(Hybrid) Executive Assistant - Resilient Energy Technology & Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium

West Virginia University•West Virginia, WV

8d•Hybrid

About The Position

The Resilient Energy Technology and Infrastructure (RETI) Consortium at West Virginia University is seeking a highly polished and exceptionally organized Executive Assistant. This role will serve as the front office face of the consortium, a National Science Foundation Regional Innovation Engine focused on advancing industrial grid resilience and energy efficiency across West Virginia and western Pennsylvania. Reporting to the Chief Executive Officer and supporting the full executive leadership team, the Executive Assistant will be crucial to the day-to-day success of the consortium by providing the coordination, organization, and professionalism required to keep a high-performing executive team operating at peak effectiveness. The Executive Assistant will manage executive calendars, coordinate complex meetings and video conferences, plan events, and prepare the CEO for engagements with federal agencies, industry leaders, state officials, academic partners, and the public. This position requires representing the consortium with poise, discretion, and professionalism at all times.

Requirements

Bachelor’s degree in business administration, communications, public administration, or a related field.
A minimum of three (3) years of experience in executive-level administrative support experience, including direct support of senior executives (C-suite, university leadership, or equivalent).
Any equivalent combination of related education and/or experience will be considered.
Demonstrated experience managing complex executive calendars and coordinating multi-party meetings across multiple organizations and time zones.
Demonstrated experience planning and executing professional events, conferences, and high-profile meetings.
Polished, professional demeanor with the ability to serve as the front office face of a high-visibility organization.
Outstanding written and verbal communication skills, with strong attention to grammar, tone, formatting, and detail.
Exceptional organizational skills, including the ability to manage multiple competing priorities, anticipate needs, and operate independently in a fast-paced environment.
Demonstrated discretion and sound judgment when handling confidential and sensitive information.
Proficiency with executive productivity tools, including Microsoft Outlook, Microsoft Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint), and video conferencing platforms (Zoom, Microsoft Teams, Webex).

Nice To Haves

Experience supporting executives in a federally funded research initiative, regional innovation organization, nonprofit, or higher education environment.
Experience supporting multiple senior executives simultaneously.
Familiarity with West Virginia University systems and policies, including procurement, travel, and expense reporting workflows.
Experience preparing executive briefing materials, talking points, and meeting prep packets.
Experience coordinating engagements with federal agencies, congressional offices, or state government officials.
Experience using project and task management platforms (e.g., Asana, Smartsheet, Monday, Microsoft Planner).

Responsibilities

Serve as the primary front office point of contact for the RETI Consortium, projecting a polished, professional, and welcoming presence to all external and internal stakeholders.
Greet and host visitors to consortium offices, including senior federal and state officials, industry executives, partner leaders, and community representatives.
Handle inbound communications across phone, email, and other channels with discretion, accuracy, and timeliness.
Maintain the highest standards of confidentiality when handling sensitive information related to personnel, partner negotiations, federal interactions, and consortium strategy.
Manage the calendars of the CEO and the broader RETI executive leadership team, including the Chief Operations Officer, Chief Technology Officer, Chief Workforce Officer, and Chief Commercialization Officer.
Prioritize and protect executive time by aligning scheduling decisions with organizational priorities, milestones, and stakeholder commitments.
Proactively resolve scheduling conflicts, anticipate timing constraints, and coordinate complex multi-party meetings across institutions, time zones, and travel schedules.
Coordinate executive travel arrangements, including itineraries, transportation, accommodations, and expense reporting.
Set up and manage all internal and external meetings for the executive team, including video conference links, agendas, room reservations, technology setup, and dial-in details.
Ensure that meetings begin and end on time, are well organized, and have all required pre-read materials distributed in advance.
Capture and circulate meeting notes, decisions, and action items as requested, and follow up to ensure completion.
Manage logistics for recurring leadership meetings, board meetings, partner convenings, and federal program reviews.
Prepare the CEO for important meetings by assembling briefing packets that include attendee biographies, organizational background, prior interactions, and key talking points.
Coordinate with the Chief Operations Officer, Chief Officers, and the Director of Communications to gather and synthesize materials needed for executive engagements.
Track CEO commitments, action items, and follow-ups, ensuring that nothing falls through the cracks across a high-volume schedule.
Anticipate executive needs and proactively prepare materials, logistics, and information in advance of key engagements.
Plan and execute consortium events, including partner convenings, board meetings, advisory council meetings, leadership retreats, and stakeholder receptions.
Manage conference logistics, including venue selection, vendor coordination, registration, materials production, on-site support, and post-event follow-up.
Coordinate the consortium’s presence at external conferences and industry events, including registration, travel, materials, and on-site logistics for the executive team.
Partner with the Director of Communications to ensure event branding, materials, and stakeholder communications are aligned with consortium standards.
Provide day-to-day coordination and organization that allows the executive leadership team to operate effectively and efficiently.
Maintain organized digital and physical filing systems for executive correspondence, meeting records, and key documents.
Process executive expense reports, purchase requests, and routine administrative paperwork in compliance with West Virginia University and federal award policies.
Support cross-functional projects as assigned, contributing to consortium operations beyond the immediate executive office.