Executive Assistant

Description

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

 

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 wi