Senior Administrative Assistant and Chair’s Assistant, Anthropology

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Overview

Reporting to the Operations Manager, this position serves as the Chair’s Assistant for the Department of Anthropology. The Chair’s Assistant provides comprehensive, high-level administrative support to the Chair, departmental faculty, and postdoctoral appointees, with primary responsibility for coordinating faculty searches and the full appointment lifecycle, including reappointments, promotions, and tenure processes.

Faculty appointment, reappointment, and promotion administration

• Coordinate all aspects of faculty appointments, reappointments, and promotions, including ladder and research tracks, and voluntary, adjunct, and lecturer appointments.

• Partner closely with the Department Chair and individual faculty to ensure cases are prepared and submitted accurately and on schedule.

• Develop and manage timelines; track required steps and approvals; ensure timely reviews.

• Review dossiers and supporting materials for completeness and compliance with applicable policies and procedures.

• Prepare, distribute, and manage electronic and secure documents for committee review, maintaining confidentiality and appropriate access.

• Serve as a primary departmental resource on faculty appointment policies, procedures, and deadlines across the faculty life cycle.

• Secondary appointments & Postdoctoral appointments processing.

Search support

• Support faculty searches by responding to inquiries; screening and triaging requests; and resolving issues for applicants and reference letter writers.

• Review and organize search materials collected for committee review; assist search committees with process questions and documentation needs.

• Coordinate scheduling, purchasing, and expense processing for all aspects of job candidate visits to campus.

OISS/immigration coordination

• Serve as the department’s primary liaison to the Office of International Students & Scholars (OISS).

• Support faculty and appointees in preparing visa and pre-appointment documentation.

• Monitor case progress and serve as an information resource regarding visa status, process steps, and timelines.

Chair’s Office and departmental operations

• Provide direct administrative support to the Anthropology Department Chair and oversee day-to-day activities of the Chair’s Office as the Chair’s primary point of contact.

• Schedule and coordinate meetings and appointments; manage complex calendars and competing priorities.

• Organize and/or oversee department-sponsored meetings, lunches, and special events, including logistical planning and on-site coordination.

Travel and event logistics

• Coordinate detailed domestic and international travel, including itineraries and logistics.

• Plan events and meetings end-to-end, including researching venues, obtaining pricing, coordinating set-up, advertising/communications, catering, A/V or technical support, and accommodations to anticipate participant needs. Process related expenses.

• Occasional evening and weekend hours required throughout the year to support department events/meetings.

Reporting and information compilation

• Solicit, track, and compile information from multiple sources for departmental reporting and external associations, including the department’s annual report for the American Anthropological Association (AAA).

The current hybrid work schedule for this position is 4 days on campus with 1 remote workday. You may be required occasionally to work on site more often in a given week due to operational needs. In the event, the university/department transitions to being on campus five days a week, either temporarily or permanently, the hybrid schedule will be suspended or subject to change at management discretion.

Required Skills and Abilities

1. Exceptional interpersonal skills and proven ability to interact effectively with a diverse client base.  Ability to handle sensitive and confidential matters with the utmost discretion.  Sound independent judgement and ability to perform well under pressure. 

2. Exceptional organizational, multitasking and prioritization skills.  Ability to effectively address multiple projects, often with confl