Executive Assistant

$60,450 - $65,000/Yr

Syracuse University - Syracuse, NY

Full-time - Executive

Syracuse, NY

Educational Services

About the position

The Executive Assistant position provides high-level executive administrative leadership and professional support to the Associate Provost, Faculty Affairs (APFA). This role is crucial in ensuring the smooth operation of the APFA's office, requiring expert communication, organization, professionalism, and attention to detail. The Executive Assistant will have recurring contact with various stakeholders, including representatives from the Office of the Board of Trustees, the Chancellor's Office, and the Office of the Provost, as well as Deans, Associate Deans, Department Chairs, campus leaders, faculty, students, and community members. This position demands a high level of initiative and discretion in managing the daily activities of the APFA, responding to inquiries, and directing them to appropriate resources. In addition to administrative support, the Executive Assistant will oversee initiatives such as the Scholars at Risk program and the Emeriti faculty group. This includes logistical support, organization, program and event planning, marketing, and communications functions. The role requires the ability to prioritize tasks and responsibilities effectively while managing sensitive and confidential issues with independent judgment. The Executive Assistant will also be responsible for project management and coordination of various projects undertaken by the APFA, ensuring that all deadlines are met and that exemplary customer service is provided to the University community.

Responsibilities

• Provide professional, comprehensive, executive-level administrative support and assistance to the Associate Provost for Faculty Affairs (APFA).
• Serve as the initial point of contact and liaison with all levels of the University community, as well as external contacts.
• Proactively manage the APFA's calendar and schedule to accommodate the needs of the APFA, as well as those requesting meetings with the APFA.
• Prep agendas and reports for meetings. Manage and execute a multitude of requests independently on a daily basis regarding the work of Faculty Affairs.
• Establish and maintain professional and productive relationships with peers in academic affairs, those in academic units, and others.
• Independently resolve issues and problems, execute solutions, and respond to questions and requests in alignment with university policies and best practices to ensure exemplary customer service is provided to the University community.
• Serve as the lead for project management, oversight, and logistic and administrative support for a range of projects undertaken by the APFA, including ad-hoc committees and task forces.
• Maintain an organized system of monitoring progress on projects and requests to ensure deadlines are met.
• Prepare final reports/communications on behalf of the APFA. Prioritize and respond to requests from constituents (internal and external), reserve space for meetings, and compile necessary materials.
• Ensure effective coordination with direct reports (e.g., Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs, Faculty Affairs Specialists, Administrative Specialist).
• React quickly and professionally to changes. Collaborate with individuals on campus and in the community, including representatives of the Board of Trustees, to support implementation of various initiatives, including unit-level executive searches led by the Associate Provost.
• Organize and arrange travel, including travel for campus visitors, where necessary.
• Create, edit, distribute, and/or retain documents, files, and reports to ensure a permanent working knowledge base for functions related to APFA responsibilities and priorities, as well as core processes and procedures within Faculty Affairs.
• Compose and edit correspondence, as requested. Organize and maintain all electronic and paper files, including those that are highly confidential.
• Coordinate with the Assistant Provost for Faculty Affairs and University Archives for proper long-term retention and indexing of necessary documents.
• Maintain communications and facilitate programming for Syracuse University's participation in the Scholars at Risk program.
• Identify programming interests, facilitate communication with internal and external Scholars at Risk stakeholders, manage and coordinate workflows across various units to ensure continued engagement and support of Scholars at Risk fellows with little oversight.
• Maintain communications and facilitate programming for the emeriti faculty group.
• Identify programming interests, comprehensively manage and coordinate workflows across various units to ensure continued engagement and support of emeriti faculty with little oversight.

Requirements

• Bachelor's degree or equivalent combination of education and expertise.
• Five (5+) plus years of experience in an administrative support or operational role.
• Professional experience in an environment that values shared governance and diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility.
• Extensive understanding of organizational structure within higher education, generally, and knowledge of Syracuse University's operational environment preferred.
• Service orientation, combined with discretion and diplomacy.
• Ability to manage and prioritize multiple simultaneous projects and tasks independently.
• Initiative, independent judgement, and tact in handling daily inquiries and special projects.
• Skilled listener who can identify core issues and concerns.
• Expert-level problem solving, information gathering, and analytical skills.
• Ability to communicate clearly in writing and orally. Excellent written communication skills. Superior proof-reading ability.
• Knowledge of tools and platforms to facilitate information dissemination, collection and organization (Microsoft environment).
• Knowledge of diversity, equity, inclusion, and accessibility as it applies to higher education generally and faculty careers specifically. Skills and abilities to maximize effectiveness with diverse groups of faculty and staff.