Oce Manager- Ten Academic Alliance

OCE Manager - Big Ten Academic Alliance

The Big Ten Academic Alliance, the consortium of Big Ten universities headquartered in Champaign, IL and hosted by the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign campus, is seeking an Office Manager. The Big Ten Academic Alliance is at the forefront of higher education academic collaboration and focuses on advancing institutional excellence. We are seeking an Ocean Manager who will play a critical role in arranging travel, processing travel reimbursements through the University of Illinois travel system, and supporting events.

With 19 member institutions ranging from New Jersey to California, and a mission to foster collaboration, travel and off‑site event planning are at the very core of our work. This Oce Manager position, reporting to the Assistant to the President, will play a central role in coordinating the travel reimbursement process as a primary responsibility, while supporting event planning efforts to ensure smooth and effective operations.

A successful Office Manager will serve as the primary coordinator for staff and guest travel, while ensuring compliance with University of Illinois travel policies and procedures. This role is responsible for processing travel reimbursements for staff and guests through the University travel system and providing guidance and support throughout the travel planning and reimbursement process. The Office Manager will also provide limited coordination support for meeting space, hotel blocks, and other logistical needs associated with organizational meetings and events.

Location:

Champaign, Illinois. As part of our innovative and flexible work culture, this position operates within a hybrid work environment, allowing a combination of remote and on‑site work.

• Provides guidance and consultation to staff regarding Big Ten Academic Alliance travel policies, procedures, and best practices; develops and maintains travel resources, checklists, and reference materials to support efficient and compliant travel processes.
• Monitors, interprets, and maintains current knowledge of University travel policies, procedures, and regulatory requirements to ensure institutional and sponsor compliance.
• Collects, reviews, and reconciles post‑travel expense documentation in accordance with University policy; prepares and submits expense reimbursements through the University travel system in a timely and accurate manner.
• Coordinates travel logistics and provides administrative support for speakers, guests, and external partners participating in stakeholder meetings, conferences and special events, in collaboration with programmatic staff.
• Processes travel reimbursements for guests and participants supported through grant‑funded and other externally sponsored programs, ensuring compliance with sponsor guidelines and Big Ten Academic Alliance requirements.

• Checks availability of event venues, reserves venues appropriate for each event, arranges for audio/visual/IT equipment as needed, arranges for catering services, secures hotel blocks at nearby hotels, and arranges transportation, in collaboration with programmatic staff.
• Ensures the appropriate contracts are in place for each of the items above and that payments are processed in a timely and efficient manner, in coordination with the Finance Team.

• Provide administrative support for the President's Administrative Assistant and other designated staff members, as well as perform other duties as assigned.

• High school diploma or equivalent.
• Two (2) years (24 months) of work experience comparable to the third level of this series.

• Experience in event contract review.
• Experience in higher education or similar complex organizational settings.

• Excellent organizational skills and attention to detail.
• Proficiency with the University of Illinois travel system software.
• Proficiency with Oce 365 tools.
• Knowledge of University financial systems.
• Adaptability:
  Respond to change positively and adjust style to the needs of the situation.
• Attention to Detail:
  Thoroughly…