Executive Assistant to Chair

Job Summary

As the Executive Assistant to the Department Chair, you will provide high‑level administrative support and manage the administrative operations related to the Chair's office.

This is a highly visible role that contributes to the effective operation of the Chair's office and supports the department's teaching, research, service, and outreach missions. The successful candidate will join a collaborative administrative team committed to responsive service and continuous improvement.

This role requires initiative, sound judgment, discretion, attention to detail, and the ability to manage multiple priorities in a fast‑paced academic environment.

The Executive Assistant to the Chair will coordinate complex calendars, communications, travel and expense processing, faculty appointment and recruitment processes, event logistics, committee support, and general departmental administrative needs.

The successful candidate will be proactive, dependable, collaborative, and comfortable working with confidential information. This position interacts regularly with faculty, staff, students, university partners, donors, visitors, and external stakeholders.

This position is eligible for a hybrid work arrangement at the discretion of the department and requires a minimum of three days per week on‑site, with additional on‑site days required during peak periods or based on departmental needs. Occasional work outside regular business hours may be required to support events, faculty recruitment, or urgent departmental needs. Overtime must be approved in accordance with university policy.

Executive Administrative Support for the Chair 50%

• Manage the Chair's calendar, travel itinerary, meetings, correspondence, and daily administrative priorities.
• Screen and respond to phone calls and email inquiries; greet visitors; route matters appropriately; and follow up as needed.
• Draft, edit, and prepare routine and confidential correspondence, memoranda, reports, presentations, and other documents.
• Maintain confidential electronic records, files, reports, and resource data for the Chair's office. Ensure designated staff members have appropriate access to non‑confidential records and files.
• Process travel and expense reports in accordance with university policies and procedures.
• Exercise independent judgment in planning, prioritizing, organizing, and completing work.
• Build and maintain effective working relationships with the Dean's Office, faculty, staff, students, and external partners.

Faculty Appointment Support, Casebooks, Recruitment, and Leaves 20%

• Track, coordinate and prepare faculty appointments, reappointments, promotions, and tenure‑related casebooks (formal documentation used in the faculty review process) for tenure‑track faculty, research faculty and lecturers.
• Support faculty recruitment processes, including candidate communications, interview schedules, travel arrangements, visit itineraries, and related documentation.
• Coordinate interview materials, job talks, and candidate visit logistics in collaboration with the Chair, Dean's Office, Associate Dean for Academic Affairs, faculty, and staff.
• Coordinate sabbatical and other leave request forms and approval routing.
• Track and coordinate joint and adjunct faculty appointments and related renewals in collaboration with College and departmental HR partners.
• Support the annual Faculty Activity Report process and maintain related faculty activity information.

Event Planning 10%

• Coordinate logistics and provide administrative support for Chair‑led initiatives, departmental meetings, seminars, retreats, receptions, faculty candidate visits, conferences, advisory board meetings, and special events.
• Manage venue reservations, catering, invitations, RSVPs, event communications, guest travel, student temporary support, setup, and cleanup.
• Identify, reserve, and work directly with venues and caterers. Select menus within established budgets, oversee set‑up and clean‑up in event spaces, secure student temporary help as needed, arrange guest travel and lodging, and act as the departmental liaison to guests.
• Serve as a departmental liaison to guests, speakers, candidates,…