Temporary Executive Assistant

Essential Job Duties

If you have a passion for higher education and a commitment to affecting positive change locally and globally, apply to become a part of our hyper-collaborative community where everyone belongs.

Are you an organized and detail-oriented individual who thrives in a fast-paced academic environment? We are seeking a dynamic and proactive executive assistant to join our team and support senior leadership in managing day-to-day administrative operations for the leadership team. As the primary administrative contact, you will play a critical role in facilitating seamless communication and coordination within the organization and with external stakeholders.

Other Work/Responsibilities

A successful candidate will be driven to perform all duties of the office with excellence, confidentiality, discretion, and absolute attention to detail. This position requires someone who is inherently organized and has the ability to create structure for others with ease. Strong emotional intelligence and a positive, unflappable demeanor are essential to understand needs and anticipate and respond to activities that may require a rapid response. The primary focus of this position is to support leadership in scheduling meetings, travel, and specific events, ensuring a smooth process so leadership is fully prepared for all activities. This position requires a high degree of discretion and diplomacy that fosters positive relationships with those interacting with the office. A strong candidate will be proactive, flexible, resourceful, kind, compassionate, approachable, knowledgeable, thorough, and an excellent communicator.

Reception and Liaison: Foster a welcoming and inclusive atmosphere to engage visitors, students, parents, faculty, staff, and other stakeholders, offering an exceptionally positive customer service experience. Collaborate with other executive assistants. Oversee the Pages Program by working with team members to promote a positive and supportive work culture, including hiring, managing, and supporting student participants, and providing professional development opportunities to enhance their experience.

Calendar Management: Efficiently manage leadership calendars, scheduling appointments and coordinating meetings with administration, students, faculty, staff, industry partners, alumni, donors, and other key stakeholders. Plan and coordinate schedules to ensure smooth execution of engagements.

Correspondence and Communication: Draft, review, and edit various communications, including emails, letters, memoranda, presentations, and reports. Handle both internal and external correspondence with professionalism and discretion. Manage the distribution of holiday and other correspondence. Prepare agendas, notices, and minutes for leadership meetings.

Issue Resolution: Research, prioritize, and address incoming issues and concerns, handling sensitive or confidential matters with the utmost professionalism. This role requires a high level of integrity, discretion, and confidentiality in all interactions.

Organizational Liaison: Serve as the primary liaison for the Reappointment, Promotion, and Tenure (RPT) process. Coordinate meetings, prepare timelines, and ensure accurate processing of related activities.

Travel Arrangements: Arrange complex and detailed travel plans, including both domestic and international trips. Prepare itineraries and compile necessary documents for travel-related meetings.

Document Management: Ensure timely distribution of documents requiring signature and handle incoming mail. Manage a searchable online archive of documents.

Financial Processing: Process financial transactions and coordinate supporting documentation for all expenses, including purchasing card expenses, travel authorizations, and reimbursements. Ensure accuracy and compliance with all institutional rules and regulations. Coordinate documentation of appropriate approvals for relevant transactions.

Minimum Experience/Education

High school diploma or equivalency and three years of progressively responsible administrative or office management experience; or an associate’s degree in secretarial science, business administration, or a related discipline and one year of relevant experience; or a bachelor’s degree in business administration or a related discipline; or an equivalent combination of training and experience.

All degrees must be from appropriately accredited institutions.

Department Required Skills

• The ability to write clearly and concisely is critical. The ideal candidate will be responsible for producing well-written reports, documents, and correspondence.
• Professionalism, attention to detail, and the ability to maintain confidentiality
• Strong organizational and time management skills with the ability to prioritize work and meet deadlines
• Ability to work both collaboratively and independently
• Proficiency in tools such as Gmail, Calendar, Sheets, Docs, Slides, and Adobe products
• Exceptional written and verbal communication skills
• Financial management experience, including budgeting and expense tracking
• Strong interpersonal skills with the ability to work with diverse stakeholders
• Discretion and integrity in handling sensitive information
• Resourceful problem-solving skills and the ability to manage multiple tasks efficiently
• Flexibility and adaptability to changing priorities
• Project management experience, including event planning and coordination
• Ability to plan and execute events such as conferences, workshops, and related activities
• Strong communication skills to engage effectively with partners, sponsors, and attendees
• Creativity and attention to detail in developing engaging experiences
• Ability to anticipate challenges and implement contingency plans

Preferred Years Experience, Skills, Training, Education

Expertise in writing and composition, including drafting high-level correspondence. This may include speech preparation, recommendation letters, award nominations, and sensitive communications. A key aspect of this responsibility is capturing leadership’s voice and communication style authentically.