Executive Assistant

Job Description:

The Executive Assistant reports to the Dean of the Law School and partners with the other members of the Dean’s Leadership Team to ensure a high-functioning Dean’s Office. The Executive Assistant enhances the effectiveness of the Office of the Dean of the Law School by handling the day-to-day flow of communications and tasks and serves as the primary point of contact for internal and external constituencies on all matters pertaining to the Dean’s Office.

Washington and Lee University actively promotes a dynamic and welcoming environment that allows students and employees of multiple backgrounds and perspectives to learn, work, and thrive together. Successful candidates will contribute to that environment and exhibit potential for excellence in their areas of expertise.

Essential Functions:

• Answers, screens, and refers telephone calls. Uses discretion in assessing the priority and urgency of calls. Research background information to assist the Dean in answering questions or concerns and in making appropriate referral or response.
• Greets visitors and manages appointment flow for the Dean’s Office. Establishes a welcoming, professional, and friendly tone for visitors, anticipating needs of guests to the office.
• Prioritizes incoming issues to determine appropriate response and action. Proactively gathers information to determine best response and prepares Dean proactively for same.
• Schedules all of the Dean’s appointments and meetings in Microsoft Outlook, exercising excellent judgment and organization to maximize Dean’s time and schedule.
• Communicates with other offices on campus to ensure effectiveness of Law Dean’s responsibilities.
• Ensures meeting materials are appropriately recorded.
• Sorts and opens office mail; drafts correspondence; proofs documents for spelling and grammar. Produces letters in final form following formal letter writing guidelines.
• Establishes, updates, and maintains office filing system and records. Follows General Counsel guidelines for retention of files.
• Prepares, edits, and proofreads all Dean’s correspondence to ensure excellence.
• Manages confidential information with the utmost discretion.
• Assist Dean with scholarly writings/books/speeches.
• Assists Dean with responsibilities related to professional organizations.
• Maintains in-depth understanding of business office procedures.
• Maintains materials on the Box web site and ensures access for eligible faculty/staff electronically.
• Arranges all travel and itineraries and supplemental materials including bios, maps, guest lists, background and briefing materials, etc. Completes all appropriate travel expense forms.
• Reconcile credit card for the Dean.
• Coordinates yearly large-scale events for the office by scheduling all necessary planning meetings, frequently attending as a representative of the office, establishing event setup with facilities and coordinating dining needs with university catering and outside vendors.
• Assists Dean with key events, such as: Board of Trustee meetings, alumni/reunion gatherings, holiday and seasonal events, student advisory meetings, staff meetings, faculty and staff retreats, lunch meetings with alumni and special guests.
• Produces scripts and schedules in draft and final form. Prepares post-event reports identifying improvement opportunities.
• Organizes and prepares itineraries and visits for special guests. Submits reimbursements for speakers/visitors to ensure high-quality experience for every visitor to W&L Law.
• Works collaboratively with second executive assistant who supports the Deans’ suite, providing mentorship when appropriate.
• Assists, as needed, with faculty meetings, including faculty meeting minutes.
• Oversees and assists with all full-time faculty processes in Workday such as hiring, promotion, phased retirement, activity pay and re-appointment for full-time faculty. Compiles and shares relevant data with the Dean, associate dean for academic affairs, and assistant dean for finance and administration.
• Assists Dean with important confidential matters, such as tenure and promotion files, confidential personnel matters, faculty and staff hiring, faculty activity reports and meetings.
• Coordinate travel and interview itineraries of critical faculty candidates.
• Proactively monitors recurring faculty programs.
• Coordinates retirement events for faculty and long-term staff.
• Works with the President’s Office in coordinating Law Commencement speaker and the speaker’s dinner.
• Works with Faculty Awards Committee chair in coordinating yearly student awards meeting and the ensuing award documentation.
• Works with Student Affairs department in coordinating the Order of the Coif lunch. Prepare