Executive Administrative Assistant

Job Type

Staff

Job Description

The Executive Administrative Assistant provides high-level executive, administrative, operational, and project support to the Vice Provost of Research and Dean, College of Biosciences. This position serves as a key administrative partner, coordinating executive priorities, communications, meetings, research-related activities, institutional data, special projects, and relationships with internal and external partners. The role requires a high degree of discretion, independent judgment, organization, and the ability to anticipate needs and coordinate multiple priorities across the College of Biosciences, Office of Research and Sponsored Programs, library operations, and university research enterprise. The position also requires diplomacy in interactions with faculty, students, senior university leadership, external partners, donors, and government agency representatives.

Essential Roles and Responsibilities

Executive and Calendar Support

• Provide high-level administrative and operational support to the Vice Provost of Research and Dean, College of Biosciences
• Coordinate and manage internal and external meetings, including preparation of agendas, materials, presentations, meeting logistics, and follow-up on action items and commitments, prioritizing time-sensitive matters
• Arrange travel, including itineraries, conference logistics, site visits, and reconcile related expense reports

Communications and Correspondence

• Assist in preparing high-level correspondence and communication pieces, including staff communication, executive reports, and presentations
• Answers telephone calls, determines priorities, prepares responses, and/or responds in an appropriate and timely fashion
• Leads and coordinates assigned strategic projects and initiatives, ensuring timely completion and effective communication among stakeholders
• Serve as a professional liaison with university leaders, faculty, staff, students, and external partners as it relates to research

Research Administration Support

• Support research and academic operations across both campuses
• Maintain records, databases, reports, and other operational documentation
• Maintain confidential records and information

• Gather, organize, and assist in the analysis of institutional and external research data

• Support relationships between institutional, academic, community, and research partners
• Develop project timelines, track deliverables, and provide status updates
• Anticipate administrative needs and identify opportunities to improve processes and efficiency

Academic and College Operations

• Support faculty affairs including hiring, rank and promotion applying knowledge of relevant policies
• Support college initiatives, events, meetings, and special projects

Financial and Office Administration

• Participate in preparing, monitoring, and reporting annual operating budgets and related reports
• Oversee office operations including supplies, records management, equipment, and software needs, recommending efficiency improvements
• Perform other duties and special projects as assigned

Minimum Qualifications

• Bachelor's degree in business administration, higher education, communications, organizational management, or related field; or equivalent combination of education and experience required
• Minimum of five years of progressively responsible administrative or executive support experience
• Experience in higher education, academic medicine, health sciences, or a research environment, preferred
• Experience supporting senior-level leadership and managing multiple priorities
• Strong organizational, written, and verbal communication skills
• Proficiency with Microsoft Office, including Outlook, Word, Excel, and PowerPoint
• Ability to gather, organize, analyze, and present information effectively
• Ability to exercise sound judgment, maintain confidentiality, and work independently
• Strong interpersonal skills and ability to work effectively with diverse internal and external stakeholders

Physical Requirements

• Physical dexterity sufficient to use hands, arms, and shoulders repetitively to operate a keyboard and other office equipment, use a telephone, access file cabinets and other items stored at various levels, including overhead
• Ability to speak and hear well enough to communicate clearly and understandably with sufficient volume to ensure an accurate exchange of information in normal conversational distance, over the telephone, and in a group setting
• Ability to continuously operate a personal computer for extended periods of time (4 or more hours)
• Mental acuity sufficient to collect and interpret data, evaluate, reason, define problems, establish facts, draw valid conclusions, make valid judgments and decisions

The essential physical and mental requirements described here are representative of those that must be met by an employee to successfully perform the essential functions of the job. Reasonable accommodations may be made to enable individuals with disabilities to perform the essential functions.

Equal Opportunity Employer

KCU is committed to promoting an equal employment opportunity workplace. Equal opportunity is and shall be provided for all employees and applicants for employment on the basis of their demonstrated ability and competence without discrimination on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, age, national origin, genetic information (GINA), physical or mental disability, pregnancy, sexual orientation, gender identity, marital status, familial status, ancestry, military and/or veteran status, and/or any other status protected by applicable Federal, state or local law.

Annual Security Report

KCU is committed to providing a safe campus for students, faculty, and staff. Our annual campus security report lists campus crimes and statistics for the campus and public areas around campus for the last three years, in accordance with the Jeanne Clery Disclosure of Campus Security Policy and Campus Crime Statistics Act.

Thank you for your interest in a career at KCU!