Executive Assistant to the Dean

University of Toronto•Toronto, ON

3d•CA$76,641 - CA$127,734•Onsite

About The Position

The Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing at the University of Toronto is a globally recognized leader in nursing education, research, and practice. Our mission is to advance health through a commitment to excellence in education and research. We are dedicated to creating a supportive environment that fosters innovation and collaboration among our faculty, staff, and students. Reporting directly to the Dean at the Lawrence Bloomberg Faculty of Nursing and under the direction of the Director, Office of the Dean (Director), the Executive Assistant (EA) is responsible for providing a wide range of high-level, highly confidential, and sometimes sensitive strategic executive administrative support to the Office of the Dean at the very highest level of professional standards and practices. The EA’s work involves attention to multiple, competing priorities, while maintaining a composed and efficient environment in the face of unexpected interruptions and changing demands. The EA must be proactive and anticipate next steps to efficiently manage business processes, communications, and records management for the Office of the Dean. The EA must utilize sound judgment, professionalism, discretion and confidentiality. Major responsibilities include managing the complex schedule of appointments and events for the Dean, both internal and external to the University; responding to a wide variety of in-person, email, and telephone inquiries from external officials, students, faculty, senior University administrators and alumni while ensuring priority requests are dealt with quickly and with tact and diplomacy; and ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of faculty appointment procedures, tenure and promotion procedures, annual review process, and sabbatical and other leave applications using detailed knowledge of relevant policies, procedures, and precedents. The EA is accountable for supporting the operations of the Dean’s Office to ensure the needs of the Dean and partners are met in an efficient and effective manner; managing the Dean’s Office expenses; independently composing correspondence for the Dean’s signature; resolving issues and answering inquiries independently where appropriate based on the understanding of the Dean’s portfolio; briefing the Dean on key issues and current events; maintaining positive relations and communicating with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders; and developing business processes and systems to increase efficiency of the Office. The incumbent is the lead administrative contact in interactions between the Dean and other senior administrators and faculty, both internal and external to the University, including senior leaders from the Office of the President, the Vice-President and Provost, and the Vice-Provost, Faculty & Academic Life. The EA prioritizes requests and action items, relaying urgent information and acts on the Dean’s behalf when requested to do so.

Requirements

A Bachelor’s degree or an equivalent combination of education and experience.
Minimum of five (5) years senior and/or executive administrative support experience, preferably in an academic environment.
Demonstrated experience in handling matters of a confidential and sensitive nature.
Ability and commitment to project a professional and positive image, maintain confidentiality, think critically and exercise mature judgment.
Proactive and must have the ability to work autonomously with minimal oversight.
Strong planning and organizational skills.
Excellent communication skills both oral and written.
Strong editing skills.
Superior interpersonal skills.
Must have initiative, diplomacy and tact.
Ability to exercise judgment in prioritizing the work of the Dean and be able to maintain a high level of confidentiality, tact, and decisiveness while working under the pressure of constantly-changing priorities, unanticipated urgent demands, and multiple tasks and projects with competing deadlines.
Excellent computer skills (Word, Excel and PowerPoint).
Ability to learn and adapt to new technologies.
Ability to analyze information and prepare documents within the parameters set out by the Dean.
Great attention to detail.
Proven effectiveness relating to all levels of the University – administration, faculty, staff, students, and external members of the community.
Knowledge of relevant Faculty and University policies.

Nice To Haves

Knowledge of a university structure, and especially of the University of Toronto and its policies, is a definite asset.

Responsibilities

Managing the complex schedule of appointments and events for the Dean, both internal and external to the University.
Responding to a wide variety of in-person, email, and telephone inquiries from external officials, students, faculty, senior University administrators and alumni while ensuring priority requests are dealt with quickly and with tact and diplomacy.
Ensuring the accuracy and timeliness of faculty appointment procedures, tenure and promotion procedures, annual review process, and sabbatical and other leave applications using detailed knowledge of relevant policies, procedures, and precedents.
Supporting the operations of the Dean’s Office to ensure the needs of the Dean and partners are met in an efficient and effective manner.
Managing the Dean’s Office expenses.
Independently composing correspondence for the Dean’s signature.
Resolving issues and answering inquiries independently where appropriate based on the understanding of the Dean’s portfolio.
Briefing the Dean on key issues and current events.
Maintaining positive relations and communicating with a wide variety of internal and external stakeholders.
Developing business processes and systems to increase efficiency of the Office.
Acting as the lead administrative contact in interactions between the Dean and other senior administrators and faculty, both internal and external to the University.
Prioritizing requests and action items, relaying urgent information and acting on the Dean’s behalf when requested.