Executive Assistant to the Dean

University of Kansas•Lawrence, KS

5d•Onsite

About The Position

This position serves a vital role in the communications and operations of the Dean’s Office and works in collaboration with others to execute the goals of the Dean and the School. The assistant is the principal support staff for executive level activities for the Dean of the Law School and serves as the point of access to the Dean and the Dean’s Office. The assistant has access to a variety of information and is expected to exercise good judgment, maintain confidentiality, work independently, and demonstrate excellent communication and organization skills. Professional communication with state officials, media, alumni, Deans, faculty, university officials, and the public is an essential part of this position. All communications must be appropriately bridged between the Dean and the specific parties. This is a full-time, 12-month, benefits eligible professional staff position reporting directly to the Dean.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree and seven years of office experience or High School diploma or GED equivalency and 10 years of office experience.
Experience with computer/information systems, basic word processing software and electronic calendars as evidenced by application materials.
Familiarity with KU and state structures, policies and procedures, as evidenced by application materials.
Demonstrated leadership experience in a higher education setting.
Demonstrated ability to be highly self-directed and detail oriented.
Demonstrated strong organization skills with capacity for responding to and managing rapidly developing priorities.
Demonstrated experience with planning and implementing luncheons, lectures, workshops, programs or other similar events and activities.
Appropriate work authorization to work in the U.S. before employment begins.

Responsibilities

Function as the Dean’s communication liaison with KU offices, including the Provost Office, other Dean’s offices, Directors, faculty, staff, students, alumni, donors as well as the public including the Board of Governors and other external constituencies.
Engage in front line troubleshooting and expedite problem solving for the Dean’s office.
Answer telephone, screen calls, respond to calendar invitations and provide routine information regarding the Dean’s schedule and law school activities.
Maintain the Dean’s calendar, manage travel schedule and schedule all appointments, including regular meetings with administrators, faculty, University administration, students and alumni.
Use discretion and good judgment in setting appointments and prioritizing meeting requests and scheduling appointments.
Schedule and coordinate other miscellaneous meetings and activities as directed by the Dean, including but not necessarily limited to faculty interviews, faculty lunches, faculty meetings, faculty workshops, faculty reviews, corporate and law firm events, one-on-one lunches or meetings with alumni, and other similar activities as requested by the Dean.
This includes coordinating catering and lunch orders, arranging for travel and lodging for the Dean, faculty candidates and others as required, preparing and extending email communications and invitations, scheduling venues, setting up and cleaning up rooms, making reservations, purchasing and arranging gift bags or swag for faculty candidates, visitors, law firm visits and performing all other such tasks that may be required to ensure that the Dean’s activity, event or appointment is successfully executed.
Screen, review, and distribute incoming and outgoing mail including contributions from alumni and other donors.
Provide word processing and perform administrative support functions.
Record minutes at all faculty meetings and attend other meetings as required by the Dean to take notes or minutes or otherwise maintain a record.
Gather and distribute materials for matters voted on by the faculty, including faculty candidate voting.
Prepare and collect ballots as required.
Prepare materials and reports for the Dean at his direction.
Compose, prepare, and ensure timely mailing of all correspondence from the Dean, this includes the preparation and mailing of student scholarship letters, all thank you letters and any miscellaneous congratulatory or similar follow up correspondence with donors, alumni, and friends of the law school.
Prepare background/prep information for all of Dean’s meetings, including items such as itineraries, schedules, directions, bios, and other similar items.
Coordinate alumni mailings in cooperation with KUEA and the KUAA as required.
Create sign-up and distribution process for KU basketball tickets that are given to alumni.
Work independently and with the Dean and other school administrators to locate, compile, maintain, format and provide information for internal and external entities including the University, Board of Regents, ABA, AALS and other such organizations.
Compile confidential faculty candidate binders for recruitment committee members and prepare faculty recruitment forms or other documentation needed for the recruitment and hiring of faculty.
Compile and submit forms and receipts for reimbursements for faculty candidates.
Prepare and gather documents for promotion and tenure files, post-tenure review files, pre-tenure review, sabbatical requests, distinguished professor and other award nominations, such as Kemper.
Coordinate the notifications to people involved and the timely submissions to Faculty Affairs or other university offices.
Compile Board of Governors reports, faculty/staff handbook, donor reports for annual publication and other similar reports and documents.
Maintain files and records, including confidential faculty files or other similar institutional records.
Work closely with law school administrators and staff to maintain the accuracy and integrity of alumni information and records.
Enter alumni updates directly into KUAA database and continue to expand our e-mail records for dissemination of the E-newsletter, e-invites to various law school events and programs, and other alumni and law school related information and activities.
Collect, compile, and serve as a repository for alumni notes and deceased alumni records to be used in the news section of the KU Law Magazine, the Alumni E-newsletter, and for updates to the KUAA/KUEA database.
Respond to requests for alumni information from the Dean, law school administrators, members of the Board of Governors and other requesting individuals or groups.
Assist other administrative offices as needed or as directed by the dean.
This may include providing assistance with travel arrangements for senior level administrators or other visitors and guests of the law school or providing event support for tailgates, court visits, and other miscellaneous events that occur throughout the year.
Perform all other duties as assigned.