Administrative Assistant - Discovery Partners Institute

Duties & Responsibilities

• Calendar & Travel Management
  • Work independently to provide executive support by managing the complex and encompassing calendars and travel arrangements for the Executive Director, Research Director, and other senior leaders as needed.
  • Communicate with university officials, external constituents, and DPI staff to serve as a liaison and coordinate meetings, travel and events on behalf of executive leadership.
  • Prioritize participants and evaluate obstacles and challenges as they arise, make recommendations.
  • Evaluate and revise scheduling and coordination methods as needed.
• Supervision & Training
  • Train and supervise Office Support Specialists (currently 2) to ensure consistently high-quality administrative support across the organization.
  • Assign duties and tasks, establish priorities, and provide guidance and troubleshooting to ensure effective administrative operations.
  • Guide staff in handling confidential and emergent matters requiring discretion and judgment in accordance with university policies and procedures.
  • Empower staff to diplomatically resolve issues, follow procedures, and maintain effective working relationships with senior university leadership, government officials, civic and industry leadership, and DPI partners.
• Executive Director Communications Support
  • Ensure that the Executive Director is briefed for meetings with a wide range of individuals and groups. Support the Executive Director in all areas including relations with senior university leadership, government officials, civic and industry leadership, and DPI partner institutions.
  • Manage and prioritize the high volume of communication for the Executive Director, drafting and coordinating timely responses. Serve as liaison to those reporting to the Executive Director.
  • Consult with and advise the Executive Director on matters of significance, including confidential and emergent matters that may require immediate action and the use of discretion and judgment. Analyze complex issues, identify viable options, and communicate options to the Executive Director and others. Implement options.
• Administrative Team Leadership
  • Serve as a leader and advocate for administrative support staff on the administrative team (business, HR, facilities, events, communications, IT).
  • Investigate issues, develop recommendations and options, and contribute to identifying and deploying solutions.
  • Contribute to discussions about administrative support staffing levels and organizational structures.
• Events & Conferences
  • Contribute to the planning, coordination, and implementation of events and conferences with a variety of internal and external constituents.
  • Ensure appropriate administrative support is provided for special initiatives and committees as needed.
• Other Duties
  • Perform other related duties and participate in special projects as assigned.