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Administrative Specialist

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

Posted May 22, 2026 · We last checked this listing on Oct 6, 2026

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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 MED - Pulmonary - Administrative Support About the Department The Section of Pulmonary and Critical Care Medicine has been a model of exemplary patient care, research, and post-doctoral training for more than 20 years. The 31 faculty, clinical associates and research associates along with a staff of more than 72, have devoted themselves to the pursuit of excellence in each of these important activities. Job Summary This job provides administrative support within the Section of Pulmonary/Critical Care Medicine, which consists of faculty, administrative and research staff as well as students and visitors. This role will interact with and support multiple faculty members and clinical associates on a regular basis. This role will also assist other administrative staff with day-to-day operations, financial transactions, reporting, projects, events/meetings, and will interact with centralized offices throughout the University of Chicago. The ideal candidate will maintain a professional demeanor, work well under time sensitive deadlines, exhibit good communication skills, be well organized, utilize available resources, and be able to prioritize requests from multiple people. Responsibilities • Provide administrative support to multiple faculty members and clinical associates within the department. • May process reimbursements/payments for faculty, clinical associates, staff and students. • Maintain calendars for multiple faculty members and clinical associates/conference room schedules. • Coordinate meetings within the Section – food orders, room set up. • Assist with the preparation of presentations, reports and correspondence. • May coordinate travel arrangements and itineraries. • Assist with organizing ad hoc and regular Section events. • May assist with seminar series speakers, including coordinating visits of speakers and others to the Section. Prepare itineraries, assist visitors with travel arrangements, process travel reimbursements. • May assist with maintenance of the Section website and email distribution lists. • Provide coverage for other administrative staff as needed. • Check and distribute mail. • Triages emails and telephone calls for action in particular as related to Ingalls Memorial Hospital clinic and inpatient services. Resolves mostly routine and some complex inquiries. • 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. • 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. • 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: • Associate’s degree in Business Administration or related field. Experience: • Previous Administrative Assistant experience – meeting planning/set up, reimbursement processing, maintaining calendars, travel arrangements and itineraries. • Knowledge of Oracle and GEMS or similar reimbursement/payment systems. • Familiarity with central administration within a complex academic medical center environment. • Experience with other software applications (e.g., Outlook, Adobe Acrobat, PowerPoint, and Photoshop or the equivalent). Preferred Competencies • Ability to use appropriate resources to resolve an issue. • Ability to follow an issue through to resolution. • Considerable skill in working both independently and as a team member. • Ability to take initiative and organize and complete projects with minimal supervision required. Proficiency with word processing applications, spreadsheets and databases. Working Conditions • Office Environment. • In person work schedule M-F for first 3-6 months. Eligible for a hybrid work schedule based on business needs and the demands of specific tasks, only after completing probationary period (3-6 months). Working from the office is encouraged for tasks that require a high degree of collaboration. Application Documents • Resume (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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