"Executive Associate"

Overview

The Administrative Associate provides essential administrative support to ensure effective execution of programs, processes, and workflows in assigned areas. Reporting to senior leadership or project directors, the role contributes to meeting organizational goals and objectives through tasks such as scheduling, data collection, project management, and communication. Responsibilities include coordinating meetings and conferences, managing calendars, processing expense reports, maintaining records, and ensuring compliance with organizational policies. The Administrative Associate works collaboratively with faculty, staff, and external stakeholders, demonstrating attention to detail, organizational skills, and the ability to prioritize tasks in a dynamic environment. The role also involves handling sensitive information, supporting grant-funded research projects, and contributing to a diverse and inclusive workplace.

Position Focus

The Wu Tsai Institute is a university-wide initiative with the mission to understand human cognition and explore human potential by sparking interdisciplinary inquiry. Launched by the Provost’s office as one of Yale’s science priorities, the Institute recruits faculty, offers postdoctoral and graduate fellowships, operates shared facilities, provides mentorship and professional development, hosts community events, and supports moonshot projects. The Institute prioritizes mission-driven research that bridges biological, psychological, and computational disciplines to advance a more integrated understanding of the mind and brain. The Institute’s faculty and staff aim to connect this understanding with other sectors of society to gain insight into the broader use and impact of research.

Reporting to the Managing Director and working closely with the faculty leadership of the Institute, the Executive Associate provides centralized support for projects of high institutional priority, including but not limited to faculty hiring, governance, and committee meetings. Provides executive assistance and calendar management for senior faculty leaders. Represents the Office of the Institute Director in administrative tasks with multiple offices, departments, and schools across the University as well as with external groups including security teams, media, and corporate entities. Supports guest speakers’ travel and scheduling and assists with planning and hosting signature events.

The incumbent possesses a high degree of familiarity with the Institute’s mission and goals to effectively execute, position, and represent the Institute’s activities.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Proven proficiency in executing on multiple and overlapping projects, working with high-level managers or executives. Ability to prioritize, meet multiple deadlines, and resolve complex issues using good judgment. Ability to work under pressure and with interruptions.
2. Well-developed written and verbal communication. Prepare and format reports and/or presentation material. Ability to maintain strict confidentiality and deal in a sensitive manner with diverse groups of people with matters requiring discretion and good judgment. Ability to interact personably and professionally with groups and senior stakeholders to carry out Institute business.
3. Ability to arrange travel and visit schedules for guests. Coordinate with a range of departments and offices to organize and carry out the visit schedule.
4. Organize and support high-level meetings and manage complex calendars. Ability to organize senior stakeholder meetings with extreme tact and attention to detail. Availability when needed for urgent matters, occasionally in the evenings or on weekends.
5. Proficiency with office applications (e.g. Word, Excel, PowerPoint), calendaring software (e.g. Outlook, Doodle), communication platforms (e.g. Slack, Zoom), and file sharing (e.g. OneDrive, Google Drive). Ability to learn new applications for managing workflows, including software systems specific to Yale.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Experience in an academic or research setting, with knowledge of grant-funded project management.
2. Bachelor's degree or higher in a related field.
3. Familiarity with data management and web programming tools (e.g., Qualtrics, Google Suite, database systems).
4. Experience in social media management, website development, and using software such as Adobe Photoshop.
5. Prior experience with executive-level administrative support or specialized program coordination.

Preferred Education and Experience

Bachelor’s Degree. Experience working in a complex, fast-paced organization, with multiple stakeholder groups. History of managing calendars of senior personnel and coordinating complex calendaring requests. Past work in academic research environments a plus.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Administers a department program, processes and/or workflows. Aligns with department mission and goals.
2. Works closely with department leadership and colleagues to help ensure success. Develops activities, monitors effectiveness, and identifies potential areas of improvement or change.
3. Manages administration including use of resources.
4. Conducts outreach and communications as needed.
5. Performs other duties as assigned.

Required Education and Experience

Bachelor's degree and one year of related experience or an equivalent combination of education and experience.