Position Type:
Secretarial/Clerical/School Administrative Assistant

Date Posted:
7/20/2023

Location:
Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart

Woodlands Academy is seeking an Assistant to the Head of School. The Assistant to the Head of School reports to and works closely with the Head of School and serves as a liaison and support to the Board of Trustees and Leadership Team. This role provides consistent, confidential, and professional administrative support for the Head of School in order to maintain the well-being of the school and the broader community.

The Assistant to the Head supports the Head's short- and long-term goals and institutional projects. This role also supports the Board of Trustees and its standing committees and embodies and communicates the school's mission and core values. This vital team member should possess the ability to balance attention to detail with a view of the larger picture, patience, a sense of humor, creative problem-solving skills, the ability to manage multiple projects at one time, and a commitment and desire to serve in a Sacred Heart school and model the Goals and Criteria of Sacred Heart Schools.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is one of 25 Sacred Heart schools in the United States and Canada. Sacred Heart education at Woodlands Academy is distinctive and emphasizes best practices for the education of girls and innovative practices for academic excellence. Established in 1858, the school forms global citizens and transforms young women through a dynamic of relationships that responds to the dignity of each member of the school community.

Responsibilities include:

• Promote the school's mission in the form of the Goals and Criteria , making them the center of all decisions and actions
• Organize and review priorities with the Head of School
• Schedule, maintain, and confirm the Head of School's appointments and calendar activities
• Assist the Head of School with work and events related to the Board of Trustees
• Provide support to the development activities of the school
• Create agendas and record all meeting minutes, including of the Board of Trustees and Leadership Team
• Maintain all Board of Trustees records and assist the Board committee chairs as requested
• Provide general clerical duties and administrative support to the school
• Serve as a leader of the school office
• Serve on administrative and academic committees
• Assist in planning campus-wide events
• Do research and writing as requested
• Serve on the Crisis Team and assume annual updating of crisis materials
• Manage facility rentals in conjunction with business office and maintenance department
• Manage the completion of annual educational surveys
• Support an atmosphere of trust and openness and respect, affirm, and protect the dignity and worth of each member of the community
• Assume responsibility for other projects as assigned by the Head of School

Requirements and Qualifications:

• A Bachelor's Degree
• Experience preferred
• Strong interpersonal skills
• Highly professional with a great understanding for strong ethical standards in managing confidential situations with extreme discretion, respect, and sensitivity
• Excellent written and oral communication skills
• Excellent organizational skills coupled with a high degree of flexibility
• Technology skills including advanced Excel, Word, and Outlook. Knowledge of Blackbaud a bonus
• Proven success at working collaboratively and efficiently on a creative and goal-oriented team
• Able to make quick decisions, take initiative, and prioritize tasks
• Is accessible, approachable, and welcoming and reflects this in supporting the office of the Head
• Warm and personable with patience and a good sense of humor
• High-energy and enthusiastic about working in an academic atmosphere
• Ability and desire to support, implement, and model the Goals and Criteria for Sacred Heart Schools
• Ability to manage a variety of projects with minimal supervision
• Enjoys working with in a school setting with children
• Is fond of dogs, as there may occasionally be dogs on campus or in nearby offices

Why you should join our community:

• Make an impact on the lives of young women as a member of an enthusiastic and encouraging community of educators
• Thrive in a creative domain while pursuing professional passions in an environment committed to lifelong learning
• Engage in meaningful work in a secure workforce with colleagues who lift each other up
• Woodlands Academy offers generous health/dental/vision plans, group life and long-term disability, voluntary life, and voluntary short-term disability plans, 403(b) with 5% contribution of annual salary, and flexible spending accounts (benefits for full-time employees working 30 hours per week only)
• Generous time off, including vacation and sick/personal time
• Opportunities to volunteer

How to apply:

Please complete the application materials on our Employment page here. All applicants must apply with a cover letter, resume, and Personal Reflection on the Sacred Heart Goals and Criteria . We also strongly suggest applicants to submit three written references.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an all-girls, Catholic, college preparatory day and boarding school in Lake Forest, IL. Visit the school's website at www.woodlandsacademy.org and the website of the Network of Sacred Heart Schools at www.sacredheartusc.education to learn more.

Woodlands Academy of the Sacred Heart is an equal opportunity employer. It does not discriminate against any individual on the basis of race, color, religion*, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, national or ethnic origin, ancestry, genetic information, age, disability, protected veteran status or being a member of the Reserves or National Guard, or any other classification under state or federal law.

*The School reserves the right to use religion as a hiring criterion for selected positions and nature of a school as a faith-based institution as permitted by law.