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This position has closed. University of Chicago removed this listing from their careers page on Oct 6, 2026. The interview prep below is still useful, and there are similar open roles at the bottom of this page.

Administrative Specialist II

University of Chicago · Chicago, IL · $24.04–$31.25 an hour · Full time

Posted Apr 27, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 4, 2026

Likely interview questions for this role

Written from this job description, not a generic list. Each one notes what the interviewer is really checking.

About your past

Tell me about a time several people needed something from you at once and all of them were urgent.

What they are checking: The posting asks for communicating well under pressure, and this is what that means daily.

As a lead specialist, how do you set the standard for the rest of the administrative team?

What they are checking: The posting says lead, which means more than doing the work well themselves.

Tell me about a process you improved because it kept going wrong.

What they are checking: Whether they fix causes or keep absorbing the same problem.

What makes a good day in this kind of role?

What they are checking: Whether they take satisfaction in the work itself, which predicts who stays.

What would you do

This section has over a hundred providers across eight locations. How do you keep track of that much?

What they are checking: Whether they have worked at this scale, which is what makes the role difficult.

Something has been booked wrongly and a patient is affected. What do you do?

What they are checking: Whether they own the error and fix it rather than explain it.

How do you handle confidential information that crosses your desk?

What they are checking: Discretion in a department where the information is unusually personal.

How do you say no to a request you cannot meet?

What they are checking: Whether they can hold a boundary with clinicians who outrank them.

About the work

How do you manage a physician's calendar when clinic, surgery and meetings all conflict?

What they are checking: Practical scheduling in a clinical department, which is harder than a corporate diary.

What systems have you used for scheduling, records or purchasing?

What they are checking: Practical tooling, since an academic medical centre runs on several at once.

Practice this interview out loud.

Offer builds a real interview for this exact role at University of Chicago from your resume and this job description, asks the questions one at a time, and tells you what landed. The first one is free.

Practice this out loud

The full job description

As published by University of Chicago.

Department BSD OBG - Generalists About the Department The Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology has 114 clinical providers, providing care at the main hospital in Hyde Park and seven off site locations. We have more than 60,000 outpatient visits, 25,000 ultrasound visits, 2,800 deliveries, and 3,000 gynecological surgeries per year. Teaching, research and the highest quality clinical care are top priorities for the Department. The residency and fellowship programs are highly ranked and have a history of training leaders in healthcare. The Department also has a significant research enterprise, engaging in population health studies, as well as research conducted in wet laboratories on tumor biology, fibroid research, and hypertensive diseases in pregnancy. Additionally, the Section of Family Planning has established a unique research center, CI3, which focuses on reproductive policy and innovations in sexual and reproductive health. Job Summary We are looking for highly motivated individual to act as a lead administrative specialist in the section of General OB/GYN. This individual needs to be highly organized and communicate well under pressure. They will be responsible for high-level responsibilities for a large number of providers. They will play a vital part in the physicians’ onboarding process, development of section strategy, maintaining control of several complex schedules, and reimbursements. This position povides specialized business support for routine office and location support activities. Identifies, enhances, and follows specific processes and procedures to maximize the efficiencies for which the support is being provided by working autonomously within established procedures and practices. Ensures the correct functioning of facilities, office and/or business support services. Responsibilities • Provides administrative support for over 30 providers with a various range of administrative duties. • Performs high-level administrative duties in support of office/clinical functions. • Manages special project as assigned. • Manages several databases vital to our Labor and Deliver Unit and General OB/GYN operations. • Manages an on-call schedule for our physicians. • Oversees the provider service calendar within our provider software by way of creating, monitoring, and editing the schedule when necessary. • Resolves many office problems independently and facilitates solutions, conferring with supervisor to resolve the most complex issues. • Monitors and reconciles accounts. • Manages accounts and receives, processes, and tracks all bills and expense reimbursements on behalf of section personnel. • Composes and edits correspondence and other documents. • Coordinates logistics of major events; schedules diverse and complex appointments, meetings, and travel arrangements. • Provides administrative support for a leader. Stays informed of activities relating to programs and initiatives, apprising the leader of issues when deemed necessary. Coordinates information flow from leader's office. • May initiate correspondence and other written materials under own signature or for signature of the leader. Triages emails and telephone calls for action. Resolves a combination of some routine and complex inquiries. • Prepare special reports and summaries, assists in managing daily operation of the office, and may assist in developing administrative goals and policies. Maintains the leader's calendar. • Coordinates special projects as directed by the leader. Prepares write ups for recommendations for operational and administrative problems. Manages a portion of the leader's budget, monitoring and reconciling accounts. Prepares financial and/or administrative reports. • Performs other related work as needed. Minimum Qualifications Education: Minimum requirements include vocational training, apprenticeships or the equivalent experience in related field (not typically required to have a four-year degree). Work Experience: Minimum requirements include knowledge and skills developed through 5-7 years of work experience in a related job discipline. Certifications: --- Preferred Qualifications Education: • Bachelors degree strongly preferred. Experience: • Previous administrative experience strongly preferred. • Familiarity with central administration within a complex research university environment. • Previous experience in the OB/GYN field strongly preferred. • Experience in taking initiative and organizing and completing projects with minimal supervision. • Experience at negotiating in order to accomplish goals required; ability to handle contacts with courtesy, maturity, discretion and diplomacy, including sensitive and confidential situations strongly preferred. • Experience in handling sensitive and confidential situations and information with absolute discretion. • Previous Electronic Medical Record (EMR) experience strongly preferred. • Experience with EPIC and QGenda computer programs strongly preferred. • Experience with handling a large volume of work often restricted by deadlines. Technical Skills or Knowledge: • Previous Electronic Medical Record (EMR) experience. • Experience with EPIC and QGenda computer programs. ​ Preferred Competencies • Organization. • Problem-solving. • Collaboration and Independence. • Attention to detail. • Communication. • Take initiative, organizing and completing projects with minimal supervision. Working Conditions • Office environment. Application Documents • Resume/CV (required) • Cover Letter (required) When applying, the document(s) MUST be uploaded via the My Experience page, in the section titled Application Documents of the application. Job Family Administration & Management Role Impact Individual Contributor Scheduled Weekly Hours 40 Drug Test Required No Health Screen Required No Motor Vehicle Record Inquiry Required No Pay Rate Type Hourly ​ FLSA Status Non-Exempt ​ Pay Range $24.04 - $31.25 The included pay rate or range represents the University’s good faith estimate of the possible compensation offer for this role at the time of posting. Benefits Eligible Yes The University of Chicago offers a wide range of benefits programs and resources for eligible employees, including health, retirement, and paid time off. Information about the benefit offerings can be found in the Benefits Guidebook . Posting Statement The University of Chicago is an equal opportunity employer and does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, sexual orientation, gender, gender identity, or expression, national or ethnic origin, shared ancestry, age, status as an individual with a disability, military or veteran status, genetic information, or other protected classes under the law. For additional information please see the University's Notice of Nondiscrimination. Job seekers in need of a reasonable accommodation to complete the application process should call 773-702-5800 or submit a request via Applicant Inquiry Form. All offers of employment are contingent upon a background check that includes a review of conviction history. A conviction does not automatically preclude University employment. Rather, the University considers conviction information on a case-by-case basis and assesses the nature of the offense, the circumstances surrounding it, the proximity in time of the conviction, and its relevance to the position. The University of Chicago's Annual Security & Fire Safety Report (Report) provides information about University offices and programs that provide safety support, crime and fire statistics, emergency response and communications plans, and other policies and information. The Report can be accessed online at: http://securityreport.uchicago.edu . Paper copies of the Report are available, upon request, from the University of Chicago Police Department, 850 E. 61st Street, Chicago, IL 60637.

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