"Executive Secretary"

A cover letter is required for consideration for this position and should be attached as the first page of your resume. The cover letter should address your specific interest in the position and outline the skills and experiences that directly relate to it.

The Department of Environmental Health Sciences is seeking an enthusiastic and accomplished individual with extensive executive support experience, particularly in higher education. As the Executive Secretary, you will work directly with the Department Chair and Department Administrator as a vital member of the administrative support team. This position requires professionalism, discretion, and the ability to manage multiple complex tasks while maintaining excellent interpersonal, organizational, and technological skills. Success in this position requires accuracy, flexibility, dependability, and superior customer service.

Department Administration:

• Serve as a key point of contact for the Department Chair's office, welcoming visitors, fielding communications, promptly responding to inquiries, and managing departmental priorities, exercising tact and diplomacy in confidential matters.
• Manage the Chair's complex calendar and tasks, prioritizing with discretion. Review commitments, prioritize/escalate high-priority items, and provide timely meeting information. Oversee department calendar and conference room schedules.
• Compose, draft, edit, proofread, and finalize various departmental materials, such as letters, reports, correspondence, meeting agendas, minutes, and presentations.
• Assist with administrative tasks and hosting for meetings and correspondences, including material preparation, agenda development, and follow-up. Participate in faculty meetings and other department committee meetings. Prepare and distribute meeting minutes, record decisions and track completion of action items. Organize, collect and tabulate data for faculty votes and records as needed.
• Coordinate and manage travel arrangements for the Chair and department guests including preparation of detailed itineraries and necessary materials, and handling post-travel expense reporting and reimbursement.
• Collaborate with the admin team and manage the department newsletter, media announcements and website updates.
• Plan and organize special department events, retreats, programs and receptions including arranging for venues, services and equipment.
• Process expense reimbursement reports and/or other associated payment forms. Prepare purchase orders, order supplies and process PeoplePay payments for guests as needed. Reconcile department PCard.

Faculty Recruitment, Promotion & Tenure:

• Prepare departmental faculty affairs matters such as sabbatical, hiring, tenure, and promotion casebooks; coordinate communications and administration of related processes.
• Provide support for faculty searches, which may include summarizing applicant data, scheduling meetings and arranging candidate visits, and maintaining communications channels within the department and with applicants.
• Assist with annual faculty activity report collection and reviews, ensuring that the process runs smoothly, and that all documents and communications are handled with discretion and accuracy.
• Serve as documentation repository coordinator for the department. Manage electronic filing of department materials and records on departmental Dropbox and u-drive storage.
• Assist with other special assignments and/or projects as needed.

Required Qualifications*:

• High school diploma or equivalent with at least five years of progressively responsible administrative experience in an academic setting.
• High attention to detail and the ability to work independently, taking initiative and exercising appropriate discretion.
• Proven success working in a fast-paced professional environment with the ability to effectively multitask and work collaboratively within all levels of the organization.
• Excellent interpersonal, verbal, analytical, problem-solving and decision-making skills.
• Demonstrated competence in writing and editing documentation for a diverse audience.
• Ability to interpret departmental and university policies and procedures as necessary.
• Strong organizational skills are required and meticulous attention to detail is essential.
• Proficiency in Microsoft Office Suite, Google applications, Zoom, and other relevant software.
• Must be willing to work flexible hours to accommodate occasional events.

Desired Qualifications*:

• Working knowledge of academic policies, procedures, and systems. In particular, tenure and research track promotion policies and procedures.
• Background in coordinating complex events and academic processes.
• Experience with digital and conventional record-keeping and tracking systems.
• Project management skills.