Administrative Assistant, Duke Aging Center

Duke Careers•Durham, NC

4d•$45,661 - $73,140•Onsite

About The Position

Duke School of Medicine’s Center for Aging is seeking an Administrative Assistant. This position will provide high-level administrative support to the Aging Center leadership team, including the Aging Center Director and Chief Administrative Officer (CAO). This position requires a high degree of discretion, independent judgment, and the ability to manage competing priorities across a complex, fast-moving academic environment. This is a full-time, in-person position. This role may occasionally require flexibility outside of normal business hours to support center events or time-sensitive matters; such instances are expected to be rare. The ideal candidate is highly organized, proactive, detail-oriented, and thrives in a fast-paced environment where discretion, professionalism, and exceptional follow-through are essential.

Requirements

Work requires a general educational background normally equivalent to a full high school education plus two years of post-secondary education in a business-related field.
Work requires 4 years of related business or administrative experience to become familiar with general personnel practices, accounting and budgeting principles, and coordination of major office activities.
OR ANY OTHER EQUIVALENT COMBINATION OF RELEVANT EDUCATION AND/OR EXPERIENCE.

Nice To Haves

High degree of discretion, independent judgment
Ability to manage competing priorities
Highly organized, proactive, detail-oriented
Thrives in a fast-paced environment
Exceptional follow-through

Responsibilities

Serve as the face of the Director's office, greeting and welcoming visitors in a professional and warm manner.
Manage complex calendars for the Director and CAO, using independent judgment to ensure time is aligned with priorities, key relationships, and leadership needs.
Schedule appointments, meetings, and speaking engagements; supervise preparation of meeting materials and coordinate all logistics.
Act as a trusted gatekeeper for time, information, and communications, ensuring appropriate prioritization and response.
Proactively anticipate needs, mitigate risks, and resolve scheduling conflicts with minimal direction.
Handle travel arrangements for the Director and CAO, including flight and hotel reservations, meeting registrations, and procurement card charges and reimbursements.
Provide scheduling support to the broader Aging Center leadership team as needed.
This role may occasionally require flexibility outside standard business hours to support center activities; such instances are expected to be infrequent.
Work with the Grants Team and Finance Team to assign appropriate cost codes for travel expenses.
Plan and coordinate center events and activities, including distinguished guest visits, leadership-hosted events, and research program gatherings.
Responsibilities include space reservations, catering, itinerary development, advertising flyers and expense processing.
Ensure appropriate parties are notified in advance of visits and that all logistics are handled smoothly.
Support center community-building activities on behalf of the Aging Center leadership team, including onboarding coordination for new faculty and staff (orientation support, list-serve setup, IT introductions) and recognition of milestones and significant life events.
Provide project-specific administrative support for research programs and initiatives overseen by the Aging Center leadership team.
Coordinate across research teams, center-affiliated faculty, and staff to track deliverables, facilitate communication, and support program operations as assigned.
Manage communications on behalf of the Director and Aging Center leadership team, triaging incoming email and correspondence and responding directly when appropriate or escalating to the Director or CAO as needed.
Serve as a liaison across all levels of university administration and faculty, to coordinate and resolve academic and administrative matters.
Draft and distribute the Aging Center newsletter, communicate upcoming events to center affiliates, and update the Aging Center website as needed.
Prepare center communications, flyers, and pamphlets as requested.
Research, compile, and synthesize information to support decision-making by the Director and Aging Center leadership; develop PowerPoint presentations and briefing materials as requested.
Oversee AV equipment (Zoom, conference room systems) for meetings and events.
Maintain confidential records, including grants, contracts, research agreements, patents, proprietary materials, and manuscripts.
Interpret and apply departmental policies and procedures, making decisions on specific operating issues and assisting in developing and updating office policies as appropriate.
Compile reports and progress updates for leadership as needed.