"Executive Assistant to the President"

Job Description

The Executive Assistant to the President provides administrative oversight and direction to ensure efficient operation of the President's Office. The ideal candidate must support Ashland University's mission, work independently, possess superior organizational, time and project management skills, possess excellent written and verbal communication abilities, have an eye for accuracy and detail, and have the ability to maintain confidentiality. Often serving as the first point of contact for both internal and external constituents, this position requires a professional and friendly demeanor. The Executive Assistant uses discretion in the dissemination of information to the Board of Trustees, faculty, students, staff, and various University constituents.

Essential Position Duties and Responsibilities:

• Manage President's schedule and office activities including the president@ashland.edu email account.
• Organize, manage, and implement key events including commencement, all-institutional meetings, Board of Trustees meetings, and events at the President's residence.
• Prepare and disseminate agendas and meeting minutes for the President's leadership team meetings, Board of Trustees meetings, and other meetings as needed.
• Welcome visitors, direct phone calls and correspondence to appropriate resources.
• Arrange and confirm presidential travel and conference registrations.
• Compose reports and various correspondences to internal and external constituents.
• Coordinate logistics, materials, and communications for Board of Trustee meetings and activities. Collect reports from vice presidents and consolidate into a cohesive Board report, disseminating materials to Board members.
• Collaborate with Chief of Staff to strengthen Board of Trustees relations, supporting strategic initiatives and fostering effective communication between President and Board members.
• Gather and organize briefings, background materials, and key stakeholder information for presidential meetings and events.
• Assists with development and management of the budgets under control of the President's Office by maintaining records, producing financial reports, approving expenditures, completing budget transfers, expense reporting, and reviewing vice president's purchasing card transactions.
• Supervise presidential interns and/or other office assistants and coordinate their schedules, projects, and hours.
• Assist Chief of Staff and Academic Affairs Coordinator/Executive Assistant to the Provost as needed.

Required Qualifications:

• Associate degree in Office Administration or similar program strongly preferred. High School diploma/GED with some higher education credit is required.
• Minimum of five (5) years relevant clerical, administrative, and/or managerial experience, preferably with an upper-level administrator.
• Requires comprehensive administrative experience, exceptional management and public relations skills, and broad knowledge of organizational policies and procedures.
• Performs duties of a sensitive and confidential nature that require discretion, independent judgment and decision-making skills.
• Must be detail-oriented, calm under pressure, able to multi-task, prioritize, and demonstrate excellent organizational, follow up, and verbal and written communication skills.
• Candidate must be proficient in the use of technology platforms, including Microsoft Teams and Zoom, and have the ability to instruct Board members on their usage.
• Must be proficient with media presentation platforms.
• Must be able to create and edit Excel files, PowerPoints, PDFs.
• Ability to work indoors in moderately stressful environment.
• Requires availability to work some evenings and weekends.

About Ashland University

Ashland University, ranked in the top tier of colleges and universities in U.S. News and World Report’s National Universities category for 2017, is a mid-sized, private university conveniently located a short distance from Akron, Cleveland and Columbus, Ohio. Ashland University places great emphasis on the importance of each individual. The phrase “Accent on the Individual” has been our motto for many years and, hopefully, characterizes well the nature and content of the campus environment. It means that our concern for the student extends beyond ensuring a quality education in the classroom and laboratory to include a commitment to provide a stimulating and supportive environment in every respect.Translating the ideas of our Mission Statement into the realities of everyday life is the responsibility of each Ashland University employee. These ideas must be evidenced daily in the classroom, residence halls, each teaching site, on the playing fields and in our interaction with others. It should be the goal of each Ashland University employee to ensure that our Mission Statement is not merely words on paper but a true reflection of who and what we actually are and intend to be in the future.