Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs

$62,650 - $78,915/Yr

University of San Diego - Pomona, CA

Full-time - Mid Level

Pomona, CA

About the position

The Executive Assistant to the Vice President for Student Affairs provides executive-level support to the vice president in all areas relating to the division's multi-faceted internal and external activities, initiatives, and projects. This role is crucial in supporting the vice president in leading an effective senior management team of direct reports. The assistant works directly with students, parents, faculty, staff, administrators, and community members regarding student issues ranging from minor questions and concerns to discipline, family crises, and other issues in a highly confidential manner. The position requires exercising independent judgment and initiative in determining priorities and bringing information and challenges to the vice president's attention. In addition to providing executive-level support, the assistant assists the vice president and the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees (SACBOT) Chair in planning and executing quarterly SACBOT meetings. This includes managing communication, information, and providing follow-up relative to direct reports' assigned duties to ensure completion. The assistant is also responsible for researching and providing extensive travel itineraries and briefings, managing the vice president's calendar, and determining time-sensitive issues while prioritizing and responding to messages. The role requires anticipating the needs of the vice president and exercising initiative. Periodically, the assistant may be asked to lead or contribute to either ad hoc or ongoing division/campus projects outside the scope of their day-to-day activities. The university seeks an individual with a strong interest in working at a mission-driven, faith-based institution, as the responsibilities of the Executive Assistant are significantly tethered to the university's contemporary Roman Catholic mission.

Responsibilities

• Functions as the vice president's primary staff support.
• Coordinates and organizes the vice president's priorities and workflow in all areas relating to the division's multi-faceted internal and external activities, initiatives, and projects.
• Assists in providing coordination and complex support of short and long-term strategic planning initiatives.
• Provides complex support and leadership to any internal Student Affairs committees or task forces, as assigned.
• Plans, participates and contributes in division retreats, and other division-wide meetings and forums as appropriate.
• Provides support for the vice president's membership on boards, councils, and task forces, internal and external to the University.
• Manages communication, information, and provides follow-up of assigned duties given to vice president's direct reports and campus partners to ensure completion.
• Alerts the vice president of any potentially concerning issue and/or matter brought to the EA's attention.
• Exercises discretion and strict confidentiality regarding sensitive and confidential matters discussed with the vice president and other office matters, as appropriate.
• Manages vice president's calendar determining time sensitive issues, prioritizing and responding to messages, scheduling meetings, and providing follow-up.
• Ensures the vice president is on time and prepared for scheduled meetings.
• Coordinates weekly VPSA Council meetings, including agenda preparation and follow-up.
• Represents the vice president on and off campus as appropriate.
• Hires and provides supervision of student interns, including ensuring that all interns sign the Confidentiality Agreement each semester.
• Exercises independent judgment and initiative in bringing priority information and challenges to the vice president or other appropriate administrator's attention.
• Independently interacts with students, parents and community members regarding student issues ranging from minor questions and concerns to discipline, family crisis and other issues in a highly confidential manner.
• Empathetically listens to parents and student concerns and coordinates response.
• In direct collaboration with the vice president, plans and executes the quarterly meetings of the Student Affairs Committee of the Board of Trustees.
• Records, compiles and distributes the minutes to the Trustees in a timely manner.
• Coordinates all aspects of meeting set-up which includes working directly with the President's office, agenda preparation, and other logistics in preparation for the meetings.
• Assists with coordination of student and other presentations to the Committee.
• Responsible for ensuring all student members of SACBOT receive and sign the Confidentiality Agreement.
• Works closely with the Vice President in supporting and executing their fundraising responsibilities including the stewardship, cultivation, and solicitation of major University donors and prospects.
• Establishes relationships with donors, potential donors and their support staff to enhance VP's fundraising efforts.
• Schedules meetings and compiles information; representing the University in a professional and confidential manner.
• Responsible for updating Advance software to reflect Vice President's cultivation and stewardship of donors and prospective donors.
• Collaborates and coordinates with University Relations fundraising personnel to ensure the timely communication of information regarding top prospects.

Requirements

• Graduation from a college or university with a bachelor's degree required.
• Three years of executive-level administrative support experience required.
• Excellent written and verbal communication skills and exceptional critical listening and thinking skills.
• Strong working knowledge of computer programs and functions.
• Ability to initiate, oversee, lead, coordinate and complete various projects with minimal supervision.
• Ability to assume leadership and responsibility, as appropriate, and exercise independent judgment when making decisions.
• Ability to motivate subordinates and peers effectively.
• Anticipate and recognize problems, issues, and opportunities as they arise and advise staff and/or the vice president appropriately.
• Excellent human relations skills, problem solving, and the ability to work with various university constituents; ability to develop and use empathetic listening skills, communicate with clarity and effectiveness both orally and in writing; maintain an attitude that conveys respect, cooperation, honesty, and resourcefulness.
• Exhibit the utmost professionalism as representative of the vice president and the university.
• Exhibit attention to detail with excellent organizational and time management skills; remain professional under pressure and be able to multi-task in a fast-paced environment.
• Be familiar with pertinent university history, customs and protocols, departmental structures and systems, fiscal procedures, and personnel policies.
• Be flexible in work schedule to permit occasional early morning, evening, and weekend duty, as needed.

Benefits

• Medical insurance
• Dental insurance
• Vision insurance
• Retirement contribution
• Access to on-campus Fitness Centers
• Excellent benefits package