Administrative Specialist (HIRED)

Lowe’s Companies, Inc. (NYSE: LOW) is a FORTUNE® 50 home improvement company serving more than 18 million customers a week in the United States, Canada and Mexico. With fiscal year 2017 sales of $68.6 billion, Lowe’s and its related businesses operate or service more than 2,390 home improvement and hardware stores and employ over 310,000 people. Founded in 1946 and based in Mooresville, N.C., Lowe’s supports the communities it serves through programs that focus on K-12 public education and community improvement projects. For more information, visit Lowes.com.

Overview:
This position provides varied and complex administrative support by applying advanced clerical, administrative and office skills for the department or a group of professionals. These duties include payroll functions, routing or answering routine correspondence not requiring Supervisor’s attention, organizing and maintaining office files, ordering and maintaining office supplies, using advanced computer applications to prepare complex correspondence, reports and presentations, receiving and screening telephone calls, scheduling appointments and maintaining a complex calendar for the Supervisor and directing inquires.

Essential functions and responsibilities:
• Exercises independent judgment and uses basic reasoning skills to perform duties of the position.
• Has frequent access to confidential information and files.
• Applies knowledge of department and organizational operations and may adapt procedures and processes to accomplish position requirements.
• Performs work under minimal supervision.
• Maintains accurate payroll records (e.g. enters weekly payroll data, tracks vacation, holiday and sick hours, provides exception reporting as needed).
• Orders and Maintains adequate supplies for office use, while keeping within established budgets.
• Fields and screens incoming telephone calls, letters and/or visitors; answers routine questions and furnishes information, when possible, to save the supervisor’s time.
• Opens and distributes mail to appropriate person. Responds with form letter to routine requests. Determines what needs to be filed and briefs the Supervisor on items needing immediate or personal attention.
• Organizes and maintains office files and records while reducing waste and maximizing efficiency; Ensures there is proper security for confidential files.
• Acts as the contact person for internal and external customers and uses independent judgment to respond to requests for information or to refer more complex requests to appropriate staff members and follows up to ensure issues have been resolved. May communicate on behalf of the Supervisor.
• Regularly works with or provides confidential and sensitive information and exercises discretion concerning its dissemination.
• Makes day to day decisions, requiring knowledge of department policies and procedures; proactively works to develop process improvements.
• Organizes and expedites flow of work through Supervisor’s office. Initiates follow-up action.
• Drafts, produces, proofreads, edits and processes correspondence or other documents for supervisor approval. May exercise independent judgment to send out correspondence on behalf of supervisor as needed
• Researches, compiles and may analyze data for special projects and various reports. This may include utilization of spreadsheets, database, or word processing software.
• Create spreadsheets including formulas to organize, display and summarize data, facilitate analysis and identify interrelationships; prepare special reports for other departments and external customers.
• Produces a wide variety of routine and complex documents, reports, presentations and other correspondence using advanced skills in Microsoft Office Suite with minimal direction from the Supervisor.
• Schedules appointments and maintains calendars for department and/or supervisor, continually checks calendars and looks ahead to avoid conflicts. Ensure that meeting requests have sufficient detail allowing the Supervisor proper understanding of the meeting topic, prepares all material needed for the meeting. Coordinates all aspects of Divisional/Departmental meetings.
• Coordinates and manages special events, including scheduling dates, sending invitations, providing logistical support, catering, ordering supplies and materials.
• Makes travel arrangements (flight, hotel, rental car, itinerary, etc) and serves as contact person for attendees. Proactively prepares materials (reports, binders, itineraries, passports, etc) needed for a successful and productive trip.
• Assists department personnel with entering travel expenses.
• Helps to on-board new employees by arranging workspace, arranging computer equipment, supplies, etc in a timely manner.
• Process Employee transfers and terminations in a timely manner.
• Assists with department budget or expense reports, may perform some analysis or make projections about department budgets; produces spreadsheet reports as requested. May assist in the development of the Department budgets.
• Acts as an information resource for the Department concerning procedures and standard practices for the company.
• Ensures office equipment is properly maintained and serviced.
• Serve as back up for other Administrative professionals during lunch periods and vacations.
• Serves as a mentor to other Administrative Specialists.
• Performs other duties as assigned.

Competencies:
• Advanced clerical skills, word processing, editing layout, graphic functions and proficiency with spreadsheets.
• Must have a sound knowledge of business correspondence and an ability to proofread for grammar, spelling and punctuation with a high degree of accuracy.
• Ability to communicate effectively with both internal and external customers and to calmly and efficiently handle routine to emergency situations.
• Must demonstrate strong organizational ability and prioritization skills in order to organize workload, handle multiple responsibilities and meet deadlines.
• Ability to effectively handle multiple interruptions and adjustments to priorities throughout the day.
• Must demonstrate a professional demeanor, being courteous and tactful at all times.
• Must have the ability to maintain strict confidentiality in regard to work performed.

Required qualifications:
• Minimum of a high school diploma or equivalent required.
• 5-10 years experience in an Administrative role.
• 2-4 years Lowe’s experience and knowledge of Lowe’s policies and procedures.
• In-depth knowledge and proficiency with PC software programs e.g., word processing, spreadsheet, database management, PowerPoint, email, calendar.

Lowe’s is an equal opportunity affirmative action employer and administers all personnel practices without regard to race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, disability, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, marital status, veteran status, genetics or any other category protected under applicable law.