinating logistics, and navigating administrative systems with accuracy. This individual communicates professionally with faculty, staff, students, and external partners. They exercise sound judgment and take initiative to ensure smooth daily operations. 

Workplace Requirements

This position is offered as a hybrid role, combining both in-office and remote work to provide flexibility and support collaboration. The individual in this role will work on campus 80% of the time during a typical week, after three months of employment. Per Rice policy 440, work arrangements may be subject to change.

Hiring Range

This is a full-time, benefits-eligible position, and the proposed salary range is $60,813 to $69,900 annually, depending on qualifications and experience. *Exempt (salaried) positions under FLSA are not eligible for overtime. 

Minimum Requirements

• Bachelor’s Degree
  • In lieu of the education requirement, additional related experience, above and beyond what is required, may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.  
• 2+ years of experience in an administrative, office management, or operations support role
  • In lieu of the experience requirement, additional related education above and beyond what is required may be substituted on an equivalent year-for-year basis.    

Skills: 

• Ability to establish and manage priorities and handle numerous time-sensitive projects with conflicting and varied deadlines
• High attention to detail and accuracy, particularly with financial and administrative data.
• Ability to handle confidential and sensitive information with discretion and professionalism. 
• Excellent planning and organizational skills 
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, and written communication skills

Preferences

• Experience working at Rice University or in a higher education environment
• Familiarity with institutional systems such as iO

Essential Functions

• Coordinate travel arrangements and reimbursements for candidates and library staff.
• Track travel requests, approved budgets, and expenditures.
• Process purchasing, expense reports, requisitions, and payments using the iO financial system.
• Manage departmental purchasing cards and shared Faculty Club cards, ensuring proper documentation and reconciliation.
• Assist with check deposits and bill payments.
• Manage scheduling for shared meeting spaces and coordinate logistics, including room setup and catering.
• Support meetings, events, and committee activities, including expense tracking and documentation.
• Oversee office, copy room, and supply inventories.
• Track student payroll and coordinate all student hiring processes for the library in accordance with university policies and procedures. 
• Serve as a liaison for facilities, parking, and operational requests.
• Maintain accurate administrative, financial, and operational records.
• Performs all other duties as assigned

Additional Functions

• Provide general administrative support to library leadership as assigned.
• Guides administrators and supervisors on operations, processes, and policies related to student employment.

Rice University HR | Benefits: https://knowledgecafe.rice.edu/benefits 

Rice Mission and Values: Mission and Values | Rice University

Rice University is committed to ensuring Equal Employment Opportunity and welcoming the fullness of diversity into our candidate pools. Rice considers qualified applicants for employment without regard to race, color, religion, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, national or ethnic origin, genetic information, disability, or protected veteran status. Rice also provides reasonable accommodations to qualified persons with disabilities. If an applicant requires a reasonable accommodation for any part of the application or hiring process, please contact Rice University’s Disability Resource Center at 713-348-5841 or [email protected] for support.

If you have any additional questions, please email us at [email protected]. Thank you for your interest in employment with Rice University.