Executive Secretary II

Position Summary

Reporting directly to WKAR’s General Manager (GM), the Executive Secretary provides executive support in a one-on-one working relationship. This position will be the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the office of the General Manager. Serving as the liaison to the Office of the Dean of the College of Communication Arts and Sciences and senior management teams; organizing and coordinating executive outreach and external relations efforts; general main office management and handling special projects are all critical elements of the role.

WKAR supports creative and fulfilling work within a small, entrepreneurial environment that is mission-driven, results-driven and community oriented. The ideal candidate will exercise good judgment in a variety of situations, with strong written and verbal communication, administrative, and organizational skills, and the ability to maintain a realistic balance among multiple priorities. The Executive Secretary II may be assigned and lead projects from conception to completion, under pressure at times, while handling a wide variety of activities and confidential matters with discretion.

This position has opportunity for a hybrid working schedule with a minimum of three days per week in-office. Remote work agreements are continuously assessed based on the needs of the organization and follow policies and guidelines provided by the College of Communication Arts & Sciences and Michigan State University.

Duties include but are not limited to:

• Handling all matters supporting the General Manager (e.g., scheduling, meeting preparations, correspondence, policy compliance, etc.), and contributing to the overall smooth running of a dynamic organization.
• Making travel arrangements (hotels, flights, visas, preparing itineraries, car transfers, international insurance etc.)
• Confirming meetings and booking conference rooms
• Handling and training student employees/interns
• Generating various reports as needed
• Answering incoming calls, taking messages, and responding to routine inquiries
• Maintaining and updating files
• Working cooperatively with others in the office
• Oversee and assist in planning special events throughout the year
• Establishing process and workflow procedure for the WKAR main office
• Completes a broad range of administrative tasks for the General Manager (GM) including: handling a deeply active calendar of appointments; composing and preparing correspondence that is sometimes confidential; arranging complex and detailed travel plans, itineraries, and agendas; and compiling documents for travel-related meetings.
• Provides a bridge for smooth communication between the GM’s office and internal departments; demonstrating leadership to maintain credibility, trust and support with senior management staff.
• Successfully completes critical aspects of deliverables with a hands-on approach, including drafting acknowledgement letters, personal correspondence, and other tasks that facilitate the GM's ability to effectively lead the station. 
• Prioritizes conflicting needs; handling matters expeditiously, proactively, and follows-through on projects to successful completion, often with deadline pressures.
• Communicates directly, and on behalf of the GM, with callers, donors, staff, and others, on matters related to WKAR and the GM’s programmatic initiatives.
• Maintain Public Files
• Supervise, direct, and motivate student interns to ensure consistency in quantity and quality of work performed.
• Establish and manage standard processes and workflows within the main office.

Minimum Requirements

Knowledge normally acquired through a high school education with course work in word processing, typing, shorthand, and grammar; Five to eight years of related and progressively more responsible or expansive work experience in high-level administrative support, scheduling, coordinating, and maintaining calendars, composing and editing correspondence, and extensive experience with Microsoft Excel, Word and PowerPoint; or an equivalent combination of education and experience.

Desired Qualifications

Desired experience:

• Bachelor’s Degree in a related field
• Previous experience managing multiple complex schedules
• Previous office management experience
• Experience supervising student employees
• Familiarity/experience with university policies and procedures
• Familiarity/experience with Public Broadcasting and FCC guidelines

Desired characteristics:

• Ability to work independently with confidence while taking initiative to be proactive
• Sensitivity to and appropriate handling of confidential information
• Detail-orie