Assistant to Chair

Job Description

Assist high-level, confidential executive and administrative support to the Department Chair and senior leadership of Comparative Medicine, ensuring seamless operation of department governance, faculty affairs, and graduate/residency programs. Through expert calendar and correspondence management, complex event and travel coordination, and liaison with School of Medicine and University offices, this role enables the Chair to focus on strategic initiatives, research leadership, and academic excellence.

The Assistant to the Chair must navigate a complex landscape of high-stakes responsibilities, where confidentiality and discretion are paramount. In this role, the incumbent serves as the gatekeeper for the Chair’s time and information flow—screening and prioritizing correspondence, maintaining formal record files, and ensuring that every meeting, trip, and event is meticulously organized and briefed. Simultaneously, they manage concurrent workflows across executive support, faculty recruitment and promotions, graduate advising, and residency program coordination, each with its own deadlines, stakeholders, and policy requirements.

Success demands mastery of UW and School of Medicine regulations—from Procard reconciliation and visa processing to accreditation standards—while exercising independent judgment to resolve conflicts and maintain seamless departmental operations.

• Serves as confidential executive assistant to the Department chair, utilizing discretion and professionalism in all matters that support the Chair and department.
• Screens and prioritizes Chair’s correspondence and telephone calls, utilizing independent judgment to determine appropriate and timely responses.
• Manages the maintenance and organization of the Chair’s subject files, which serve as the office files of formal record.
• Schedules meetings at the Chair’s request, coordinates setting of agendas and preparation of materials. Ensures the Chair is fully briefed on meeting agenda items and has all the required supporting materials. At the request of the Chair, creates meeting notes/decisions and follows up on action items.
• Plans trips and travels for the Chair. Works with appropriate department Finance & Administration team members to execute registrations and travel details. Facilitates expense reimbursements and documentation for the Chair with the F&A team and ensures compliance within UW/SoM regulations and policies while meeting priorities of the Chair.
• Coordinates visits (including travel arrangements which may involve working with the F&A team), receptions, and other special events, and provides basic hospitality to guests.
• Develops and maintains an annual planning calendar for the Chair that includes faculty meetings, department meetings and events, faculty affairs milestones (re-appointments, promotions, merit, etc.) and other administrative deadlines.
• Participates in the planning and execution for department events (all hands meetings, seminars, faculty/chair retreats, etc.).
• Establishes a Procard account to support events and other department or Chair purchasing needs. Manages and reconciles account in accordance with UW policies.
• At the direction of the Chair and department leadership, assists with the creation and maintenance of marketing materials for department and center services.
• Works with the department IT resources to ensure website updates and changes are executed.
• Performs other duties as required to support the ongoing mission and strategic plans of the Chair and Department.

• Manages faculty new hire processes – duties may include:
• Under the direction of the Chair, create job descriptions.
• Following established School of Medicine processes and tools, request approval to recruit and hire.
• Support the search committee with Interfolio and other search tasks (posting job announcements, correspondence with applicants, scheduling interviews and site visits, travel arrangements, etc.).
• Assist with the offer letter and other appointment materials.
• Consults with the SoM Academic Appointments and Compensation…