Staff Assistant

Department: University Police 026100

The University of South Florida Police Department (USFPD) is a fully certified, accredited law enforcement agency. Under the leadership of Chief Chris Daniel, the department upholds a strong commitment to excellence—serving the best interests of our campuses, community, and public safety. Guided by our mission to be community-minded and service-driven, USFPD has proudly achieved three Excelsior-level accreditation assessments and is currently preparing for the next assessment, which will occur in July 2027. Excellence demands commitment—and commitment requires investment.

In 2025, the University reestablished the Division of Public Safety, resulting in several USFPD civilian staff positions transitioning to the new department, including the Office Administrator, Logistics Manager, Public Safety Coordinator, and Public Information Officer. All members of the Division of Public Safety report directly to the Assistant Vice President/Chief of University Police, including the Directors of Physical Security and Emergency Management.

USFPD is organized into multiple bureaus, divisions, sections, squads, and specialty units that collectively support the department’s mission. The department is led by a command staff composed of sworn and non-sworn members at the rank of Lieutenant and above.

Hiring Range: $18.39 - $22.25

Additional Information: This recruitment is being conducted for a position with an anticipated start date of January 2027.

Summary: 

The Staff Assistant provides essential administrative support to the department by coordinating training, travel, and personnel processes. This role ensures employees are properly enrolled in required training courses, arranges travel logistics, and serves as a back-up resource for specialized tasks such as fingerprinting potential new hires. The Staff Assistant also provides support to the Chief Administration Staff and front office to ensure continuity of operations.

Performs clerical duties to include but not limited to word processing; sorting and collating; record keeping, appointment scheduling and ordering office supplies.  Assist with filing, scheduling, correspondence, and other clerical tasks as needed. Provide coverage of the front entrance and serving as a point of contact for visitors. Receiving incoming packages and mail and coordinating outgoing packages/mail as needed. Provide back-up support to the Chief Administration Staff Assistant, assisting with daily administrative operations during absences, leave, or other periods.

Utilizes various software programs and databases to enter data from training records.  Assists section members with data entry, records retention, and data submission for compliance initiatives related to established standards (e.g. Commission of Florida Law Enforcement Accreditation, FDLE, and CJSTC standards) and time sensitive matters. Maintains records and files of the unit(s) assigned. Maintain confidentiality of personnel and agency records.

Prepares needs assessments to identify areas of improvement, efficiency, and best practices, based upon agency policy, accreditation/CJSTC standards, and state and federal law at the direction of the section supervisor.

Assists with coordination of participants in agency-wide initiatives, including in-service training, property inventory, and other initiatives; communicates with stakeholders regarding status of initiatives. Enroll employees in training courses and maintain related records. Coordinate and arrange travel for staff, including transportation, lodging, and expense documentation.

Assists with onboarding new personnel. Serve as a back-up for fingerprinting prospective new hires in accordance with agency requirements. 

Performs other duties as assigned in the interest of agency objectives.

Minimum:

This position requires a high school diploma or equivalent, with two or more years of experience in an office or administrative support position. College or other relevant post-secondary coursework may substitute for the experience requirements on a year for year basis. Testing may be required to assess competency on word processing software.

Preferred: 

Experience working in law enforcement support positions.

Requires a Level 2 Criminal History Background Check and Drug Screen

The University of South Florida is a top-ranked research university serving approximately 50,000 students from across the globe at campuses in Tampa, St. Petersburg and USF Health. In 2025, U.S. News & World Report recognized USF with its highest overall ranking in university history, as a top 50 public university for the seventh consecutive year and as one of the top 15 best values among all public universities in the nation. U.S. News also ranks the USF Health Morsani College of Medicine in the highest tier, placing it as one of the top 16 medical schools in the nation and inside the top 10 among public universities. USF is a member of the Association of American Universities (AAU), a group that includes only the top 3% of universities in the U.S. With an all-time high of $750 million in research funding in 2025 and as a top 20 public university for producing U.S. patents, USF uses innovation to transform lives and shape a better future. The university generates an annual economic impact of nearly $10 billion for the state of Florida. USF’s Division I athletics teams compete in the American Conference. Learn more at www.usf.edu.