Senior Administrative Assistant to the Dean - School of Health Sciences

About the role

Candidates must have prior experience supporting an executive or other high-level leader, or providing comparable administrative or project support. The Senior Administrative Assistant to the Dean supports the priorities and daily operations of the Dean's Office by coordinating calendars, travel, meetings, communications, expense reporting, confidential records, and special projects.

In this visible and trusted role, the individual anticipates office needs, ensures timely follow-through, collaborates with Dean's Office and departmental staff, and communicates regularly with University leadership, faculty, staff, students, key constituents, and external contacts in a demanding, fast-paced environment.

Essential Functions and Responsibilities

Administrative Support

• Along with the Director of Administrative Operations, directs the daily administrative tasks of the Dean's office.
• Functions as a gatekeeper to assure prioritization of the Dean's time; manages the Dean's calendar, including making appointments, all travel arrangements, conference and event registrations, and prioritizing the most sensitive matters; creates task lists and actively follows up to help assure timely completion of projects; ensures Dean is informed of priorities, deadlines, and challenges.
• Coordination of meetings with detailed meeting plan management; records minutes or notes of meetings as required.
• Maintains and manages a database of contacts, to assist with tracking internal and external contacts.
• Uses multiple computer applications and university systems/platforms, following training, policies, and procedures to accurately support key administrative functions.
• Assists the Director of Administrative Operations with:
• Collecting and preparing information for use in discussions and meetings with executive management and external individuals.
• Drafting briefing documents and memos, as well as correspondence, communiques, and other communications projects, on the Dean's behalf.
• Writing and editing emails, creating PowerPoint presentations, coordinating monthly reporting, and maintaining complex Excel spreadsheets.
• Maintaining comprehensive and accurate records.
• Planning and implementing special projects and events, as needed, that required a combined knowledge of administrative, logistical and technical operations.
• Responding to a wide variety, and large volume of inquiries from faculty, staff, students, and prospective students.
• Responding to routine & non-routine inquiries regarding the school and campus operations, policies and procedures.
• Responds to a wide variety of requests for information, to ensure situations and issues are appropriately managed as well as forwarded to appropriate staff members for resolution.
• Analyze needs and problems to determine approach and priority.
• Makes high-level contacts of a sensitive nature regarding routine & non-routine issues internally and externally requiring a high degree of discretion and diplomacy and time sensitivity.
• Understands the program goals and priorities of the Dean to prioritize issues according to urgency.
• Manages multiple tasks with competing deadlines.
• Provides back-up administrative support to other areas in the School as necessary.
• Available periodically during off-hours (evenings and weekends).
• Other duties as assigned.

Budget and Financial

• Will need to acquire a working knowledge of LU's financial system.
• Process receipts, coordinates payment of Deans purchasing card and administrative purchasing card.
• Coordinate payment process for external vendors. Properly document all charges and account for all receipts.

Special Projects

• Must be skilled in managing and prioritizing multiple projects simultaneously and effectively in a dynamic, fast-paced environment.
• Provides administrative and technical assistance on a wide range of special projects as assigned by Dean.

Attends and participates in project meetings/updates. Responsible for correspondence and special reports.

Required Qualifications

• Minimum of four years of prior experience directly supporting an executive or other high-level leader, or four years of experience in a comparable high-level administrative or project support role. The experience must include responsibility for calendar management, meeting coordination, professional correspondence, confidential information, and multiple competing priorities.
• Bachelor's degree in business administration, healthcare administration, communications, or a related field; or an associate degree with two additional years of directly related administrative experience.
• Operate independently with minimal supervision.
• Advanced technical and computer skills to support administrative functions including MS Office Suite with an emphasis on PowerPoint, Excel and database skills, electronic calendar management, various videoconferencing applications such as Teams etc., and email applications.
• Detail-oriented, self-starter and results-driven achiever with excellent organizational and project management skills, strong attention to detail, and ability to multi-task with demanding timeframes.
• Ability to thrive in a fast-paced environment and operate with a high sense of urgency, manage multiple assignments, set priorities, and adapt to changing conditions.
• Strong analytical/problem-solving skills using sound judgment within policy parameters.
• Provides high quality customer service orientation.
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills to communicate effectively with all levels of staff both verbally and in writing, with excellent editing and proofreading ability; must be an exceptional listener.
• Strong ability to work independently and as a team member.
• Ability to use high-level discretion and maintain a high level of confidentiality in all aspects of services provided.
• Diplomacy, professional appearance and demeanor, and excellent attendance.
• Social perceptiveness, being aware of others' reactions and understanding why they react as they do.

Preferred Qualifications

• Project management training preferred but not required.

Physical and Sensory Abilities

• Occasionally required to travel to local and campus locations.
• Frequently required to sit for extended periods to perform deskwork or type on a keyboard.
• Regularly required to hear and speak in order to effectively communicate orally.
• Occasionally required to stand, walk, and climb stairs to move about the building.
• Regularly lift 10 or fewer pounds.

Working Conditions

Work Environment

The working environment in which one will typically perform the essential functions of this position is a climate-controlled office setting. It is well lighted and the noise level is moderate.

Driving Requirements

Use of one's personal vehicle (or LU vehicles) is required for travel in the performance of the essential functions of this position. Proof of a valid Virginia driver's license, an acceptable DMV record, and liability insurance is required.

• Time Type
• Full time
• Location
• Onsite

Pay Range

Compensation is determined based on factors such as qualifications, experience, education, skills, and certifications, along with University needs and external market conditions. Market benchmarks may be used, as appropriate, in combination with internal equity to ensure pay is fair and aligned with the broader compensation structure.

The position may also be eligible for comprehensive benefits, including health insurance, retirement plans, and tuition assistance.

$21.15 - $25.00

We believe it is our moral and legal obligation to meet the responsibility of ensuring that all management practices regarding employees are conducted in a nondiscriminatory manner. It is, therefore, our policy and intention to evaluate all employees and prospective employees strictly according to the requirements of the job.

The University is a Christian religious-affiliated organization; and as such, is not subject to religious discrimination requirements. The University's hiring practices and EEO discrimination practices are in full compliance with both federal and state law.

Federal law creates an exception to the "religion" component of the employment discrimination laws for religious organizations (including educational institutions), and permits them to give employment practice preference to members of their own religious beliefs.