3565 Biographical Records Technician

POSITION IDENTIFICATION

TITLE Biographical Records Technician

CLASSIFICATION NUMBER 3565

GRADE 13

CLASSIFICATION Nonexempt

IMMEDIATE SUPERVISOR Director of Technology & Data Services – University Advancement

GENERAL FUNCTION

The Biographical Records Technician is responsible for maintaining data integrity within and between University Advancement systems by researching, analyzing, and updating constituent’s biographical data to ensure constituent accuracy to drive fundraising goals.  This position also assists in managing the physical and electronic file retention for constituent’s biographical data. This role organizes, catalogs, and retrieves records efficiently, adhering to department, organizational and legal standards. Biographical data includes but is not limited to a constituent’s name, birth and death date, marital and employment status, non-MSU degree data and contact information and preference.

MINIMUM ACCEPTABLE QAULIFICATIONS

Education: A high school diploma is required.  Completion of college courses or specialized training beyond the high school level emphasizing office procedures, research, or computer applications is preferred.

Experience: One year experience in biographical research, records management, or a similar role is preferred. Three years of experience in an administrative office using spreadsheet, database, email, and network functions, including at least one year of documented advanced level use of word processing, spreadsheet, and database applications required.  Microsoft Office Specialist Certification can be substituted for the minimum experience requirements.

Skills: Must be able to follow directions and adhere to data standards set forth to ensure data accuracy. Must be detail oriented. The ability to prioritize, work independently and plan, execute and complete a variety of projects is required.

Effort: This position is primarily sedentary and does involve bending, kneeling, or reaching in a physical file room.  The position requires daily keyboarding and may be extensive at times.

ESSENTIAL DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES

1. Performs regular tasks and projects to accurately research and maintain constituent biographical data within internal Advancement systems from multiple various external sources.

2.Works to identify and helps resolve duplicate constituent records in the system and file room to ensure data integrity and accurate biographical records,

3. Uses University Advancement-approved sources and methodologies to verify accurate constituent biographical data and provides updates from those sources’ effectiveness through research.

4. Adheres to data standards, relevant regulations, and ethical standards, for biographical research and data entry, providing feedback and training for improvement as necessary to the department for maintaining records in digital and physical formats, ensuring accuracy and confidentiality standards.

5. Helps establish and documents data standards for entry into University Advancement’s constituent system of record and provides guidance to others in the department as to appropriate biographical data entry.

6. Manages accurate filing, retention, and secure destruction of physical constituent documents in the file room based on document retention guidelines as set by Foundation auditors and/or University Advancement, and legal standards.

7. Remains competent and current through self-directed professional reading, developing professional contacts with colleagues, attending professional development courses, and attending training and/or courses as required by the supervisor.

8. Promotes a positive and professional image of the department by being knowledgeable about various departmental procedures and policies, appropriately answering questions asked by alumni, donors, faculty, staff, or others doing business with the department, and referring questions or issues beyond the scope of one’s expertise to the appropriate administrator.

9. Occasionally performs receptionist duties by receiving and greeting visitors and University personnel, directing them to the appropriate office or persons, providing information or materials in response to routine inquiries, answering the telephone, taking messages or routing calls according to office procedures utilizing organizational familiarity and necessary discretion, and making appointments as appropriate.

10. Contributes to the overall success of the Advancement Services office by performing all other essential duties as assigned.

SUPERVISION

The Biographical Research & Records Technician may supervise part time and student employees.

OFFICE OF HUMAN RESOURCES

REVISED JANUARY 2025

JOB FAMILY 1

Factor 1: Educational/Experience Requirements of the Job

Level 4.0 - 500 Points: A combination of education and experience equivalent to a Level 4 as indicated by the Equivalencies Chart, when permitted by the Minimum Acceptable Qualifications.

Factor 2: Complexity and Technical Mastery

Level 4.0 - 370 Points: In addition to considerable skill in oral and written communication, the ability to make basic mathematical calculations, the ability to understand and follow instructions, knowledge of moderately complex or other work procedures, and the ability to work independently and coordinate a variety of activities and events, the job requires specific professional skills and/or skills in managing a wide variety of complex processes.

Factor 3: Responsibility for the Work of Others

Level 2.0 - 30 Points: Occasional responsibility to direct the work of one or more student workers and/or temporary part-time workers. The requirement to supervise others is not a regular job duty, but may occur on an intermittent or irregular basis. The nature of the required supervision is largely confined to assigning work or tasks to others and does not include a full range of supervisory responsibilities.

Factor 4: Guidelines

Level 3.0 - 220 Points: The work involves carrying out a group of procedures using the general methods and desired results indicated by the supervisor. Typically, standard operating procedures, handbooks, and/or reference manuals exist for most procedures, but the incumbent must select from the most appropriate of several guidelines, and make minor adjustments to methods. The incumbent uses judgment in interpreting and adapting guidelines such as University policies, regulations, precedents, and work directions for application to specific cases or problems. The incumbent makes decisions regarding most deviations from the guidelines but major deviations from guidelines are referred to the supervisor. Assignments are related in function and objective, but processes, procedures, or software varies from one assignment to another. Based on assignment, incumbents use diverse but conventional methods, techniques, or approaches. Jobs at this level may perform work that is moderately complex, but normally performed within a fairly narrow and specific functional area.

Factor 5: Contacts

Level 4.0 - 205 Points: The purpose of interactions is to solve recurring and structured problems, to provide specialized or technically precise information to others, and/or to plan or coordinate work efforts with other employees. Contacts involve cooperation and coordination and may involve the organization of activities of programs requiring working relationships among several parties. While contacts may require some level of persuasion, potential for conflicts and disputes are relatively minor. Interactions are moderately structured and routine and may involve employees in different functions, students, and/or the general public.

Factor 6: Work Impact

Level 3.0 - 300 Points: Work activities normally address conventional problems or situations with established methods to supply other employees with information, services, or products they use to perform their work. Work products or services facilitate the work of other employees and directly affects the ability of other employees to timely complete specific tasks or processes. Work activities may affect the quality of services provided to moderate numbers of employees, students, or the public, but the services, information, or products provided have relatively minor effects on the welfare of the affected groups.

Factor 7: Physical Effort and Work Environment

Level 1.0 - 25 Points: The work environment consists of exposure to physical conditions typical of a normal office environment. Most of the job is performed while sitting, although the work may require occasional standing or walking and/or the lifting and carrying of small objects.