Senior Administrative Assistant, Faculty Support and Academic Appointments

Overview

Reporting to the Faculty Support & Academic Appointments Supervisor of the departments of Molecular Biophysics & Biochemistry (MBB) and Molecular, Cellular & Developmental Biology (MCDB), the Sr. Administrative Assistant, Faculty Support and Academic Appointments provides high-level administrative and academic appointment support to faculty in MBB and MCDB and their laboratory staff. This position supports multiple faculty and lab groups and requires professionalism, discretion, accuracy, and the ability to work independently within established policies and procedures.

The Sr. Administrative Assistant provides comprehensive administrative support, including scheduling meetings and appointments, maintaining complex calendars, coordinating domestic and international travel, processing expense reports and reimbursements, reconciling Yale credit card (P-Card) transactions, procuring supplies, and responding to faculty and laboratory needs. The position coordinates recruitment logistics for prospective lab staff, including candidate scheduling and site visits. The Sr. Administrative Assistant also maintains faculty biosketches and curriculum vitae (CVs) and performs additional administrative functions incidental to office operations.

The role administers academic appointments for all postdoctoral, postgraduate, associate research faculty and other academic staff, including initial appointments, reappointments, and promotions. The Sr. Administrative Assistant serves as a principal source of information regarding established academic appointment policies and procedures in accordance with Yale’s Office of Postdoctoral Affairs (OPDA) and independently prepares, processes, and tracks appointment materials. The position manages visa-related documentation for international faculty and staff in collaboration with Yale’s Office of International Students and Scholars (OISS), ensuring compliance with university and immigration requirements.

The Sr. Administrative Assistant may also support departmental events and academic activities, including organizing seminars, arranging travel and lodging for guest speakers, reserving space, coordinating media services, and arranging catering. The role works closely with the Business Operations Team to complete financial transactions and may assist the Sr. Operations Manager with special projects or other assigned responsibilities. As a member of the faculty support team, the position provides backup coverage for other administrative staff and will perform additional duties as needed.

This is a hybrid position, with an expected schedule of four days on campus and one remote workday per week, in accordance with departmental and university guidelines. Regular in-person support of faculty and departmental activities may take place on both the Science Hill and School of Medicine campuses, depending on business needs. Based on current needs, this support would likely be required on the medical school campus one to two days per week.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Strong leadership skills with the ability to ensure projects and assignments are completed in a timely manner. Ability to make independent and informed decisions, take initiative and follow-through. Proven ability to handle sensitive and confidential information in a discrete and professional manner.
2. Proven ability to assess issues, troubleshoot, and make quick judgment calls. Ability to provide recommendations to improve processes and procedures. Excellent interpersonal skills. Ability to interact effectively with multiple levels of an organization. Proven ability to work within a team of as well as with students, academic appointees, and faculty.
3. Excellent organizational, written, and verbal communication skills. Detail oriented with a high level of accuracy. Ability to compose, edit and proofread memos, general correspondence, and reports. Demonstrated ability to handle multiple tasks, prioritize workload and consistently meet routine production and projects with similar deadlines.
4. Proven ability to proficiently use Microsoft Office Suite, especially Excel. Demonstrated ability to keep up with technology and learn the latest software and programs. Ability to manage multiple calendars.
5. Ability to serve as a principal source of information on administrative, academic appointment, and procedural matters to academic appointees, prospective academic appointees, faculty, and staff. Ability to interpret and communicate complex federal regulations, policies, and procedures.

Preferred Skills and Abilities

1. Proven experience working in an academic setting.
2. Proven experience with faculty life cycle processes.
3. Proven experience with Workday.

Principal Responsibilities

1. Oversees and coordinates administrative, program, and office activities. Establishes, selects, implements, and coordinates office procedures and systems. Serves as principal source of information to students, staff, and faculty on policies, procedures, programs, and office activities.
2. Oversees, instructs, and coordinates activities of support staff. Oversees the preparation of materials for grants, contracts and budgets. Monitors expenditures and reconciles financial statements.
3. Provides editorial support for a journal/publication. Proofreads and edits material for grammatical and factual accuracy. Tracks copy through various editing and production stages. Communicates with authors, printers, and others concerned with published work.
4. Determines administrative, facility, and equipment needs for symposia, lectures, seminars, and conferences. Assembles and arranges for necessary items. Determines sources of data. Compiles, synthesizes and manipulates data. Summarizes findings and writes reports or portions of reports.
5. G greets visitors. Answers and screens telephone calls. Assesses nature of business. Responds to requests for information and provides assistance. Screens and responds to mail.
6. Formats, keyboard, proofread, and edits correspondence, reports, manuscripts, grants, and other material. Assembles attachments and corresponding material. Reviews outgoing material for completeness, dates, and signatures. Composes substantive correspondence and written material.
7. Coordinates travel arrangements. Schedules and coordinates meetings and appointments. Orders and maintains inventory of supplies. Takes minutes or dictation. Performs additional functions incidental to office activities.

Required Education and Experience

Six years of related work experience, four of them in the same job family at the next lower level, and high school level education; or four years of related work experience and an Associate's degree; or little or no work experience and a Bachelor's degree in a related field; or an equivalent combination of experience and education.