Executive Assistant for Academic Affairs

at  California State University

Job no: 542112
Work type: Staff
Location: San Luis Obispo
Categories: Confidential, Administrative, Probationary, Full Time, On-site (work in-person at business location)
Position Description

JOB SUMMARY

Reporting to the senior vice provost for Academic Affairs (SVP) and with a dotted line to the associate vice president for Academic Resources and Planning (AVP), the executive assistant for Academic Affairs provides executive-level administrative and professional support to the SVP and AVP. The executive assistant is a strategic team member who manages the administrative functions and provides specialized technical, analytical, and administrative duties for senior leadership in the division of academic affairs. The incumbent conducts analyses and prepares sensitive and complex materials and reports, correspondence, and briefing packets to support the daily requirements of senior leadership for Academic Affairs. This position will represent the senior leadership as needed with respect to meetings and consultation and participate as a member of taskforces and projects centered around key initiatives. This position is also responsible for facilitating, tracking, and coordinating submittal of highly sensitive and confidential annual and ad hoc reports. In addition, the position provides high-level administrative and executive support to divisional and university level projects, strategic initiatives, taskforces, and committees. This position will have ongoing contact with office of the president, the office of the provost and executive vice president (provost/EVP), vice presidents, vice provosts, associate provosts, deans, other university administrators and committees, and the Chancellor’s Office, in addition to students, faculty, staff, service providers, and the public.
Work is specialized and of a sensitive and confidential nature requiring access to a variety of sources of information, including but not limited to, official collective bargaining negotiations or strategies, executive personnel matters, Civil Rights & Compliance Office investigations, legal matters, and progress reports of campus programs and projects. This position requires the full awareness of the senior vice provost and associate vice president’s priorities and in-depth knowledge of the functions of academic affairs leadership as related to overall campus environment and the division of Academic Affairs.
Department Summary
The provost and executive vice president (provost and EVP) for Academic Affairs is the chief academic officer of the university, is the most senior among the vice presidents, and reports directly to the president. The provost and EVP serves as acting president in the absence of the president. As the highest ranking academic, the provost and EVP is responsible for developing and implementing academic plans and policies, which will enable the university community to achieve the highest levels of academic excellence. The provost and EVP serves on the President’s Cabinet and works collaboratively with the leaders of other university divisions to promote academic excellence, execute the university strategic plan, and determine where resources should be strategically allocated and invested. The college deans, Academic Affairs’ division leadership, the vice president for Research, Economic Development, and Graduate Education (R-EDGE), the vice president for Strategic Enrollment Management (SEM) report to the provost and EVP. The vice president for University Personnel and the associate vice provost for Academic Personnel have a dotted line report to the provost and EVP. The provost and EVP also represents the campus within the CSU and to external constituencies as designated by the president. The Office of the Provost staff supports the vision of the provost and EVP, the university, and the Learn by Doing experience.

KEY QUALIFICATIONS

• Independently assess requests and provide a full range of executive administrative support and coordination to the senior vice provost (SVP) and associate vice president for academic resources and planning (AVP) including, but not limited to: handling sensitive information; sourcing information; preparing and assembling briefing and meeting background materials; drafting correspondence; providing project summaries, overviews and recommendations for future plans of action; interpreting policies and procedures as necessary; meeting documentation; travel coordination; and calendar management and scheduling.
• Coordinate all elements of the SVP and AVP calendars including monitoring and reviewing meeting requests, resolving scheduling conflicts, establishing appointment priorities, scheduling appointments, and preparing daily schedules. Schedule meetings on behalf of and for the SVP and AVP by strategically prioritizing time. Provide information and materials for the SVP and AVP to participate in both planned and impromptu meetings, phone calls, university communications, and events. Arrange and confirm travel, prepare, and process travel approvals, travel claims, track reimbursements, prepare itineraries, and provide meeting materials, maps, and directions.
• Assess the relative significance of day-to-day events, correspondence, phone calls and inquiries. Evaluate priorities and disseminate information from the SVP and AVP to others. Provide necessary requests to the SVP and AVP. Refer other requests to more appropriate individuals and offices as needed.
• Ensure appropriate coordination, tracking, and response for agenda requests and action items that arise from meetings attended by the SVP and AVP (e.g., university committees and divisional meetings, taskforces and working groups, etc.).
• Assist with long-range strategic planning, analytical studies, research, taskforces, strategic partnering on initiatives and division-level projects. (e.g., year-round operations, community college partnerships, allied health, etc.).
• Provide high-level administrative and executive support for divisional and university level projects, strategic initiatives, taskforces, workforces, and committees. Manage the coordination of special projects and initiatives including request for proposals, event planning, synthesizing information, and logistics coordination.
• Process and track sensitive and highly confidential documentation from a variety of sources including that which relates to official collective bargaining negotiations or strategy, executive personnel matters, MPP performance evaluations, Civil Rights & Compliance Office investigations, and confidential initiatives. Facilitate, track, and coordinate submittal of sensitive and confidential annual and ad hoc reports requiring provost/EVP, vice provost/president level approval (e.g., CSU Chancellor’s Office Memoranda regarding reports, audits, and requests for data/information, etc.).
• Provide high-level administrative support to the SVP and AVP regarding university matters of a highly confidential nature, often regarding emergencies or information that are time-sensitive, requiring the highest level of confidentiality.
• Provide support for special events and projects for the SVP and AVP, including development of meeting agendas, management of meeting coordination, preparation, and distribution of meeting materials. Attend on-site and off-site meetings, as needed.
• Receive and interpret new or updated rules, regulations, CSU collective bargaining agreements, Chancellors’ Office directives and coded memorandum, and federal and state laws and guidelines. Evaluate the impact of changes on current department and division policies and procedures. Coordinate and oversee the notification and implementation of these changes.
• Communicate and interact effectively with executives, vice presidents, vice provosts, deans, and constituency groups in addition to students, faculty, staff, alumni, and the public.
• Foster a culture of service excellence and serve as a role model and mentor to motivate staff to improve quality and responsiveness to services.

Education and Experience

• Equivalent to graduation from a four-year college or university and three years of progressively responsible administrative experience. A graduate degree may be substituted for one year of the required experience. Additional qualifying experience may be substituted for the required education on a year-for-year basis.

Salary and Benefits
The anticipated hiring range for this role is $75,000-$90,000 annually. Note that the offer is calculated based on the background and relevant years of experience of the individual selected.
Cal Poly offers a best-in-class benefits program, including health, dental and vision insurance, retirement participation in the Public Employees’ Retirement System, and educational benefits for eligible employees. See our benefits website for additional information.
Cal Poly
Cal Poly is a nationally-ranked public university located in San Luis Obispo, California, and known for its Learn by Doing philosophy. Each year more than 20,000 top-tier students come to San Luis Obispo to put knowledge into action, taking their learning outside the classroom as they prepare for careers in engineering, agriculture, science, business, humanities and the built environment. Cal Poly’s hands-on philosophy, small class sizes and close student-faculty mentorships result in graduates ready from day one to impact their communities, California and the world. For more information, visit calpoly.edu.
Diversity Statement
At Cal Poly, we believe that cultivating an environment that embraces and promotes diversity is fundamental to the success of our students, our employees and our community. Bringing people together from different backgrounds, experiences and value systems fosters the innovative and creative thinking that exemplifies Cal Poly’s values of free inquiry, cultural and intellectual diversity, mutual respect, civic engagement, and social and environmental responsibility.
Cal Poly’s commitment to diversity informs our efforts in recruitment, hiring and retention. Cal Poly is an equal opportunity employer.

Please refer the Job description for details