Location: Lacey,WA, USA
The Executive Assistant (EA) to the Provost independently manages, coordinates, and provides confidential executive-level support to the Provost/Vice President for Academic Affairs in the academic affairs division. He/she performs a wide variety of activities, including, but not limited to day-to-day administrative support services. He/she will have regular contact with all levels of customers--internal and external, domestic and international; faculty, staff, and students. This position represents the Provost in a friendly, positive manner; initiates problem-solving, and maintains a high level of tact and diplomacy, while discreetly handling confidential and sensitive matters. The EA is responsible for the creation of forms, documents, and reports, efficient record-keeping, scheduling appointments, meetings and events, coordinating travel arrangements, taking meeting minutes, and maintaining various calendars.
SAINT MARTIN'S UNIVERSITY
Established in 1895, Saint Martin's University is the educational mission of Saint Martin's Abbey, a Catholic Benedictine monastery, whose members pray, work, and live together on the University campus. The physical beauty of Saint Martin's 300-acre campus reflects the rich intellectual and spiritual nature of its presence in the Pacific Northwest.
Essential features of University life are animated by its Benedictine identity and its participation in the centuries-old traditions of Catholic intellectual thought and the search for truth.
Thus, the University honors students and guides them towards achieving academic excellence. Superior teaching is the expected norm. Rooted in the long tradition of the liberal arts, the University curriculum cultivates creativity and the ability to communicate and pursue ideas; critical thinking and independent inquiry; academic proficiency; the formation of sound ethical judgments; and service to humanity.
Reflecting the Benedictine virtue of hospitality, the University welcomes and, indeed, seeks students and employees not only from the Pacific Northwest, but also from other parts of the nation and the world at its main and extension campuses. Saint Martin's treasures persons of all ages, religions, and nationalities as it encourages cognizance of diverse viewpoints and an appreciation of all cultures.
Ranked by Niche as the second (#2) most diverse private college in Washington State in 2020. Saint Martin's is extremely proud of our student diversity. Our university treasures persons of all abilities, ages, ethnicities, genders, nationalities, orientations, races, and religions. In particular, we know that students educated in an ethnically diverse setting perform better academically and reap greater professional success than their peers from more homogeneous learning environments. We proudly celebrate that our student population is 51% undergraduate and 32% graduate students of color.
ESSENTIAL FUNCTIONS & RESPONSIBILITIES
Essential Functions & Responsibilities - Essential functions, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act, may include any of the following representative duties, knowledge, and skills. This list is ILLUSTRATIVE ONLY, and is not a comprehensive listing of all functions and duties performed by incumbents of this position. Employees are required to be in attendance and prepared to begin work at their assigned work location on the specified days and hours. Factors such as regular attendance at the job are not routinely listed in job descriptions, but are an essential function. Essential duties and responsibilities may include, but are not limited to, the following.
Executive support
* Provides confidential administrative support to the Provost/VPAA. Serves as the administrative representative through telephone and personal contact. Responds to inquiries (of a sensitive or general nature) verbally and/or in writing. Assists with the preparation of correspondence and other written materials in hard and electronic formats.
* Maintains appointment calendar and prioritizes appointments and meetings, based on personal assessment of situation urgency, and obtains or prepares any required background information or materials needed.
* Advises the Provost/VPAA of pending circumstances or events which have influence on division or university policy.
* Prepares letters of notice to students on academic probations, suspensions, and dishonesty or plagiarism for appropriate signature. Provides procedure guidelines to respective students regarding the appeal or reinstatement process. Updates all applicable spreadsheets and files regarding student actions/issues.
* Performs research for and prepares reports, surveys, spreadsheets, charts, lists, forms, etc. as needed by the Provost.
* Takes minutes and writes action items for the Board of Trustees Academic Affairs Committee meeting.
* Schedules and prepares travel arrangements for the Provost/VPAA. Prepares and submits travel requisitions and expense vouchers. Assists in organizing, planning and scheduling periodic accreditation visits.
* Coordinates meetings of the Directors, Deans, Provost Council and committees on behalf of the Provost/VPAA. May be asked to take minutes at any meeting arranged by the Provost/VPAA.
* Monitors two budget accounts. Makes financial inquiry, monitors contracts, commits funds, and maintains budget file to keep the Provost/VPAA advised of current budgets.
Graduate Assistantships Support
* Collaborate with the Office of Graduate Studies in the Graduate Assistantship selection and process.
Divisional support
* Serves as a liaison on behalf of Provost/VPAA office with other internal and external units/organizations (public, students, staff, and faculty).
* Collaborates with departmental executive assistants and Human Resources to update various faculty listings as appropriate.
* Collaborates with departmental executive assistants and faculty to finalize lists and set up schedules of faculty standing committees. Prepares schedules and distributes appropriately.
* Reconciles credit card statements monthly, coordinating with credit card holders and Finance as necessary.
* Collaborates with the Provost/VPAA and Faculty President on planning of university events, such as the Faculty Convocation, New Faculty Orientation, End of Year Celebration, Honors/Scholars' Day and Commencement.
* Collaborates annually with the Registrar, in consultation with the academic deans to update the University catalog directory listings.
* Creates certificates for Scholars Day, Honors Convocation, special university events, and as requested by Office of International Programs and Development, in support of their programs.
* Maintains all archived records as they pertain to faculty or student files, both hard copy and electronic, per established retention schedule.
Faculty support
* Coordinates with Human Resources regarding the hiring of faculty and with IT to ensure new faculty have appropriate network access.
* Keeps academic deans, program directors, and faculty informed regarding university activities and events.
* Prepares correspondence and data for various offices and committees as requested.
* At beginning of each semester prepares memorandum requesting that academic program executive assistants upload office schedules, course syllabi, and student evaluations from previous semester to P: drive in respective folders.
* Ensures active and archived course syllabi files are maintained/posted to appropriate electronic files for ease in request retrieval.
* Maintains faculty files related credentialing, such as the CV, official transcripts, licensures, and performance evaluations (annual, tenure and promotion, sabbatical requests). Ensures compliance with confidentiality requirements.
Other functions
* Oversees inventory of office supplies and equipment. Ordering supplies and equipment as needed.
* Creates and updates Provost Office web pages, coordinating with Director of Web Strategy and Web Content Manager as necessary.
* Performs other diverse assignments that are specialized and technical in nature as required.
* Undertakes other responsibilities as requested.
COMPETENCIES
* Provides exceptional customer service when communicating orally in face-to-face, one-on-one and group settings, with all internal and external customers.
* Gives instructions and information and responds to questions in a professional and courteous manner.
* Stays apprised of current policies, legal and ethical issues in higher education, including the Family Educational Rights and Privacy Act (FERPA) and other relevant local, state, and federal educational and privacy laws.
* Exercises independent judgment, personal initiative, and flexibility to work on a variety of assignments.
* Maintains strict confidentiality relating to all issues in the Provost's Office and the Saint Martin's University as a whole.
* Composes letters, memos, emails, spreadsheets, reports and other written documents with clearly organized thoughts, proper sentence construction, punctuation and grammar.
* Carefully inputs data and prepares documents accurately, reviewing all work before submission ensuring accuracy.
* Communicates professionally with the various offices of Saint Martin's University. Builds and maintains internal and external customer satisfaction with the services offered by the program.
* Is comfortable with multi-tasking, and demonstrates strong organizational skills while meeting deadlines.
* Learns and assumes new tasks as processes change due to technology and support requirements.
* Organizes data in accessible and comprehensible formats. Is competent in use of, Windows XP, Microsoft Office, Excel, Publisher, Outlook, Internet applications, and is able to acquire knowledge of various applications quickly.
* Prepares and distributes correspondence, including confidential materials, screens for accuracy.
* Excellent organizational, clerical skills and time management/follow-up skills.
* Excellent interpersonal skills, including good telephone skills. Ability to calm guests, by being gracious, yet firm.
* Ability to work under pressure and prioritize and adapt quickly to sudden changes in priorities.
* Outstanding initiative, with ability to work independently with a minimum of supervision.
* Demonstrate strong multicultural knowledge, awareness, and skills needed to perform the tasks of promoting diversity and social justice.
* Knowledge of best practices related to supporting diverse student population, including students of color, students of diverse socioeconomic backgrounds, first generation students, students with disabilities, and other historically marginalized identities.
* Is supportive of a Catholic, Benedictine philosophy of education and able to articulate and support the University's mission statement.
REQUIREMENTS AND/OR CONDITIONS OF EMPLOYMENT
* Three years' administrative experience required, preferably in higher education or executive setting.
* Experience using advanced functions of Microsoft Office Suite, especially Word, Excel, and Outlook.
* Database and web skills desired.
* Successfully pass a background check.
PHYSICAL DEMANDS AND WORKING ENVIRONMENT
Work is performed in a standard office environment. Physical demands include:
* Moves objects (less than 20 pounds) long distances (more than 20 feet).
* Ability to be mobile campus wide for required business needs.
* Operates a variety of standard office equipment, requiring continuous or repetitive arm-hand movements.
* Files documents and folders, requiring bending and continuous or repetitive arm-hand movements at varying heights.
* Reading, writing, speaking, learning and comprehending required.
* Requires visual concentration on detail.
* Manual dexterity and precision required for keyboarding.
* Must be able to sit for long periods of time at a computer.
* May occasionally be required to deal with people exhibiting varied degrees of positive and negative emotions.
* Must be able to concentrate on details and process complex information while experiencing frequent interruptions.
* Must be able to communicate effectively with people at all levels under stressful conditions.
* Must maintain strict confidentiality relating to all issues in the department, the University, and the President's Office.