Job of the Week: Program/Office Assistant III

This week, MSU Human Resources is featuring a job posting from the College of Education for a Program Assistant (posting 812328). The College of Education has established a reputation for excellence and visionary thinking in its efforts to improve teaching and learning across our nation and world, particularly within the contexts of urban and global education.

The Program Assistant is responsible for interacting with applicants, current students, faculty, staff and administrators to provide information and guidance through a variety of communication channels. They will oversee the application and admissions process and maintain program data. They will also support administrative processes for multiple programs including Graduate Certificates and Masters. For a list of all responsibilities, click here

The ideal candidate should have a high school education and a knowledge of technical and medical terminology. They should also have three to five years of experience in word processing, spreadsheet, database and/or desktop publishing software. 

To learn more about the College of Education, visit education.msu.edu. To apply for this position, prepare a cover letter, resume, three professional references and apply here by September 27.

Job of the Week: Research Assistant III/S

This week, MSU Human Resources features a job posting from the College of Human Medicine for a Research Assistant (posting 811728). The College of Human Medicine is committed to educating exemplary physicians and scholars, discovering and disseminating new knowledge and providing service at home and abroad.

The Research Assistant is responsible for coordinating the NIMH-funded ROSE Scale-up Study. This study will assess the effectiveness of the ROSE postpartum depression prevention intervention. They will coordinate and manage daily operations, activities and all phases of research. They will also supervise four research assistants and coordinate their recruitment and follow up duties. For a list of all responsibilities, click here

Interested applicants should have a Master’s degree in the specific field of research employment. They should have one to three years of experience in research methodologies, writing reports, supervision, software and data interpretation. They may also need special licensing or certification in the field related to the area of employment. 

To learn more about the College of Human Medicine, visit humanmedicine.msu.edu. To apply for this position, prepare a resume, cover letter, a Diversion, Equity and Inclusion statement and apply here by September 20.

Self-Improvement Month

September is Self-Improvement Month! Self-improvement can be related to many things, whether it’s learning something new, maximizing a strength or focusing on your physical or emotional wellbeing. Celebrate this month by taking some time for yourself, growing and using these MSU resources to help get you started.

Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace

Take advantage of this personal development course in October. The Creating and Sustaining a Positive Workplace course will help you break the seven habits of negativity and other secrets of getting along. For more information, click here. 

Take a Walk Around MSU

Utilize our beautiful campus or take a stroll through the East Lansing area. Taking a walk is great exercise, but can also improve your mental and emotional well-being.

TIAA Webinar: Strategies for Staying on Track

The WorkLife Office is hosting a webinar to help you stay on track of your financial goals. This opportunity will give you tips on how to have a solid financial future even after you’ve stopped working. For more information, click here

Identify and Maximize Your Strengths

This course will teach you how to benefit most from your strengths based on your CliftonStrengths Assessment. The assessment identifies your natural patterns of thinking, feeling and behaving, so that you can discover what makes you exceptional and maximize your potential. For more information, click here

Spartan Clothing Swap

Work on your self-improvement by cleaning out your closet, helping the planet and giving back to others in the community. The Surplus Store and Recycling Center are hosting a clothing swap where you can swap your clothes in good condition with others and keep them out of the waste stream. For more information, click here. 

Wellbeing Wednesdays: Supporting Each Other Through the Next New Normal

The WorkLife Office and Health4U have partnered to bring you Wellbeing Wednesdays. This informal webinar will focus on how we can support each other during continued change and the importance of self-care. For more information, click here

Ready, Set, Change!

This personal development course will demonstrate how organizational change can result in better outcomes. Join this November to improve and take charge of your organizational environment. For more information, click here

Strings Sing: 2022 Music and the Garden Series

Take in the natural beauty of the W.J. Beal Botanical Garden, relax, and enjoy some chamber music and jazz at the 2022 Music and the Garden Series. For more information, click here. 

Women’s Networking Association: All Things Women’s Health – Understanding and Taking Care of Your Body

The Women’s Networking Association will host this webinar to teach women how to best take care of and listen to their bodies. For more information, click here. 

The Power of Habit™

This personal development course will teach you how to replace undesirable habits with productive ones. Join us in October, and kick those bad habits for good! For more information, click here.  

Share your favorite self-improvement tips and comment below!

Job of the Week: Human Resources Manager

This week, MSU Human Resources features a job posting from the Office of Research and Innovation for a Human Resources Manager (810356). The Office of Research and Innovation administers research funding, ensures research integrity for both students and faculty, provides grant support services, fosters collaboration, licenses university inventions and oversees regulatory compliance to support MSU’s research and creative activity. 

The Human Resources Manager is responsible for managing the administrative activities of a large complex administrative unit. They will ensure that leadership is informed in a timely manner of all critical issues that require their attention and decision-making. They will also plan, monitor and revise onboarding of new hire employees. For a list of all responsibilities, click here

Interested applicants should have a four-year degree in Human Resources or a related field. They should have three to five years of experience in accounting, management, budget preparation and database system analysis and maintenance. They should also have experience working in an educational environment.

To learn more about the Office of Research and Innovation, visit research.msu.edu. To apply for this position, prepare a cover letter, resume and three professional references and apply here by September 14.

OPD Course Spotlight — Continuous Process Improvement Series

“Continuous improvement is better than delayed perfection.” – Mark Twain

Picture this: Your department is functioning smoothly, with greater efficiency and productivity, utilizing clear, easy-to-understand frameworks for ongoing processes with easily transferrable knowledge and expertise. This type of work environment isn’t just a pipe dream. In fact, it’s part of MSU’s strategic plan, which sets forth the following action item:

Establish processes to systematically identify and remove barriers to success and reduce work inefficiencies to improve the experience of working at MSU.
(MSU 2030 Strategic Plan: Goal 2, Objective 1, Strategy/Action 6)

Continuous Process Improvement is an area of growing importance, as new and emerging leaders recognize process as foundational to the success of individuals, teams and organizations. Continuous improvement can range from simple changes in the day-to-day workings of your team to large-scale procedural shifts across the entire university. In all cases, you need the right instruments to achieve success and keep it going.

Continuous Process Improvement Learning Series

A variety of programs are available to assist you and your team in developing a culture of process excellence, with Fall 2022 sessions currently open for registration in EBS. The courses below typically provide the maximum benefit when taken as a series, although taking only a few of the classes is also an option, depending on your learning needs.

  1. Process Mapping 101 – Getting Started | elevateU e-learning course, 20 minutes
    • Define key process improvement terminology.
    • Identify common process maps and their differences.
  2. Introduction to Process Mapping | Instructor-led training
    • Define key process improvement terminology.
    • Identify common elements of process maps.
    • Reduce barriers to success by adopting best practices.
    • Create a process map.
    • Begin work on individual work-related processes using the resources provided.
  3. Promapp, Interactive Process Creation | Instructor-led training
    (requires completion of a prerequisite course, Introduction to Process Mapping)
    • Create processes in the Nintex Promapp system and use key features.
    • Utilize best writing practices and process standards to create engaging and consistent processes.
  4. Writing Policies and Procedures | Instructor-led training
    • Draft policies and procedures in clear terms that can be understood by all.
    • Discover strategies and methods for creating easy-to-understand resources.
  5. New Course! Facilitating Process Improvement | Instructor-led training
    • Identify leading process improvement frameworks and their appropriate applications.
    • Apply the RAPID methodology and supporting project documents to design a process improvement initiative.
    • Evaluate process effectiveness and identify common sources of waste
    • Adopt facilitation best practices in the management of process improvement initiatives.

Check out a preview of what you can expect from the Introduction to Process Mapping class to get a feel for the types of tools and strategies you’ll gain:

Ready to Learn More?

Register for upcoming courses in the Continuous Process Improvement Learning Series in the EBS Portal by selecting the Courses for Employees at MSU tile under My Career and Training. A list of recommended self-directed learning resources is below to get you started, and OPD can be reached at prodev@hr.msu.edu with any questions.

RECOMMENDED ELEVATEU RESOURCES

elevateU Courses

elevateU Microlearning – Videos

Sources

Image by rawpixel.com on Freepik

September Events Round-Up

Are you looking for activities for you and your family this month? There are events (in-person and virtual) on campus and in the Greater Lansing community. Many events require registration, so be sure to click the links to learn more.

Campus Events

Starts September 1Meet Your Campus Art Museum (free): Come check out the exhibitions and make a custom tote bag at the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum On September 1 and 2.

September 1Wharton Welcomes featuring Charlie Burg (free): Celebrate the new school year at the Wharton Center with an evening of alternative/funk music, ice cream, games and more.

September 9Opening Reception for 1.5° Celsius Exhibition (free): Visit the MSU Museum for the opening reception of the new exhibit that addresses climate issues.

September 17: Garden Day 2022: These workshops at the Plant and Soil Sciences Building will teach you more about plants.

Learning Opportunities

September 13Family Employee Resource Group: Children with Special Needs (free): A panel of local experts will answer your questions about children with special needs and share resources in this Zoom webinar.

September 14ERGO 100: Intro to Ergonomics (free): Join this Zoom course and learn about common ergonomic stressors in the workplace.

September 17Diving Into Math with Emmy Noether (free): Enjoy this play at the FRIB Laboratory to celebrate one of the most influential mathematicians.

September 22International Employee Resource Group: Welcome Session (free): Join this Zoom webinar to connect on issues related to our international community.

Health and Wellness

September 9Spartan Clothing Swap (free): Ready to clean out your closet? Bring your unwanted clothes to the Surplus Store and Recycling Center and exchange clothes with someone else.

September 17Lansing Walk4CMT (free): Bring the whole family for a day of walking and fundraising for a cure for Charcot-Marie-Tooth. 

Family-Friendly Activities

September 1 –  Sensory Friendly Hours: Visit the Impression5 Science Center for their sensory-friendly hours.

September 3 Family Day: Power of Story (free): Enjoy Family Day at the MSU Broad Art Museum. There will be hands-on, interactive activities throughout the museum.

September 12 MSU Bug House Monday Night Open House (free): View insects from all over the world at the MSU Bug House.

September 30East Lansing Welcomes the World (free): Enjoy this event for International students and families to meet the community and enjoy children’s activities, food, a photo booth and more.

Job of the Week: Payroll Assistant II

This week, MSU Human Resources features a job posting from MSU Finance for a Payroll Assistant (805810). The MSU Finance department monitors the financial health of the university and provides analysis and formulation of strategies to deal with these issues. 

The Payroll Assistant is responsible for the processes and maintenance of all functions of the Academic Salary, Non-Academic Salary and hourly payrolls to meet payroll goals according to University policies and procedures. They will monitor and review reports for accuracy and timeliness and verify payroll information. They will also communicate with Human Resources and University departments to exchange information needed to resolve problems and meet deadlines. For a list of all responsibilities, click here

The ideal candidate should have an Associates degree in a business related field. They should have three to five years of experience in monitoring payroll issues. They should also have experience in spreadsheet and word processing software.

To learn more about the MSU Financial department, visit finance.msu.edu. To apply for this position, submit an application here by September 6.

Leadership Blog Series: Ready to Lead

Written by Sharri Margraves, Director for HR Organization and Professional Development

How did you know you were ready to lead? What inspired you to take that first step? What is your mission as a leader? Who helped you see you could be a leader and who helped you along that path? I’m curious about the journey that brought you where you are now as a leader, and where you want to go in the future.

In my case, I didn’t think about any of this when I first started in a leadership role. My first job out of college was as an APSA level 10 supervisor at MSU, and I was just happy to have a position in my field. So, armed with my dietetics degree, off I went into “institutional food service” as a personnel supervisor. Thankfully, I was able to attend a six-week training program before being assigned to my permanent spot.

The joke was on me because I was sent to that training unit just a few days before the start of the fall semester. Let’s just say that I decided to immediately start looking for another job! In that first year, the colleague who made my job bearable quit, another experienced colleague was experiencing a personal crisis, and our supervisor was demeaning and unethical. Then, one day I came into work, and the supervisor’s office was cleaned out—something was about to change.

Senior leaders began coming to the unit daily, and an interim leader was assigned. I took on new job responsibilities and challenges. The climate we operated in was hectic and unsettling, but I found a groove. I encountered many challenges the first year but was seen by others as a leader. I certainly made mistakes and missteps all along the way (I still do), but I was given a chance and found people who cared and were willing to help me learn. My experience showed me the rewards of being kind and helpful to new people. I was also given the gift of recognizing lousy leadership and the impact it can have.

Throughout my career as a leader at MSU, I’ve made it a point to take on stretch assignments and do all I can to continue to grow—public speaking was particularly hard. I figured if I kept growing, I would be able to help others be successful too.

Here’s what I’ve learned: Encouraging and empowering others will help our needed leadership talent grow. Always be on the lookout for talent—hire people better than you and model positive leadership by refining their gifts and talents. Find others that need a chance and the grace to grow into the leaders we need, whether they are individual contributors or supervisors.

Leadership Resources from OPD

MSU offers and continues to develop resources to support leaders and managers at all stages of their professional journeys. HR’s Organization and Professional Development (OPD) launched the New Leader Development Series in January 2021, designed to give new leaders a survey of different topics related to both leading and supervising/management. More than 70 people will be making the connection with this fall’s cohort. Although this next series is full, consider the January 2023 cohort for you or members of your team.

OPD is also excited to announce a new leadership workshop and the return of a re-engineered course that’s been extremely helpful to MSU leaders: Strengths Based Leadership and Crucial Conversations for Accountability (previously titled Crucial Accountability), both available for registration in EBS for fall dates. Check out the recent HR post Learning and Development Resources for Supervisors for additional courses and other resources to help you grow and advance on your leadership path.

Are there resources not currently offered by MSU that you feel would be useful to your growth as a leader? What support would help you feel ready to lead? I’m interested in your story and what could make a difference in growing MSU’s leaders. Feel free to comment below or contact me directly at margrave@msu.edu.

Sources

Photo by Christina Morillo: https://www.pexels.com/photo/three-woman-having-a-meeting-1181626/

Happy Honeybee Day!

It’s Honeybee Day! To celebrate these buzzing beauties, do your part in taking care of them. The College of Natural Science has outlined what you can do to help the bees in the Michigan Pollinator Initiative.

The Michigan Pollinator Initiative aids MSU in furthering the MSU 2030 Strategic Plan. The strategic plan highlights MSU’s goal to achieve stewardship and sustainability. Here’s a few tips you can use to help our honeybees and be a good steward of resources, pursuing initiatives in a manner that ensures MSU’s long-term sustainability and success.. 

Remove Bees Safely

If you discover bees on your property that are disruptive, work with a local beekeeper to see if they can be saved.

Plant for Pollinators

Add more flowering plants to your home garden or lawn. To learn more about this process, click here.

Advocate

Understanding policies and advocating for pollinators is a great way to support the bees. To do this, you can find your representatives or learn more about the legislative process.

To learn about the Michigan Pollinator Initiative and find out more about what you can do, click here. To learn more about the MSU 2030 Strategic Plan, visit strategicplan.msu.edu.

Job of the Week: Communications Manager II

This week, MSU Human Resources features a job posting from University Arts and Collections for a Communications Manager (805914). The University Collections and Arts initiatives supports units across campus including the Eli and Edythe Broad Art Museum, the MSU Museum, the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act and more.

The Communications Manager is responsible for assisting in the development of a communications strategy that creates a visible presence for the arts at MSU. They will create a new media and public relations campaign that raises awareness of the arts as a key component of MSU’s educational, research and placemaking activities. For a list of all responsibilities, click here.

The ideal candidate should have a four-year degree in Journalism, English, Communications, Telecommunications, Marketing, Advertising, Public Relations or a related field. They should have three to five years of experience in public and media relations. They should also have experience in communications and project management.

For more information about University Arts and Collections, click here. To apply for this position, prepare a resume and cover letter and apply here by September 6.