Lafayette College seeks a collaborative, detail-oriented, and outcome-focused Executive Assistant to serve the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice President of Student Life, and to be part of the Vice-President’s senior team.
The position presents an exceptional opportunity for a highly motivated and competent individual to support the mission of the College by partnering with the Vice President of Student Life, the Associate Vice-President’s, and the senior leadership team by coordinating operations, workflows, schedules, and efforts of the division. The role involves supporting the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice-President in fostering and managing relationships with internal and external stakeholders within and beyond the Lafayette community and to help facilitate the success of division initiatives. A major area of responsibility is to manage calendars of the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice-President efficiently and strategically by scheduling meetings, events, travel and logistical details therein. The Executive Assistant also provides support by ensuring that all Office functions are handled in a timely and professional manner. The Vice-President’s executive assistant represents the student life brand by creating and sustaining a student-friendly office environment that prioritizes student access and success. Finally, the Executive Assistant supports the vice president’s office by serving as a liaison between divisions, offices, and community partners by managing divisional communications and by supporting event planning.
Specific Responsibilities and Duties
• Provide administrative and executive level support to the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice-President to efficiently administer the operations and initiatives of the Vice President and the work of the division.
• Manage the calendars of the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice-President by helping create a schedule that facilitates meetings, events, and travel reflecting institutional strategic priorities.
• Maintain a warm and welcoming environment for students.
• Create meeting agendas and keep meetings notes. Disseminate as needed.
• Prepare the Vice President for meetings with materials and scheduled time to review and prepare.
• Coordinate Vice Presidential events, as needed, including arrangements and setting up of the venues, ordering food, and setting up for conference calls, interviews, etc.
• Hire and supervise student workers.
• Serve as the principal contact point for external and internal communications addressed to the Vice President of Student Life.
• Coordinate with Vice Presidents and Division Heads in prioritizing Vice President’s attendance in meetings by balancing various critical and urgent engagements.
• Serve as the hub for collecting and appropriately disseminating and distributing information.
• Manage and assign incoming emails, phone calls, and other forms of communications for responses, follow-ups, and for facilitating finalization of various decisions.
• Respond to selective communications on behalf of the Vice President of Student Life and the Associate Vice President.
• Collaborate with the President’s Office staff, and the office staff of other divisions to support and ensure initiatives are run efficiently and in a streamlined manner.
• Maintain confidentiality of sensitive tasks and communications.
• Support the Vice President of Student Life in preparation for meetings, events, and speaking engagements by furnishing background research, data, and other relevant material in a timely manner.
• Reviews travel and expense and p-card submissions for Senior Leadership in preparation for approval and signature of the Vice President. Prepare same materials for submission to the President’s Office.
• Represent the Vice President and the division with the highest degree of professionalism.
• Perform other duties as assigned
Candidate Profile and Qualifications
The college seeks a colleague who has demonstrable record of collaborative, creative, effective, and ethical administrative work. The successful candidate will possess the highest level of commitment to Lafayette’s liberal arts mission. We seek a driven team player with exemplary integrity and strong work ethic possessing the following qualifications:
• Bachelor’s degree preferred
• Minimum 5 years of experience with proven ability to work collaboratively and professionally with all levels of colleagues within an organization
• Love of college students and desire to build positive relationships with them
• Evidence of collaborating/working with senior teams in complex organizations
• Demonstrated ability to communicate effectively and efficiently using good interpersonal and organizational skills
• Proven office administration skills in providing effective team management
• Ability to multitask in a fast-paced matrixed organization
• A proven self-starter and a quick leaner with initiative and a positive attitude
• Evidence of appropriate software and technological skills to ensure streamlined office communications including preparation of documents using Microsoft Office suite
• Evidence of exercising discretion regarding confidential matters
• Demonstrated skills and proficiency in developing management reports with accuracy and clarity for supporting Cabinet-level decision-making
• Proven experience in leading and managing stakeholder engagements and relationship development
• Excellent written and oral communication
• Ability to set operational priorities and implement multiple projects simultaneously
• Demonstrated proactive approach to foresee and respond to the needs of the leadership
• Ability to occasionally accommodate performing tasks beyond office hours
Please provide a cover letter, resume and contact information for three references. http://apply.interfolio.com/153246
Lafayette College is committed to creating a diverse community: one that is inclusive and responsive, and is supportive of each and all of its faculty, students, and staff. The College seeks to promote diversity in its many manifestations. These include but are not limited to race, ethnicity, socioeconomic status, gender, gender identity, sexual orientation, religion, disability, and place of origin. All members of the College community share a responsibility for creating, maintaining, and developing a learning environment in which difference is valued, equity is sought, and inclusiveness is practiced.