Chair’s Assistant and Academic Appointments Professional​/Sr. Admin Asst

Hourly Range

$34.77 per hour

210 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, Connecticut

Reporting directly to the Operations Manager, this role serves as the Senior Administrative Assistant supporting the Chair of the Department of Earth and Planetary Sciences. Acting as the primary source of information for the Chair’s Office, this position serves faculty and academic administration as the subject matter expert on all types of academic appointments and activities. Proactively identifying and reporting potential issues or challenges that may impact the department, the incumbent suggests viable solutions to the Chair.

Prioritizing office tasks effectively, they ensure the Chair meets deadlines and conducts timely reviews for ladder faculty reappointments and promotions. This involves establishing reasonable schedules, organizing the selection, outreach, and letter submission processes for external referees, reviewing materials for compliance, and coordinating the secure distribution of electronic appointment and promotion documents to relevant committee members. As the lead coordinator for the Department’s annual senior and junior faculty search and recruiting efforts, the individual screens, triages, and resolves requests and questions.

They manage applicant files using Interfolio and Box, overseeing on-site visits for senior and junior faculty. Additionally, they play a key role in managing all Postdoctoral Associate and Fellow appointments. Responsibilities extend to coordinating and submitting the annual department instructional teaching request to the Dean’s Office and overseeing special projects assigned by the Chair and Lead Administrator. The Senior Administrative Assistant manages faculty and committee meetings, contributes to the preparation of reports and presentations, ensures materials and presentations are prepared in advance, and that all future calendar events are scheduled.

They assess, coordinate, and troubleshoot technology requirements for meetings and events, overseeing the coordination and execution of events and special projects. The role involves researching information and contributing to the preparation of reports, briefings, and presentations, as appropriate. The Senior Administrative Assistant coordinates and develops all aspects of faculty programs, such as search/promotion/tenure/leaves and joint and affiliated appointments, ensuring compliance with university, FAS, and department policies, procedures, and budgetary guidelines.

Responsible for processing supplier setup, expense reimbursements, supplier invoice requests. The candidate will take the leading role in coordinating work and communications activities with the Office for International Students and Scholars to secure visas; serve as a primary department liaison with FAS Dean’s Office, Provost’s Office, Office for Postdoctoral Affairs; and the Office for Equal Employment Opportunities. Serving as the Chair’s partner, this includes managing and overseeing the website, newsletter, digital signage, and internal announcements.

They act as a subject matter expert in web communication and social media management, ensuring content clarity, organization, adherence to the website’s style and tone guidelines, and visual appeal. As a department spokesperson, the Senior Administrative Assistant requires excellent proofreading skills to address spelling, grammar, and punctuation errors, maintain consistency in language usage and style, formatting issues, and ensure clarity and coherence in representing the department both internally and externally.