Remote Department Assistant at Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University is seeking a dedicated Department Assistant to join their College of Education in a part-time remote job opportunity. This position offers flexible scheduling and the chance to support vital educational initiatives while working from anywhere. You’ll provide comprehensive clerical and administrative support that keeps the department running smoothly, helping faculty, staff, and students access the resources and guidance they need for academic success.

This role is perfect for someone who thrives on organization, enjoys variety in daily tasks, and wants to contribute to higher education without commuting to campus. Working remotely for a university means you’ll be part of meaningful work that directly impacts student success and faculty effectiveness. The position requires strong Microsoft Office skills, attention to detail, and the ability to juggle multiple priorities in an academic environment where deadlines and accuracy matter.

With bilingual Spanish skills preferred and opportunities to grow within the university system, this Department Assistant position offers both immediate employment and potential career development. The part-time schedule provides work-life balance while allowing you to develop valuable administrative skills in the education sector.

Key Responsibilities

Your daily work will center on providing comprehensive clerical support to the College of Education department. This includes managing correspondence, maintaining filing systems both physical and electronic, handling phone communications, and addressing whatever clerical needs arise to keep the department functioning efficiently.

Data entry forms a significant part of your responsibilities. You’ll input information for reports, statistical tracking, and various departmental records, ensuring accuracy in all entries. Your attention to detail here directly affects the department’s ability to track progress, meet reporting requirements, and make informed decisions.

File maintenance keeps departmental records organized and accessible. You’ll manage both traditional filing and electronic document systems, organizing materials, retrieving documents for audits or reviews, and ensuring information can be located quickly when needed by faculty or administration.

Student support is woven throughout your role. You’ll assist staff, faculty, and students with basic interpretation of departmental procedures, helping them navigate academic processes and understand requirements. While you won’t provide academic advising yourself, you’ll understand the advising system well enough to refer students to the correct advisors for their specific needs and assist in maintaining student advising files.

Meeting coordination falls under your purview when needed. You’ll arrange meeting spaces, track RSVPs, order necessary supplies, and handle setup and teardown logistics. Your organizational skills ensure meetings run smoothly without faculty needing to manage these details themselves.

Follow-up work keeps projects moving forward. You’ll check in with employees and supervisors regarding various departmental issues, ensuring documentation stays current and accurate, and that nothing falls through the cracks. This proactive communication prevents small oversights from becoming larger problems.

Document preparation and review keeps departmental communications professional and accurate. You’ll assist in preparing both paper and electronic documents, reviewing materials for accuracy and completeness, and ensuring resources meet departmental standards before distribution.

Project support and departmental logistics round out your responsibilities. You’ll assist with various activities, special projects, and general operational needs that arise in a dynamic academic department. Your flexibility and willingness to tackle whatever tasks emerge make you an invaluable team member.

Required Qualifications

A high school diploma or GED combined with two years of experience in an office setting forms the minimum educational requirement. This combination demonstrates you understand professional office environments and can handle standard administrative responsibilities independently.

An Associate’s degree is preferred and may give you an advantage in the selection process, particularly if it’s in a relevant field like business administration, office management, or education-related areas.

Demonstrated ability to work with Microsoft Office Suite is mandatory, specifically Word, Excel, and Outlook. You should be comfortable creating documents, managing spreadsheets with formulas and data analysis, and handling email communications and calendaring efficiently. These tools form the foundation of your daily work.

Bilingual Spanish skills are preferred though not required. Given the demographics of New Mexico and the university’s student population, Spanish proficiency allows you to serve a broader range of students and community members, making you a more valuable team member.

Working knowledge of basic office functions is expected. You should understand standard clerical procedures, professional communication norms, and typical office workflows without extensive training on fundamentals.

Strong organizational abilities are crucial. You must be highly organized and capable of working on multiple projects simultaneously without losing track of details or deadlines. Academic departments operate with competing priorities and time-sensitive requirements, requiring someone who can juggle effectively.

Compensation and Work Arrangements

The position pays $15 per hour for part-time work under 30 hours weekly. This creates predictable income while maintaining flexibility for other commitments, whether that’s family responsibilities, education, or supplemental work.

As a part-time position with less than 30 hours weekly, it is not benefitted, meaning you won’t receive health insurance, retirement contributions, or other traditional employee benefits through this role. This is standard for part-time university positions and should be factored into your compensation expectations.

The fully remote arrangement eliminates commuting costs and time, allowing you to work from your home office anywhere accessible to the university’s systems. You’ll need reliable internet, a quiet workspace for phone calls, and the ability to maintain professional standards in your remote environment.

Working for Western New Mexico University connects you to a respected educational institution with established policies, stability, and potential pathways to other opportunities within the university system. Many university employees begin in part-time or temporary roles before advancing to full-time positions.

About Western New Mexico University

Western New Mexico University serves as a regional comprehensive university in Silver City, New Mexico, with a mission to provide quality educational opportunities to students across the state and beyond. The university offers undergraduate and graduate programs with a focus on accessibility, diversity, and student success.

The College of Education specifically prepares future teachers, counselors, and educational professionals through accredited programs that combine theory with practical experience. Faculty work closely with students to develop the skills and knowledge needed to serve diverse student populations effectively.

WNMU values its staff members as essential partners in student success. Administrative support positions like this Department Assistant role enable faculty to focus on teaching and research while ensuring students receive the guidance and resources they need. The university’s commitment to serving traditionally underserved populations creates meaningful work beyond just a paycheck.

As a public university, WNMU operates with transparency, established policies, and commitment to equal opportunity employment. The institution serves a diverse student body and values employees who can work effectively across cultural and linguistic differences.

The Department Assistant Role in Today’s Remote Work Market

Administrative assistant positions in higher education have increasingly moved to remote or hybrid arrangements, with technology enabling effective support of academic departments from off-campus locations. Universities recognize that clerical and administrative functions can often be performed remotely, expanding their talent pool and reducing facilities costs. Demand for administrative support in education remains steady as institutions seek to maximize faculty time spent on teaching and research while maintaining efficient operations.

Compensation for part-time remote administrative positions in education typically ranges from $14-19 per hour depending on experience, education level, and geographic market. Higher education positions often pay moderately compared to corporate roles but offer schedule flexibility, mission-driven work, and potential access to educational benefits or professional development. Career progression in university administration can lead to full-time coordinator roles, department management positions, or specialized functions like grants administration, student services, or academic advising support. The skills developed—organizational excellence, multi-tasking capability, understanding of educational systems—transfer well across educational institutions and related nonprofit sectors.

Insider Tips for Applicants

Highlight Your Experience with Academic or Educational Environments

While not explicitly required, familiarity with higher education terminology, academic calendars, student advising processes, or educational documentation gives you a significant advantage. In your application, mention any experience working in schools, universities, training programs, or education-related organizations. Describe your understanding of how academic departments function, even if your experience comes from being a student rather than an employee. If you’ve worked with faculty, students, or academic administration in any capacity, emphasize this background as it demonstrates you’ll require less orientation to the university culture and processes.

Demonstrate Your Bilingual Capabilities if Applicable

The job description specifically mentions bilingual Spanish as preferred, reflecting New Mexico’s demographics and WNMU’s diverse student population. If you speak Spanish, prominently feature this skill in your application and be specific about your proficiency level—conversational, business fluent, or native speaker. Provide examples of how you’ve used Spanish in professional settings to assist clients, students, or colleagues. Even if your Spanish is conversational rather than fluent, this capability makes you more valuable for serving Spanish-speaking students and community members who contact the College of Education. Given the preference stated in the posting, bilingual candidates likely have a notable advantage in the selection process.

Showcase Your Remote Work Capabilities and Self-Management Skills

Since this is a fully remote position, emphasize your ability to work independently without direct supervision while maintaining productivity and professionalism. Describe your home office setup, your strategies for staying organized across multiple projects, and your communication approaches for keeping supervisors informed remotely. Mention any previous remote work experience and how you’ve successfully managed time, met deadlines, and maintained quality standards without in-person oversight. University departments need assurance that remote employees will be responsive, reliable, and proactive about communication despite physical distance from campus operations.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can this part-time position lead to full-time employment?

While not guaranteed, part-time positions at universities often serve as entry points to full-time opportunities. Staff members who demonstrate reliability, strong performance, and cultural fit frequently advance when full-time openings arise in their department or elsewhere in the university. Building relationships with supervisors and colleagues, learning university systems thoroughly, and expressing interest in growth opportunities can position you favorably when full-time positions become available. Universities often prefer promoting internal candidates who already understand their systems and culture. During your interview, you might ask about typical career paths for staff members who begin in part-time roles to understand realistic advancement potential at WNMU specifically.

What are the actual weekly hours for this part-time position?

The posting indicates part-time status under 30 hours weekly but doesn’t specify the exact hour commitment. Part-time university positions typically range from 15-25 hours per week depending on departmental needs and budget. During the interview process, clarify the expected weekly hours, whether they’re consistent or variable based on academic calendar demands, and what schedule flexibility exists. Universities often experience busier periods during registration, start of semesters, and end of terms, with slower periods during breaks. Understanding the hour patterns helps you assess whether this position fits your schedule and financial needs. Also ask whether hours might increase during peak times or if there’s potential for the position to expand toward the 30-hour threshold over time.

What technology or equipment will I need to provide for remote work?

The job description doesn’t specify whether WNMU provides equipment or expects you to use personal devices. Typical university remote positions either provide laptops and necessary software licenses or require employees to use personal computers with specific security requirements. During the application process, clarify whether the university provides equipment, what technical specifications your personal computer must meet if you’re using your own, whether they provide software licenses for Microsoft Office or if you need your own, and what security or VPN requirements exist for accessing university systems remotely. You’ll definitely need reliable high-speed internet and a professional workspace for handling phone calls and confidential student information. Understanding these requirements upfront ensures you can meet the position’s technical demands.