Administrative Assistant to the Vice President for Finance

Frederick, Maryland•Frederick, MD

1d•Onsite

About The Position

Hood College seeks a highly organized, detail-oriented, and service-focused part-time administrative assistant to provide administrative and operational support to the Vice President for Finance. The qualified candidate will have advanced business acumen to professionally handle multiple priorities within a fast-paced environment; leverage technology to improve efficiency, maintain internal controls, and provide high-level administrative and analytical support; deliver high-quality service; provide high-level administrative and analytical support to the Vice President and, when necessary, Senior Team and Board of Trustees; handle confidential information; manage correspondence and track project timelines and deadlines. Evening and weekend hours may be required on occasion to accommodate special projects.

Requirements

Values diversity, equity, and inclusion in all that they do.
Strong organizational skills.
Proven ability to work collaboratively with partners across campus in support of Hood College’s mission as a student-centered, liberal arts institution.
Bachelors’ degree with 2-3 years office experience preferred, preferably in a higher education environment, or satisfactory combination of education and/or experience.
Experience with office management and bookkeeping functions is essential.
Highly service-oriented.
Able to work and communicate effectively with individuals from all levels of the organization and outside.
Capable of independent work and judgment.
Ability to exercise strong time management techniques and accomplish responsibilities with enthusiasm and dedication.
Proficient in MS Office tools (Microsoft Word, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook, OneDrive, and Teams), e-mail and Internet.
Ability to learn new applications quickly including organization-wide information systems and department-specific software applications.
Strong oral and written communication skills.
Ability to effectively provide information and positively respond to questions from both external and internal customers both in person and by phone.
Ability to write routine reports and correspondence.
Proficient with statistical and financial concepts.
Must have the ability to apply those concepts to tracking, projections, goal setting and interpreting reports.
Must be able to draw conclusions from reports and make cost-effective decisions regarding programs.
Ability to solve practical problems and deal with a number of concrete variables in situations where only limited standardization exists.
Ability to interpret a variety of instructions furnished in written, oral, diagram, or schedule form.
Ability to work independently and as a member of a group in developing and executing project plans.
Ability to work in theoretical arena and apply logic as appropriate.

Nice To Haves

Notary public certification preferred.

Responsibilities

Manage and prioritize incoming communications, requests, documents, and transactions, while providing a welcoming front-line service to Hood’s students, faculty, staff, trustees, alumni, consultants, contractors, and the external community.
Prioritize inflows based on urgency, deadlines, strategic goals, and financial impact.
Respond to inquiries on behalf of the Vice President or direct inquiries to other staff as needed, prepare responses for the Vice President’s signature.
Summarize inflows for action or decision making by the Vice President.
Manage the Vice President's calendar, coordinating recurring governance, budget, audit, reporting, and leadership activities.
Monitor Hood College calendars and adjust the Vice President’s calendar appropriately.
Coordinate monthly “look ahead” calendar for the Vice President and Direct Reports.
Provide updates for monthly direct reports meetings.
Anticipate and resolve competing demands and schedule conflicts.
Assign meetings, events, and tasks to others when the Vice President is not available.
Tracks deadlines with Direct Reports and send reminders to ensure deadlines are met.
Coordinate meeting agendas, logistics, room reservations, and preparation of materials.
Compile reports and analyses to support meeting preparation and decision-making.
Create concise briefings with key data.
Create spreadsheets, supporting graphics, and PowerPoint presentations.
Compose and prepare confidential correspondence, reports, and other complex documents.
Flag concerns or missing information.
Prepare and organize meeting materials, including committee reports and the Annual Budget.
Ensure meeting rooms and systems are ready (ex. Board of Trustees Committee meetings, PBAC meetings).
Take meeting notes and prepare minutes.
Track and assist with follow-up work and coordination with Direct Reports and others.
Recommend process improvements that strengthen internal controls and operational efficiency.
Update and improve web pages for the Vice President’s and Direct Report’s offices.
Organize and file documents, including migration and simplification of filing to OneDrive.
Exercise sound judgment, professionalism, and confidentiality while handling sensitive and strategic information.
Anticipate executive needs, manage competing priorities, and serve as an effective liaison with internal and external stakeholders.
Demonstrate exceptional organizational, project management, and communication skills while managing multiple priorities and competing deadlines.
Serve as an effective liaison between the Vice President and internal and external stakeholders, fostering collaborative, responsive, and professional working relationships.